what i woke up to. So yesterday, I decided I had to go the post office and questura "police station" to apply for a residence permit. I should have just waited for the school to help me with it given the way things work here. Did i tell you it was really cold. So i knew it was going to be a long day. I first go to the post office. First finding the booth where i could pick up the application takes a while. I finally get the application. I guess i expected a difficult time. It's all in Italian. Great!! my first question is, how do foreign who don't speak the language do these. I could figure out some fields on the form. I hear some girl speaking english, so i ask her for help. She explains the form and advices me to go to the questura and that there are people who could help. I hop on the metro to questura. I get there, the lady speaks no english but some girl next to me is able to translate that i have to go back to the post office and apply there. So back i get on the metro to the post office. I get to the booth having successfully filled out the form. The lady tells me, i'm missing two things, photocopies and a mail stamp "marco da ballo". She can't tell me where to making copies. I mean don't you have a Kinkos here. what the hell. She tells me i can buy the stamps at a tobacco bar called a Tabacchi. Most of my day was spent trying to resort these two things.
The sales here are insane. I mean real sales. What does that mean? There are people everywhere. Zara of course is a zoo. So i spend my time window shopping in the cold and at the same time looking for a tabacchi. I was certain, i couldn't find an internet cafe in that area. They have what they call internet points but i doubt they would have copy machines. After 4 hours, i start to look for the tram to go home. I'm now tired and cold. Today is a flop. I come across some cute boutique. Nice things!! As soon as i get out, bam there i spot a Tabacchi. I run in and get a stamp for 15 euros. I mean one stamp. I'm happy! Now it's locating a photocopy machine. I had given up on that and now looking for the tram. I would have to do that tomorrow. Some italian man approaches the lost girl and starts to chat in Italian. Damn, i shocked myself. I was able to carry on a conversation. Good thing he approached because that's how i learnt the next day was a holiday. Holiday called Epiphany. WTH I don't even want to know. So does that mean the post office is closed to? He says yes. So i rush back to the post which closes in 15 mins and try to see if i can still submit my application. Mind you the thing i was missing was 1 photocopy. The lady tells me no but to just come back on wednesday.
Since i couldn't find the tram, i take the metro. After the metro, is a 10 mins bus ride. Finding the bus was another problem. Things we take for granted. I finally get on the bus, some old man starts to speak to me. He seems so sweet. He keeps saying something but i guess i'm no longer tuned into Italian because i can't understand a thing he is saying. As soon as i get of the bus, i feel snow flurries.
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