As it turns out if you plan on living in Italy for an extended period of time you must do "the presentation." This requires that you present yourself at your local police station, they fill out by hand some legally binding documents, throw some stamps on them and call you official.
Technically if you are out walking on the street you can be stopped at any time and asked to see your documentation. This never happens though.
So we show up at our allotted time at 9:30am. Fortunately we have Elissabetta, who is an Italian who works at Josephs law firm to help us. She is in charge of making sure we get all of our paperwork in order so that everything is legal. She meets us there. She then proceeds to have what seems like a longer than should be conversation with the police man guarding the door, who apparently doesn't understand what is going on and doesn't want to let us in.
After several times going back and forth, he finally gives in and gives us some directions to where to go. Then we sort of wander down the hall up the elevator and down another all until we find the correct room. That has several men at desks sitting around who as far as I can tell are there for this very purpose. Why the downstairs guys didn't seem to know these fellows existed is beyond me. So we sit down, the friendly man pulls out our forms and proceeds to fill them in by hand.
Filling in official paperwork by hand is a continuing theme here, so you can look out for it in the future.
Luckily at this point everything went very smoothly and quickly. We were out of there in about 10 minutes, and officially registered.
Funny enough Joseph was already in the system from when he was a missionary and the man asked him about it. Based on the way things went down I was very surprised that they had a system sophisticated enough to track someone over time.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
Bergamo
On our second Saturday we decided to take a day trip to Bergamo. We were tempted to take an overnight trip somewhere but Jaspers sleeping had been pretty much horrible since we arrived, I didn't want to take him to a new place again so soon.
Bergamo is about 45 minutes outside of Milan and is an old city, that is made in two parts. The older part of the city is up on the top of a hill and surrounded by an ancient city wall. The newer more urban part of the city is down below.
I had read that you can take an old tram type thing called the funicular up the side of the mountain from the lower city to the higher city. So that is what we did. We was pretty funny, it was this tiny little cable car type thing that just went strait up the side of the mountain and deposited you in the upper city. It did provide for some good views going up and down, although the day we were there it was kind of hazy so the views were not as good as they could have been.
One of my goals while we live here and travel around is to eat the traditional meals from each of the places we visit. The traditional pasta in Bergamo is a meat filled ravioli with a butter sage sauce, so that is what I got for lunch and it was delicious. I am thinking this is one of my better goals.
We also walked part of the outside of the city along the wall. Bergamo really is a cute little city up in the mountains. Of course pushing Jaspers stroller that is pretty much to wide for everything is always an adventure.
Bergamo is about 45 minutes outside of Milan and is an old city, that is made in two parts. The older part of the city is up on the top of a hill and surrounded by an ancient city wall. The newer more urban part of the city is down below.
I had read that you can take an old tram type thing called the funicular up the side of the mountain from the lower city to the higher city. So that is what we did. We was pretty funny, it was this tiny little cable car type thing that just went strait up the side of the mountain and deposited you in the upper city. It did provide for some good views going up and down, although the day we were there it was kind of hazy so the views were not as good as they could have been.
One of my goals while we live here and travel around is to eat the traditional meals from each of the places we visit. The traditional pasta in Bergamo is a meat filled ravioli with a butter sage sauce, so that is what I got for lunch and it was delicious. I am thinking this is one of my better goals.
We also walked part of the outside of the city along the wall. Bergamo really is a cute little city up in the mountains. Of course pushing Jaspers stroller that is pretty much to wide for everything is always an adventure.
The first time I went to the store by myself
After a few days here, I had figured myself brave enough to go to the store by myself.
I only needed one thing.
Because I only needed one thing, I went into the self checkout lane where there was no line. Instead of waiting in the real line where there was a line.
It wasn't until it was too late that I realized doing self checkout meant you needed to be able to read the words, and beyond that know how to use their credit card machine. Just as an FYI it is different over here, you don't swipe. I didn't know this so I swiped, but it didn't work. The problem, is I thought it had worked, so then I tried to leave, but the attended wouldn't let me out of the gate.
So confused I turned back around to face a middle aged Italian lady yelling and me and waving here hands wildly, saying who knows what. Finally I got the idea that I hadn't paid and she clearly thought I was an idiot, so instead of trying to use my credit card again I tried as quickly as possible to give her some money so she would stop yelling.
Fortunately she did, but not before saying something rude about Americans under her breath as if I couldn't hear her.
I took my one item and ran out of that joint, somewhat mortified and trying not to cry in public. Because I cry when I am embarrassed and overwhelmed it just happens people.
Now looking back it is hilarious, it also has resulted in me never using the self checkout line again under any circumstance.
I only needed one thing.
Because I only needed one thing, I went into the self checkout lane where there was no line. Instead of waiting in the real line where there was a line.
It wasn't until it was too late that I realized doing self checkout meant you needed to be able to read the words, and beyond that know how to use their credit card machine. Just as an FYI it is different over here, you don't swipe. I didn't know this so I swiped, but it didn't work. The problem, is I thought it had worked, so then I tried to leave, but the attended wouldn't let me out of the gate.
So confused I turned back around to face a middle aged Italian lady yelling and me and waving here hands wildly, saying who knows what. Finally I got the idea that I hadn't paid and she clearly thought I was an idiot, so instead of trying to use my credit card again I tried as quickly as possible to give her some money so she would stop yelling.
Fortunately she did, but not before saying something rude about Americans under her breath as if I couldn't hear her.
I took my one item and ran out of that joint, somewhat mortified and trying not to cry in public. Because I cry when I am embarrassed and overwhelmed it just happens people.
Now looking back it is hilarious, it also has resulted in me never using the self checkout line again under any circumstance.
The story of mozzarella cheese
On Sunday I intended to make some pizza for dinner. I had gone to the store to buy all of the pieces only to realize on Saturday afternoon that I had forgotten to buy cheese for the pizza.
So I said to myself, I will just run down and grab some shredded mozzarella for tomorrow.
After walking around the store for longer than I should have I realized, they don't sell that here!
They only sell fresh delicious mozzarella, for really not very much money at all.
So I grabbed a ball of fresh mozzarella, paid my 3 euros and walked home.
Chuckling at my American-ness.
Also, why I ever thought to buy shredded over the delicious fresh that is available is beyond me.
Just another adventure in becoming an Italian I guess.
So I said to myself, I will just run down and grab some shredded mozzarella for tomorrow.
After walking around the store for longer than I should have I realized, they don't sell that here!
They only sell fresh delicious mozzarella, for really not very much money at all.
So I grabbed a ball of fresh mozzarella, paid my 3 euros and walked home.
Chuckling at my American-ness.
Also, why I ever thought to buy shredded over the delicious fresh that is available is beyond me.
Just another adventure in becoming an Italian I guess.
Lake Como
On our first Saturday in Italy we figured we already deserved a vacation. It was Joseph's last Saturday before starting his new job, we had survived the plane ride and we wanted to do something fun to commemorate.
Lake Como is just an hour outside of Milan on the train, so we thought that would be the perfect place. We took a morning train out to Como, when we arrived we bought some boat tickets to take us up the lake to another small town called Bellagio later in the afternoon.
We had about an hour until our boat ride so we walked around the small downtown part of Como, went into their local Duomo and grabbed some lunch for the boat.
We had sandwiches on olive bread, which is my new favorite thing. Crusty baguettes with olives throughout topped with prosciutto and cheese, I could eat that every day of my life and be happy about it.
The Lake was much bigger than I had envisioned in my mind, it took us an hour to get to Bellagio, but the ride was really pretty. There were a bunch of small, colorful towns built into the hills on the sides of the lake that were so pretty to look at. Jasper loved looking out the window on the boat. Although, I think he was mostly distracted by the splashing waves.
Bellagio is an old town built before the 1000s, which is something that I couldn't get over. Walking the narrow streets, hilly streets I tried to imagine people who have been walking there for over 1000 years. I know that is true for pretty much all of Europe but it blows my mind every time I think about it too much.
We walked around and got our first gelato since arriving. Why it took us three days to partake of the delicious goodness I can't explain, only to say it was as good as I had remembered from our previous trips over.
To make up for the delay we have eaten gelato almost every day since then, so there is that.
Then we rode the boat bake to Como, and the train back to Milan. It was the perfect way to spend our first Saturday in Italy.
Lake Como is just an hour outside of Milan on the train, so we thought that would be the perfect place. We took a morning train out to Como, when we arrived we bought some boat tickets to take us up the lake to another small town called Bellagio later in the afternoon.
We had about an hour until our boat ride so we walked around the small downtown part of Como, went into their local Duomo and grabbed some lunch for the boat.
We had sandwiches on olive bread, which is my new favorite thing. Crusty baguettes with olives throughout topped with prosciutto and cheese, I could eat that every day of my life and be happy about it.
The Lake was much bigger than I had envisioned in my mind, it took us an hour to get to Bellagio, but the ride was really pretty. There were a bunch of small, colorful towns built into the hills on the sides of the lake that were so pretty to look at. Jasper loved looking out the window on the boat. Although, I think he was mostly distracted by the splashing waves.
Bellagio is an old town built before the 1000s, which is something that I couldn't get over. Walking the narrow streets, hilly streets I tried to imagine people who have been walking there for over 1000 years. I know that is true for pretty much all of Europe but it blows my mind every time I think about it too much.
We walked around and got our first gelato since arriving. Why it took us three days to partake of the delicious goodness I can't explain, only to say it was as good as I had remembered from our previous trips over.
To make up for the delay we have eaten gelato almost every day since then, so there is that.
Then we rode the boat bake to Como, and the train back to Milan. It was the perfect way to spend our first Saturday in Italy.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Making the move
Luckily Joseph's firm supplied us with a moving company to make the move over to Italy. Without those guys I don't know what we would have done. There is no way we would have been able to get everything packed and ready to go.
So we packed our suitcases with the things that we would need over the next 6 weeks, then they packed our things into an air shipment and an ocean shipment. The air shipment things would be sent by plane so that they would arrive more quickly. The ocean shipment is sent on a massive ship across the sea. Where some Italian company will collect our belongings and deliver them to our apartment on the day we choose. The fact that all of this works out seems crazy to me.
So after a very long day where 4 nice men packed up and hauled off all of our earthly belongings, we spent a day in Virginia at my parents house and then flew to Kansas City to visit Josephs parents for a few days. Then back to Virginia to get all of the last minute things done, like buy and pack peanut butter and Jasper's pacifiers (who knows if they have the only brand that my amusingly particular son will suffer in Italy, and that is not a risk I was willing to take). Also, gorging ourselves on all of our favorite American foods that we won't really be able to find in Italy, Mexican food, hamburgers and fries and BBQ.
Then, on March 4 with two one-way tickets in hand we filled up the back of my Dad's pick up truck (we had 8 pieces of luggage) and headed to Dulles Airport. We had a very nice skycap man load up all of our luggage onto a cart and bring it inside for us.
Our flight left at 10pm. We had our long leg to Frankfurt first.
Oh, also just so you know they don't do pre-boarding for people with infants anymore. So you are standing in a crowd of people forever trying to board the plane, and then on the freezing cold jetway as a line has backed up since apparently it takes forever for people to stash their carry-ons.
Thankfully, many prayers were answered and Jasper slept for most of the flight while I held him and barely even made a peep. I was so nervous about the long flight.
We even got lucky and had the whole row to ourselves. Although then someone who was so sick he looked like he wanted to die sat down in the aisle across from us. Paranoid about getting sick Joseph and I basically sat on top of each other as close to the window as we could get to try and get as far away from the sick man as possible. I even tried to cover Jaspers head as much as possible to try and filter out the air. It seemed to have worked because we all managed to escape the flight without getting deathly ill.
Then after arriving in Frankfurt we had a connection and just a one hour flight to Milan. It should be said that the Germans were much nicer to us on account of us having a baby. They let us board the flight first, they gave Jasper a little rattle toy when we boarded, and they also had a special baby seat belt for him which was pretty funny.
When we landed in Italy we knew we had a driver waiting for us, which was a huge relief. However, it didn't change the fact that now we had to get ourselves and all of our luggage off of the baggage claim and through customs. I loaded Jasper into the BabyBjorn, we loaded up two push carts with luggage and we were each pulling a piece of luggage behind us. We looked hilarious. So hilarious in fact that the Italians on the other side of customs were looking and laughing at us, with no attempt to hide it. Fortunately, our driver was very prepared and he showed up with a large luxury van and dropped us at our apartment. There was also fortunately another man waiting for us at our sublet to help us carry all of our luggage up to our apartment. Or, rather, put one piece of luggage at a time in the elevator, because the elevators here are tiny!
All in all we made it and things couldn't have gone more smoothly. We were tired but excited to be in Italy. We had survived our first transatlantic flight with a baby (that in itself was a miracle).
So we packed our suitcases with the things that we would need over the next 6 weeks, then they packed our things into an air shipment and an ocean shipment. The air shipment things would be sent by plane so that they would arrive more quickly. The ocean shipment is sent on a massive ship across the sea. Where some Italian company will collect our belongings and deliver them to our apartment on the day we choose. The fact that all of this works out seems crazy to me.
So after a very long day where 4 nice men packed up and hauled off all of our earthly belongings, we spent a day in Virginia at my parents house and then flew to Kansas City to visit Josephs parents for a few days. Then back to Virginia to get all of the last minute things done, like buy and pack peanut butter and Jasper's pacifiers (who knows if they have the only brand that my amusingly particular son will suffer in Italy, and that is not a risk I was willing to take). Also, gorging ourselves on all of our favorite American foods that we won't really be able to find in Italy, Mexican food, hamburgers and fries and BBQ.
Then, on March 4 with two one-way tickets in hand we filled up the back of my Dad's pick up truck (we had 8 pieces of luggage) and headed to Dulles Airport. We had a very nice skycap man load up all of our luggage onto a cart and bring it inside for us.
Our flight left at 10pm. We had our long leg to Frankfurt first.
Oh, also just so you know they don't do pre-boarding for people with infants anymore. So you are standing in a crowd of people forever trying to board the plane, and then on the freezing cold jetway as a line has backed up since apparently it takes forever for people to stash their carry-ons.
Thankfully, many prayers were answered and Jasper slept for most of the flight while I held him and barely even made a peep. I was so nervous about the long flight.
We even got lucky and had the whole row to ourselves. Although then someone who was so sick he looked like he wanted to die sat down in the aisle across from us. Paranoid about getting sick Joseph and I basically sat on top of each other as close to the window as we could get to try and get as far away from the sick man as possible. I even tried to cover Jaspers head as much as possible to try and filter out the air. It seemed to have worked because we all managed to escape the flight without getting deathly ill.
Then after arriving in Frankfurt we had a connection and just a one hour flight to Milan. It should be said that the Germans were much nicer to us on account of us having a baby. They let us board the flight first, they gave Jasper a little rattle toy when we boarded, and they also had a special baby seat belt for him which was pretty funny.
When we landed in Italy we knew we had a driver waiting for us, which was a huge relief. However, it didn't change the fact that now we had to get ourselves and all of our luggage off of the baggage claim and through customs. I loaded Jasper into the BabyBjorn, we loaded up two push carts with luggage and we were each pulling a piece of luggage behind us. We looked hilarious. So hilarious in fact that the Italians on the other side of customs were looking and laughing at us, with no attempt to hide it. Fortunately, our driver was very prepared and he showed up with a large luxury van and dropped us at our apartment. There was also fortunately another man waiting for us at our sublet to help us carry all of our luggage up to our apartment. Or, rather, put one piece of luggage at a time in the elevator, because the elevators here are tiny!
All in all we made it and things couldn't have gone more smoothly. We were tired but excited to be in Italy. We had survived our first transatlantic flight with a baby (that in itself was a miracle).
On moving to Italy
The decision to move to Italy caught everyone by surprise - us included. The interview process for Joseph was pretty long and so we had plenty of time to think about all of the different aspects of the decision. When he first started interviewing it seemed so far-fetched, and there were so many reasons to turn it down, we were pretty sure we wouldn't take the job, even if he got it. That's what we told ourselves for three solid months. Then, as things started to progress we realized that this was actually a pretty amazing opportunity, and we started asking ourselves if would we be foolish to turn it down. And then, after weeks of deliberation, we just made up our minds that we were moving.
Granted, Joseph was doing the bulk of the interviewing during the crazy weeks right after Jasper was born, so maybe it is safe to say we weren't really in our normal state of minds at the beginning. Regardless, we made the decision and now we are in Milan.
I wish I could tell you why we made the decision, but I can't. In all honesty, it just felt like and still feels like the right thing to do. It is terrifying and exciting all at the same time.
Right now the plan is to stay in Milan for 2-3 years, Joseph will be working, I will be trying my hardest to learn Italian, Jasper will be a little Italian baby, and we hope to be able to cram in as much traveling as possible.
We know we only have a limited time here so we really want to take advantage of all of the things that living in Europe has to offer.
Granted, Joseph was doing the bulk of the interviewing during the crazy weeks right after Jasper was born, so maybe it is safe to say we weren't really in our normal state of minds at the beginning. Regardless, we made the decision and now we are in Milan.
I wish I could tell you why we made the decision, but I can't. In all honesty, it just felt like and still feels like the right thing to do. It is terrifying and exciting all at the same time.
Right now the plan is to stay in Milan for 2-3 years, Joseph will be working, I will be trying my hardest to learn Italian, Jasper will be a little Italian baby, and we hope to be able to cram in as much traveling as possible.
We know we only have a limited time here so we really want to take advantage of all of the things that living in Europe has to offer.
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