BIG NEWS!!

Monday, May 30, 2022

Last Monday, Mike and I did some work in the garden in House One. As usual, it was nice and cool in the morning, but by 11:00 it started getting too warm to work outside. So we took a break and relaxed a bit on the portico. There is almost always a nice breeze there. And of course the view is priceless. Mike was reading on his phone and I was playing a game on mine when I got a notification of a new email. So I casually opened it. It was a message I had to read several times. Then I started to hyperventilate. And tears started to flow. Mike said “Who died?” No one died.

I had just received a message from my attorney letting me know that I and my sister, her two daughters, my two daughters, and my grandson have been recognized as Italian citizens. This was truly an unexpected surprise. It had only been one week since our court date. It usually takes months to get a decision from the judge.

I could hardly wait to tell my sister. It was about 5:00 a.m. her time, so I impatiently waited an hour before calling her with the news. I think at first she was annoyed that I woke her up so early (“did someone die?”), but then she got it. What a thrill to have this connection!

I then forwarded the email from the attorney to everyone. And I rushed over to tell Maria my news.

One of our new friends, Nicky, who has a horse ranch, was celebrating her birthday on Monday, so we drove over to help with that. It’s a bit difficult to find her place. The road is narrow and very steep. And the directions – well, you know, turn left just past the big red house…. Anyway, I was able to share my news. Everyone toasted.

Our neighbor Paul’s wife Justina has been here on vacation from her work in the UK and we have enjoyed getting to know her. On Sunday, the three of us drove up to Gissi to visit the history museum there. The web site said it was open only on Sundays from 5:30 to 7:00. But it wasn’t. It was nice walking around Gissi, though. We enjoyed spending a little time Justina. We will be sad when she returns to the UK next Sunday.

Robert told us that in the summer, we often get thunderstorms with hail that can damage the car. He recommended that we make room in the garage for the car. So, Mike and I spent the better part of two days clearing away trash and moving things into the back room. The car just fit in the garage, but the door couldn’t close. So more moving things around. There is barely enough space now for the car and to close the door. Oh, how I miss being able to push a button, have the garage door open, and just pull straight in.

Our American friends Heidi and Raymond met us for lunch in Attessa on Thursday. We went to the market there, which is quite nice. Heidi writes a blog, “The Slow Tourist”, that’s really good. They are living our dream. They travel every chance they get. They live in a large apartment with fiber optic cable for internet, is walking distance to shops and groceries, and has a great view from a large balcony. It’s in Lanciano, though, which a city that doesn’t qualify for the 7% tax break because its population is over 20,000.

When we returned from Attessa, I took a copy of the judgment declaring my Italian citizenship over to show it to Angela and Giuseppe. Maria went with us. What an emotional time. I am so lucky to have met these people. Before I knew what was happening, Giuseppe was on the phone with someone talking about my residency. After much back and forth with Maria, it became clear to me that he was consulting with colleagues about my legal status in Italy. Bottom line is that, since I am an Italian citizen, I do not need the Permesso di Soggiorno to obtain residency. All I need is a copy of the judgment and a copy of the lease on the house. He and Maria will go with us next Thursday to the commune and get things settled. Exactly how this affects Mike, I’m not sure. But, as the spouse of an Italian citizen, he has more rights and can more easily obtain residency. I was not expecting this to happen so quickly.

I’d been trying to set up an online account for my Vodafone, but no luck. Their phone app is not available in Italy (huh?). So Mike and I drove to Lanciano, about 45 minutes away to the Vodafone store. It turns out that I need an Italian credit card to be able to pay online. My Wise credit card is not accepted by Vodafone online, but it was at the Vodafone store. Really? Yes, to pay for the phone, I must go in person each month to pay, unless I have an Italian credit card.

Once I get residency, I can get an Italian bank account. I could get one now, but it’s much less expensive if one is an Italian citizen and an Italian resident. Then I can also get an Italian credit card. And we can get a fast cube for internet. There is still much to do settle ourselves in our life here. It is an adventure with something new and exciting happening every day.