Immigration, continued. (More immigration chapters soon! I promise! No really, there are going to be more.)

30.10 Headed off to Parma today for my citizenship class and exam. Thank goodness for Anna the GPS, as she was able to find it for me easily (it was NOT in an obvious government building-type spot, but in fact in a lecture hall in a vocational school). I arrived a minute or two late, as I had gone to pay the doctor bills first. It was very an interesting payment experience: you stick the bill in the ATM, it tells you what to pay, and gives you a cash register receipt. Once I figured out how to use the machine, easy.

The citizenship class was strange. About 50 people were there, almost all African or Asian, and all chatting away in low tones. The video that was playing was in English, a language that was clearly not useful for the majority of the people there. My obsessively A-student self got very annoyed at it all, as the video was TERRIBLE quality, almost inaudible, and the presenters were so obviously Reading. The Material. From A Screen. That it was also almost unwatchable. But I took copious notes and tried to keep up (it also went very fast). There were 6 vids in the series. After the second one, the monitor said we could go get coffee or use the bathroom, so I decided to do that. Bathroom first. Completely scary. Hole in the floor, 4 stalls, only one of which had a door. But, well, desperate times and all (there were still over 90 mins of class plus an hour drive home). The coffee machine chocolate coffee was not completely undrinkable. When I went back to the classroom, the monitor told me (how did she know who I was? I guess from the American accent and being one of only 3 white faces in the room) that while I had to come to both classes (ugh, BOTH?), I don’t have to take the exam. That’s only for people either renewing their permesso or applying for a longer term than one year. For one year they only want to know I’ve been exposed to the information. I also don’t have to take the Italian exam, though I think I will anyway, as I can use it for getting certification to teach Italian when I get home. She told us after the third vid that we could either watch one more or leave early. Unanimous vote to leave early – the next class would only have been a little over 90 mins with only two, but still under 3 hours for all 3, and it’s scheduled for 4. So really, it’s fine. Especially now that I know I don’t have to take insane notes and can in fact nap briefly if I want!

 Got to Eleanora’s about 7:15. They had had pizza for dinner, and my girls had made me a pizza bolognese and a mushroom and olive pizza. They know me well!