Like any love affair, my love affair with Italy was not as simple as it seemed to be. There were complications too complex and sometimes too heavy, that I was forced to think why that place was not kind to me, despite the intensity with which I loved it. The most complex of all was the constant bureaucratic struggle which Italy subjects every foreigner to, especially for people who are not from European Union and with nationalities or those who did not have passports which allow less scrutiny and worldwide travel and stay privileges such as those of United States, the UK, Australia etc. you get the idea. It was too much to fight at two battle fronts; one for keeping the bureaucratic documents in order such as residence permit which in itself had a long list of requirements to keep up with and secondly to find and keep a job which was looped with the requirements of the residence permit. Therefore, it was always a chicken and egg situation, meaning that if I did not have a job, I could not get a residence permit since I was no longer a student and if I did not have a job, the immigration office (Questura) would not grant me a residence permit, which means saying “Ciao” to Italy and having to leave. Similarly, not having a residence permit will mean the employer would not be willing to offer a contract seeing the uncertain situation with the documentation. Sometimes I commend myself on keeping my nerves through that constant battle with all the odds to put bread on my table and to keep a roof over my head for which I had to call in favours from people who I would never have gone to, had I not been desperately fighting
Like any love affair, my love affair with Italy was not as simple as it seemed to be. There were complications too complex and sometimes too heavy, that I was forced to think why that place was not kind to