The road to dreams!?!
Of course, anyone who has ever sought expat or extended stay status in Italy has traveled the road we are now on--the one that is filled with potholes, weed-filled cracks, big potholes, speed traps, really big potholes, deadends and enormous potholes.
So--we have programmed our minds to view the process as an adventure, just as life in general is. And, our spirits are buoyed remembering that the sagas we have followed over time have ended up just fine. People who have become friends via cyberspace now live, laugh, play and work in captivating Italy-where new potholes are found and bounced through. The adventures of life just keep multipling.
Where are we with the visa? Not very far but wheels are churning and maybe turning. I contacted the highly touted attorney in Rome who responded the very next day with a game plan that sounded super impressive--conveying complete confidence that bureaucracy was merely a stumbling block.
As soon as I riceived it, I've started to think about how to help you. I suppose that the case can be solved before in judicial session and then at the Consulate....
Of course he had more to say and needs copies of paperwork, judge's order, etc. but he was quite encouraging.
Then--our dear friend, Nico, told me to put everything on hold while he works on this with various contacts.
Before you start handing cash over, lets see what we can do with a couple of phone calls and the odd coffee meeting.
Don't you love the Italian way of getting things done?
So--now I feel we are in very good hands and wisdom will prevail over the morass of bureaucracy! Things are happening the Italian way and in that is comfort and confidence.
In addition, our attorney here is going to court in an ex parte hearing to get a definitive statement regarding a long term stay out of the country. This is totally legally unnecessary but, it should address any lingering doubts in the minds of whomever reviews the application. Oh--to live an ordinary, normal life--but, is there such a thing?
My 3 am brain
Now--why with all this hopeful news does my brain hit overdrive at an hour when stable people dream? Well--here's a partial list:
1. How does one handle money concerns abroad? Rent? Utilities? Day to day money can come from ATM machines, drawing on our accounts here--but, that won't work for everything. How much will we lose in conversion? Do we need to open an account with an Italian bank???????????
2. How are we ever going to learn enough Italian to be functional? Neither of us is a talented language learner--heaven knows we have tried in the past and that was with Spanish--a language that is as common as English here in San Diego.3. Do we want KC in a public or private school? I redecide this daily--sometimes hourly.
4. Is this really the thing to be doing?
5. Where are we going to find a place to live that borders on a reasonable rent?
6. How are we going to get everything we need over there? And--what do we need?
7. When should we go on our planning and arranging trip?
8. Why can't I sleep and are the next 12 months going to be like this or is this just the opening gamut jitters?
On top of this and maybe the why behind the unreasonable stress so far out is that, in our great and unfathomable wisdom, we have chosen now to redesign and reconstruct the entire facade of our house. This means pulling money out of our equity (always a butterfly in the gut process), trying to get contractor bids (akin to finding the hen's teeth), coordinating the stucco people with the paver people with the painter people with the roofer people (a totally joyless and improbable task) and wondering if we really want modified rounded arches in the entry or what? I read of what people are going through in Italy as they transform their homes--but, really it is just as frustrating here. It takes weeks for a contractor to return a call and then weeks more to get their bids--super frustrating!!
But--we are truly lucky people because we have Casey--KC--who always, always without a single failure cheers us, gives a smile, makes us smile, hugs with abandon and loves unconditionally. He is a constant reminder that what counts in life is not the material but the relational. We thank God daily and continually for this life and that he is ours. So--to cheer you--here's your gift of a smile.
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