The Anagrafe

No day in Italy is complete without a visit to an official office and today that office was the Anagrafe.  Nothing chills the blood of newcomers to Italy more than the prospect of dealing with the bureaucrats, but these visits are a fact of life for all residents of Italy.  Which is why we're going...Ollie needs to become a resident.  The Anagrafe is the Registry Office, and all people who live in Italy must register in the Anagrafe of their city.

Since this is a big deal, I got up early this morning to spend some time with my dictionary to make sure I've got all the appropriate words and I'm beginning to get sweaty palms.  I get along pretty well in Italian except for those moments when I have to deal with unfamiliar terminology...or questions.  If they'd just let me do all the talking, I'd be good to go, but they insist on asking questions!  And Italians talk fast!  It seems that the more you say lentamente, per favore (slowly, please), the faster they speak.  Not out of malice, but just like Americans who talk louder if someone doesn't speak English, they seem to think that getting the sentence over faster will help.

 

This isn't at the Anagrafe, I just like her.

So off we go to the Anagrafe.  As soon as we arrive I immediately grab number 218, and look at the sign.  To my dismay they have just called number 171...sigh.  This is a very small office, and it is packed.  There's not an inch to move around, the noise is deafening, and its hot in here. Now I'm really sweating.  Looking at my notes, hoping I haven't forgotten something, our number is called after about 20 minutes.  Not that they waited on 47 people in 20 minutes, on the contrary.  People walk in take a number, wait 5 minutes then leave to go find a cafe'!

To my complete delight, the woman at the counter speaks English, however, to my complete dismay, my application, the one I filed for myself in November, isn't in the computer.  Finally, after some research, my request is located, and although I am identified as male, at least I don't have to start over again.  If I have to remain male in order to avoid beginning from scratch, so be it.

 

The fountain in Piazza de Ferrari on a gray day.