The Heat Is On

 It's early July. I'm out in the mini. Hood down- well only partially. It's very hot (38 C) I'm tootling along leafy lanes listening to Radio Monte Carlo -'Musica con Classe'. They're playing Dire Straits. 'Money For Nothing'.  So who's arguing?!.  School's out and I'm in summer mode.  And  I'm looking pretty chilled.

In fact the exams were 3 weeks ago. I've enjoyed that scarce commodity,Time. I've had time to read. Time to write. Even time to make lemonade.

Then suddenly on Saturday an email arrives. The oasis of calm is disappearing fast. A journey is ahead of me. The heat is well and truly on!

And who could be so important to persuade me to abandon the oasis in high summer? Only the Ministero dell'Interno. Who else would be crazy enough to write to you in the middle of a heatwave having not communicated for 2 years????? And to say what?

Now for the straw.....

 

You must send your B1 level  certificate in the Italian language  to be considered. Trusting , of course, that you have one- which I don't! 

Have I mounted my camel and left you behind?

Well let's rewind the clocks to BG (Before Giano)  to the time I was still  quietly esconsced in the luxury apartment in Capua. I  had come across some cushy job that was only available to Italian citizens. And my husband had offered to put his life on hold filling in all the paperwork if I assembled all the necessary documents No mean feat when originals are needed of everything and also certified Italian translations of all said documents. (Not cheap either) Perhaps it was a glass too many? Maybe I just needed another challenge?

'Tutto cio che la mente dell'uomo puo' concepire e credere, puo' essere realizzato'.

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

 We will never know now but I'm inclined to the former explanation. God knows I would have saved a shedload of time and money. I would still be in the oasis with A/C, Peter May and a glass of red. The heat would be on outside. Lucifero could do his worst. But my temperature would not rise one degree. 

Even if I was in Portugal there would be no problem. Apparently it is the easiest country to obtain citizenship. There is not even any physical presence requirements. ('You don't need to spend most of the year in the country')  Hey ho!  As some Italians would say:

 'La felicita' non e' qualcosa di pronto all'uso. Essa deriva dalle nostre azioni.'

 Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.

 Indeed!

                                         https://youtu.be/Y9tWDqrfM2U

                 

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So there's nothing for it but to bite the bullet. I order the book of practice test papers and dutifully complete some exercises each day. The book is soon full of red corrections, wasting yet more of my husband's time. What else would be be doing anyway with his retirement eh??? 

Nothing perhaps! However he is already commited to various engineering projects and is doing online university tution. In addition, we have a garden to tidy, a bathroom to install and new doors to hang ahead of two lots of friends arriving in October and our first B and B clients. No pressure eh!

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There's mist  over the hills. Dew glistens on the grass. Pomegranites turn orange. Summer is coming to an end once again.

Summer ends as it began. I'm wrestling with Italian bureacracy. I've just driven back from Calvi with my 16e  government stamp and passport photos for the 'Permisso di Sogiorno'. I'm listening to Radio Monte Carlo. 

'Like a vampire stealing time'........'This girl is on fire'.

The gods of music are clearly still with me.

Will we finish the necessary renovations by October? Will I pass the Italian  exam and gain citizenship in November? ' Se sono rose, fiorianno'. If they are roses, they will bloom. Time will tell. One thing is for sure. I'm pulling out all the stops. The heat for me is still on.