Pulling it all together
Trip Start
Mar 27, 2008
1
8
20
Trip End
Ongoing
Rome,
Italy
Monday, June 30, 2008
Ultimately, it was time for me to take my certificate, my experience, and my personality and try to figure out how to stay in Rome. For an American there is an endless maze of paperwork that ultimately nobody knows how to deal with. You have a 90 day visa. You must be offered a job to get your work permits. BUT, you are not allowed to look for work without a permit (which you can't get unless you have had a job and lost that job), You may not be offered work until you have a permit, But, you must have a tax id number to get the permit and you can't get a tax id number without a job!
From testaccio to trestevere
Even better, the more people you ask, the more confusing it becomes and at the end you find that for Americans, they laugh at you for trying. Yet the work is abundant and Americans are a needed commodity. Go figure.
Meanwhile, I had sent an email to ALL the English language schools in Rome, to kindly inform them that I was here in case they might want to offer me a job and sponsor my permit.
Meeting new people has always been both easy(in that I seem to draw people to me) and uncomfortable(because I am absolutely intimidated by people I don't know) but in another country...forget about it! Claudio was wonderful. He took me to the beach, we went to shopping malls, dance clubs, eateries and shows (Claudio is a member of a theatrical group that put on plays). He was even nice enough to help me with my Italian once a week on Sundays. It was helpful for me and I like him.
There was also my new house mate, Liz. We seemed to hit it off very quickly and so I had another English speaking friend to "hang with".
The new apartment was in an area known as Piramide
in the park near my house
. it is close to a large pyramid believed to be a gift from Egypt to one of the emperors. The area was full of clubs and restaurants and very near to Metro and trains. Ulitimately, though, the neighborhood felt like Queens, New york more than Rome. But for now, It was ok. I really had a lot on my plate and I felt getting settled with friends...I would eventually find something else when I knew my way around.I forgot to mention that very near to me is a mountain made by ancient Romans. It is made of broken Olive oil urns stacked in a specific way (to keep them from going rancid) Leaving tunnels throughout that are now clubs and restaurants. Very cool.
