Back to reality

11th-12th September 2016

We reached back to Trento on Sunday. To our surprise, we found that most of the shops had closed early. We wanted to buy bus tickets but the main bus ticket station was closed. I remembered that someone told me we could buy tickets at a TABACCHI (small shop with candy and magazines), but the TABACCHI  didn't have tickets unusually. Everyone I spoke with seemed to be annoyed or just didn't want to work. It was very unusual.

We finally went to get some pizza from a shop nearby. After conversing with them for some time (well, they progressively started getting ruder), their answer was "It is Sunday". We were very confused with their behaviour and rudeness.

(-__-)

Today we were supposed to apply for the stay permit in the Post Office. Yes, you read that right, the post office. The Italians have an interesting system that centers around their post office (Poste Italiane).

For those of you who do not know, the Italian government asks for an application to stay (stay permit) when a non-EU national enters Italy (apart from the tourist visa of course). This is in addition to the Schengen visa which covers 26 countries. This permit must be applied for within 8 days of arrival in Italy and therefore today was the perfect day.

All the administrative payments to the Italian government are done through the post office, even the national health insurance payments.

The application was submitted quite fast and the actual process was just two or three minutes at the post office so I was very impressed. I had read about the government system in Italy and expected it to be less efficient than I found it to be (then again I guess I will find out the reality later) but, I will be happy for now.

(^__^)

We went around the town until the end of a bus line thinking that it was going in my direction. Eventually it did, but I had no idea. I wonder if this is one of the perks of not knowing a language? We saw some great sights though!

At least smiles and dogs are the same everywhere. I met a dog named Rolf and he took to me (I luckily met a kid who was playing with the dog and I asked him "CHIAMI?" which means name). I felt elated to have a canine friend so far away from home.

We often don't realize how much information is being exchanged around us. Only when we are without information do we seek it and when we do have some information, we rely on it completely and fail to gather more information. When we got lost, we learned to look around and observe our surroundings, which was enlightening.

(^__^)

It sure is funny when the driver gets temperamental after you press the buzzer for a previous stop; well, everyone has bad days. We must be more understanding. I had no idea that the bus stop name is shown in an LED screen inside the bus, it is brilliant!

(^__^)

It is funny when I tell people that I know a little (POCO) Italian and they start speaking Greek to me. I have henceforth decided not to say that unless I learn at least A1 Italian. It is amazing to me that there are so many different combinations and permutations of sounds that we don't understand.

It is very hot in the morning when the sun is up there brightening the sky, but so very cold and chilly in the evening as soon as the sun's light has left. One interesting point to note is that there are so many Africans here who speak Italian and it is very confusing for me. I wonder if they all migrated here after crossing the Mediterranean Sea?

I will get the answers to these questions eventually but for now, I will just observe and learn.

[Since these are thoughts that randomly come during the day, they will definitely feel out of sync and I will try harder to make it flow (later though). Also, I know that I was supposed to add some more material for the previous posts and I will, soon. Thank you for reading and commenting! A DOMANI! (See you tomorrow!)]