Running Against the Clock

Hello again, my dear readers! My Orvieto blog will come soon (sometime early next week…). It is that time of year again – we are leading up to finals and it is the last push to get in projects and papers. I have successfully turned in 2 papers, given three presentations, and have one presentation, one paper, and one huge project due next week and then I can sit back and enjoy my last few weeks in my beautiful Florence (until finals, that is).

The big news of this week is that I became a permanent temporary resident of Florence! I am very excited! To stay in Florence for an extended period of time, one needs to get a permit-to-stay. I applied for mine the day my feet touched the cobblestones of Florence and got a piece of paper 30 days later. I thought that I was done after that. Apparently not because 30 days after that, I was taken with my program to be fingerprinted (my fingerprints are now in the Italian system… which is kind of cool). I was given an appointment in the next 30 days (so the Italians love two things – stairs and 30-day waiting periods) to come back and pick-up my official card.

So that is what I got to do today… I got to experience Italian immigrations! I also got a lesson in patience. My appointment was at 2pm and my program told me that I should arrive an hour early to get a ticket. Being the worrier that I am, I got there an hour and a half early. As I waited on line, I studied for my Italian quiz that I would take at 3. I felt much more relieved when a girl from my program finally appeared – we waited in line and finally got our numbers and sat down to wait (it is always better to wait with someone, especially when you do not know the language).

At around 2:15pm, I started to get panicky. It takes 20 minutes to walk to class and I would have to leave soon to get there in time for my quiz. I was instructed not to leave without my appointment paper (a sheet with my information on it – name, appointment time, immigration officer’s signature, etc). So I walked up to the guard who took it away from me (so I could get my number). I politely asked for it back and he said, “I don’t speak English very well. I’m sorry” and walked away (I thought his English was really good, but apparently he thinks not). Frustrated and running out of time, I called my program advisor and asked for advice. She told me to give the guard my phone (which I did) and he began to rapidly talk to her in Italian. He then gave me the phone back – my advisor told me that the people working in immigration decided to have a lunch break at 2pm and would not be back until 3pm and my number would be called at around 4pm. Oh no! I did not know what I should do…

After a couple minutes of consideration, I headed over to my Italian class. My first order of business upon arrival was to talk to my professor, who upon hearing my story let me take my quiz first thing and miss the rest of the lesson (“You never keep the State waiting!” she said). After my quiz (which went really well), I ran back to the immigration office. Stepping in the door at 3:58pm, I saw that they were on number 40 and I was number 131. Slightly miffed, I made my way to where my friends were still sitting and sat until they called my name. A little more than an hour later and my number was called. I walked up to window and presented my documents. Then the immigrations officer slid a colorful card under the window. It was my permanent permit to stay card! I was so excited! I am finally recognized by the Florentine government as a temporary resident!

It was a long day (it ended up being about four and a half hours at immigrations including a break to take my quiz) and I had to be patient. I now know that a little patience (about 90 days worth) will bring about great rewards!

Ciao!