Weathering the Storm with the WP#180

It is coming up at 11:30 am here in Roma and the temps have dropped a little. It will be a chilly 89 to 90 F (31 to 32 C), as I start to write this week’s musings. It is a mixed week, and the most important and best part of the experience of this past week is making it to 6 months married. It has been a roller coaster throughout, and never a dull moment. This morning, and the reason for starting my post this late is that we had to go the Posta Italiane to submit a packet of paperwork to the state, the city, the region, at this point, I do not know to essentially allow me to stay legally, but it will not be until April 1, 2025, perfect day, April Fools Day when I have an appointment to get the permanent residency. In the meantime, after my 90 days here as a tourist, hopefully for the last time, whenever I go out and if I am asked by an official of any stripe, I must produce a stack of paperwork that has a hologram or a QR code, I don’t remember if asked. ​

In any case, the bureaucrat at the post office, where they do much more than sell stamps unlike a post office in America does, yes, I know the USPS does more, said that the paperwork is not for what we need. Either she did not understand, even though it is legally documented that I am married to an Italian citizen, or maybe did not care, but she stated that I was getting the paperwork as a migrant, not a legally a member of an Italian family. I am not here to vent, as I have understood the system is prehistorically slow, but like the consular officer in Boston back in March did, this lady, handwrote much in a ledger, but at least some of it was electronically entered, scanned, and validated, and 60 – 70 euro later, including pictures, the next step in the process is in place. The pictures, apparently while take, you know passport size photos were not accepted, but are to be brought to this appointment in April. So, I have them, for then. ​

When I read that is was to be easier to apply for the permanent residency when I married an EU citizen, everything pointed to it being faster, but start right away. It seems that this is not really the case. I was trying to come up with a soliloquy to laugh about this, with plenty of sarcasm, and even had a nice conversation with a Croatian colleague last night, who, in his own way, as his wife is not Croatian is going through the same thing with their government and he says it is going on 6 years, so what is 6 to 8 months, a year, two years. Maybe by the time I get permanent residency, I can apply for citizenship, but why do that, but when the time comes, I will decide. In the end, as Rosa and I discussed, it may be best to at least ask an immigration lawyer to perhaps clarify, and some do work pro bono, that we are on the right track. ​

She has done so much research, so she and I could understand, but it simply makes sense. I don’t care about the cost, if there is a charge, but with all the red tape so far, I want to not have to duplicate everything we have already done. I so appreciate what my amazing wife has done and taken away her time to make this happen and I know it is stressful for both of us. I know in the end we will be good and after talking it out with my colleague and his situation, I can laugh about it that maybe it is not as bad as it seems. I am here in Rome, living with my beautiful, amazing wife who I love and adore. There is so much more to do, and I believe the workers will come back next week and continue working on the condo. Did I say we have been married six months now. Of course, I bought her a bouquet of roses, one for each month and a sunflower, her favorite flower, to signify we are one. We also went out to a place for pizza, but it was not so good, so instead we had a nice dinner at home last night. ​

I continue to be busy with clients and have been creating some templates using Toby, Voyagers AI, and sometimes I go down the rabbit hole and take forever to get out. I must admit the idea of using AI was not something I was so eager to do, but at least for now, when I am trying to simplify some of my practices, mostly in word documents, it is a very good tool. I also wanted to take some of the old templates I use in my e-portfolios, that were different for different countries, languages and make them all the same in terms of format as opposed to the continuing to use the ones I had before which all looked different as I had used different sources. Now, there is consistency and continuity, and Toby is starting to understand my writing style. No, this is not going to Toby for his input. My weekly blog is right from the heart, or nothing will be sent to him for a rewrite. I have other reasons to use AI and little by little these things will be incorporated into my workload, but never this personal blog of the WP. ​

In the end, as I finish this post, with not really much that is new; it is cathartic as when I arrived back home, I was stressed out from the PO experience and more paperwork, but now settling into the rest of my day, I realize many things or remember many things. I know, or sometimes I have to kick myself to remember that I can’t stress the things of which I have no control. I must appreciate what I have and the most important thing I have is my life with my beautiful bride, in what is really an amazing place. I do fall back into my old habits occasionally and that is not good. I know everything will get done in good time, really not, but it will get done. ​

I have to remember that this life I am living is a gift that I never would have experienced if I had not met Rosa just before the pandemic. While I keep busy, I have to keep a routine, with the time difference between here and America for the most part. Almost forgot, I also had an interview for a teaching English as a Foreign Language on Monday and a follow up interview in the next couple of weeks, I also have many clients about their start their travels, many here to Italy and even Rome specifically, as well and many conferences here in Italy, forthcoming in the next couple of months, so life is very good. I will get to meet a number of these clients here in Rome, for the first time, from all over America, and Rosa will be guiding them while they are here in the Eternal City. So, wish me luck on the second interview for the teaching job, which also comes with bureaucratic red tape to legally work here, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. I do need to sometimes remember how lucky I really am, and I am very lucky. 
I hope you have enjoyed my offerings each week and appreciate that you have read my blog posts and look forward to continuing with sharing. As always, thank you so much for your support of Rosa’s and my crazy little world here in Rome now that they have been merged into one. We truly appreciate your support. Stay safe, healthy, and most importantly happy, and as always, your shared comments and thoughts are most welcome!!!