Big quiet things

3rd April 2006, Napoli

Big things happened today; quiet things, significant things, including a few firsts.

After yet another impossible night sharing a single bed with a mattress that is caving in at the middle, Gi left the house at 7:30am for his first appointment, with his first paying client. Apparently it went well. He was punctual; the client was impressed with the massage table and the treatment. He has a few other new clients to treat, and slowly the word will spread. In the meantime he’s started the slow process of converting his Australian qualifications, investigating working from a clinic or a spa, and attempting to determine which government agency to contact to arrange registration and insurance.

I caught the train into the city, unaccompanied, for the first time this morning. Gi has been keeping a close watch on me since we arrived in Naples, but last night when I suggested that I meet him in the city after his massage appointment it didn’t raise an eyebrow. I think after a month of becoming reacquainted with the local scene, demonstrating I can now safely cross the street and make my way through the central train station with some alertness he’s starting to relax. Now catching a train on your own may not seem like a big thing to most of you out there in the ‘real’ world but it is a sign that I can now claim back some independence and self sufficiency without having to rock any boats.

The other big thing was looking at apartments. We had a second viewing of a small apartment in the centre this afternoon including discussions with the landlord. He lives on the island of Ischia…I’m sure that’s a lovely place to set up home. My only real concern is that there is nowhere to put a washing machine, and we’d have to wait for the outlets to be put in place. It seems that finding a place to live in Naples, in a suitable location with access to public transport, clean, reasonable condition, with a kitchen installed (!!) for a reasonable price is an impossible task. We’ve extended our budget recognising that we need to spend a little more if we wish to accommodate any visiting friends and family. Similarly finding something that meets all of our criteria is probably going to be impossible, or take forever. So, for the sake of reclaiming our privacy and personal space we are going to have to compromise on something…like central heating. We looked at another place later in the afternoon; having been told it was ready to rent right away. The place was in a complete state, with restorations clearly underway, furniture turned up, and a shower cubicle that I wouldn’t be able to squeeze into…let alone a more portly visitor. It was just off street level and once inside the noise of the traffic was louder than when we’d been standing on the street. A common problem, Gi explained, due to the structure of the buildings where the noise resonates up a bit like sound entering the ear cavity.

The final big thing was that at 3pm we went back to the Immigration Office to collect my ‘Permit to Stay’. It’s only valid for twelve months but at least that’s now in order and I can work and stay without any complications. However, it was yet another crowd crushing experience as the office closes for lunch and everyone ‘queues’ up from about 2pm for the collection process in the afternoon.

Things do happen here, they just happen slowly. Once we find a place to live, then we can advise the local government of our place of residency. Once we have residency certificates then we can purchase a vehicle. Once we have a vehicle, then we’ll be able to get out of here! Of course, I mean to visit all of those friends living elsewhere in Europe.

It mightn’t sound like it, but we had a few wins, and with the beautiful blue skies of early spring giving the city a more relaxed feel, a warm chocolate filled croissant for breakfast, and a fantastic pizza for lunch it was a good day.