Thursday, February 08, 2007
Forget what I said last time
Some things never change.
Or as the French would say: Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
I went to the Post Office yesterday to pick up the kit I wrote about last time.
What a disaster - that's the only word for it.
There were all kinds of foreigners in the queue who couldn't speak Italian and the post office assistant couldn't speak any other language either.
And then it was my turn.
"But surely you don't need a kit," the post office assistant said. "You're British. Then again, maybe you do."
She went away and came back with an envelope with the words 'Cittadini dell'Unione Europea' on it, clearly proving that I do need the kit after all.
However, I've got no idea why this is a separate envelope for EU citizens as inside the information is for everyone, regardless of your nationality.
There is one main difference between the Kit and having to go to the Questura - you have to now pay Eur30 to have your request processed.
It used to be free!
Emma Bird is the director of www.howtoitaly.com and the co-author of Starting a Business in Italy: how to set up and run a successful business in the Bel Paese.
Or as the French would say: Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
I went to the Post Office yesterday to pick up the kit I wrote about last time.
What a disaster - that's the only word for it.
There were all kinds of foreigners in the queue who couldn't speak Italian and the post office assistant couldn't speak any other language either.
And then it was my turn.
"But surely you don't need a kit," the post office assistant said. "You're British. Then again, maybe you do."
She went away and came back with an envelope with the words 'Cittadini dell'Unione Europea' on it, clearly proving that I do need the kit after all.
However, I've got no idea why this is a separate envelope for EU citizens as inside the information is for everyone, regardless of your nationality.
There is one main difference between the Kit and having to go to the Questura - you have to now pay Eur30 to have your request processed.
It used to be free!
Emma Bird is the director of www.howtoitaly.com and the co-author of Starting a Business in Italy: how to set up and run a successful business in the Bel Paese.
