There I was, sitting innocently at work doing some preparation before class this morning when the phone went and it was my boss: "I am coming to get you right now and you have to come down to the electoral office in Modica Bassa to register to vote!" [My boss, being a candidate in the municipal elections, will not accept my British indolence as an excuse.] It was 11.20 by this time and I had to sign the papers by midday! In the background I could hear electoral officers asking, "Is England in the EU?" [I didn't think it appropriate to shout out "Britain, if you don't mind!"] and then someone said, "They can't be - they've got sterling and not the euro!" Without losing my pazienza I explained that the euro was nothing to do with EU membership. Then I was asked if I had residenza [permission to live here], I answered in the affirmative and, lo and behold, they "found" me on the computer!
Seven minutes later, boss arrived, said we'd have to pick up my ID documents from home - lord knows why, as it is fairly obvious that if you have residenza here you have had to show these to get it in the first place - but again, I didn't argue and dashed into my bedroom to retrieve these, confusing both James and Simi in my haste.
11.59 and we arrive at the office. My documents are whisked off to be photocopied yet again, all the papers are ready, I am treated like a Queen, sign them and by 12.01 we are done. "When the papers are stamped", said the kindly lady clerk [for everything has to be literally rubber-stamped in triplicate] "the voting papers will be brought to your house". All smiles, handshakes and grazie then, and now I await the courier in the morning. I almost exist in this city!
"If they weren't sure about England being in the EU, it's a good thing neither of us mentioned Wales", I remarked to my dear boss on the way back.
11 comments:
Was James elibgible to register to vote?
Sounds complicated...
Is it compulsory to vote there? Be careful with your ankle and rushing around like that. :-)
Goodness me Welshcakes, you are almost Italian now. A vote! Now who are you going to vote for? LOL, as if I didn't know.
No, Ellee, I can't vote - I'm not Welsh. :)
Cherry - yes, they love it so.
... and then there's Monmouthshire.
Oh dear..I just about fell out of my seat while reading this. It's like Hawaii and the mainland US. There are some people who still don't know that Hawaii is the 50th state! arghghgh
Hi, Ellee. As James has siad, no, not yet. Complicated but fun, cherrypie! You're right , nunyaa and thank you. Now there's a dilemma, jmb! Sackerson - don't mention Monmouthshire, either!
Hi, rowena. I empathise!
When we were in New York a waitress asked us where we were from and I said, 'Wales,' and she stared at me. 'Wales?' Mind you some English people are like that ...
Glad you almost totally officially a person now, welshcakes.
Hi, Liz. Yes, I know some English people who think like that, too!
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