Italy from the Inside

Using my iPhone in Italy

Since in the States I was able to fulfill a two year contract for my iPhone, when it was time to come to Italy I was allowed to unlock it. This was a huge deal for me, because I could keep using Charlie without changing anything, just the SIM card.

Once in Italy I browsed around looking for the best deal and inquired within three different phone companies. Even though all of them were offering reasonably priced contracts (compared to what we pay in the States at least), I eventually decided to go with Wind, which at the time was running a promotion; a 5 year contract for €9 per month with these specifics:

  • 150 minutes of outgoing calls per month (incoming calls are free);
  • 150 outgoing texts per month (incoming texts are free);
  • Unlimited Internet.

I signed up almost three months ago, and have been very happy since… until my trip to Paris last week. I wanted to be able to navigate the Internet while there (you know, for maps, info, Whatsapp, etc.), so I paid €9 Euros for a service that would have allowed me to use up to 100MB for a week. I signed up by sending a text message, got a confirmation, again, trough text message, and off I went. Pretty easy and smooth.

But when I got to Paris and tried to make it work, nothing happened. I tried for the first three days, then gave up. Once back home, I called the company on a Tuesday, which was the last day of the service. I called once and an automatic voice said to call back later, because no operator was available at the time (I mean, they didn’t even put me on hold, just said to call back). I called twice. Same thing. I went to a Wind store in the afternoon. The assistant called the call center from the store itself, apparently he didn’t have the power to do anything. And, he got the same message. The day went by and with it went the chance for me to call again (kids, homework, dinner…).

I did it the day after. Finally I was able to talk to an operator. I explained my situation. She checked and confirmed that I didn’t use any data while abroad. BUT since I called the day after the week had passed, I wasn’t entitled to request any refund. So I told her that I did call, three times, but there was no way I could talk to anyone because I kept getting the message to call back later. Well, she said, I’m sorry, but if the call didn’t go thru, there’s nothing I can do.

I stressed the fact that the call didn’t go thru not because of me, but because of them. Still. No refund for me. I asked to talk to her manager. You can’t, she said, I’m the one in charge of the call.

Finally, I asked her to give me an address where I could send a complain to (FYI, that would be some extra $3, because it has to be registered mail). She did.

As you can imagine, I was fuming at the end of the call, you could almost see black smoke coming out from my nostrils and ears. Now I wonder, am I just too used to the excellent American customer service or am I overreacting?

The Italian Odyssey: hopping from one office to the other. Chapter 3 (end of the Odyssey)

The last document I need is the translation of the vaccinations Alessio received in the States. I’ll probably never know why they didn’t ask me to provide this same paper three years ago when the kids attended a different elementary school or even this year at Silvia’s middle school… Anyhow, I do as they say and go to Distretto 2 (note that two people from two different offices told me to go there, so anyone would consider this information pretty accurate right? Wrong).

I get there, before the office hours and meet a very nice lady who is willing to help me nevertheless. She glances at my papers and says : “Signora, this is not the right office, we deal with kids up to 6 years of age here”. My son is 9, so…

When I learn where the right office is, I realize that it is located exactly on the opposite side of the city.  I need to take two buses to get there (I don’t have a car in Italy and quite frankly so far I’ve been glad for this, I’ve never had such a firm buttocks…). This time though I’m not so disappointed, because thanks to this mistake I’ve discovered one the best lobbies I’ve ever seen and, as a design freak, I’m almost levitating when I see it:

Isn’t it cool? I’ve wrote a post about it in my design/home staging blog, if you want to learn more about it.

Anyway, back to my Odyssey: I leave, take the first bus, then take the second bus and with Charlie’s help (aka my iPhone) I get to the right office. There’s only one person in front of me, impressive, I don’t even have the time to grab my Kindle and the snack/lunch I brought with me (I always pack well and for the worst case scenario when I head to an office in Italy). I explain what I need to the lady behind the counter, she takes my papers, makes a copy and says: “Ok, that’s it, thanks”. Thanks? I ask if I can get a statement or something to provide to the school and she goes: “No signora, we need to enter these data in the system first, you need to come back tomorrow”. Tomorrow? Another trip across the city? Therefore I ask if I can send someone else to retrieve the papers, my parents have a car and lots of time, you know… “No signora, it is better if you pick them up yourself”, is what I hear. I didn’t know my son’s vaccinations were such a sensitive and private matter, to the point that I cannot even send a family member to pick up their translation.

So, the day after I’m back there, I obtain the document, I deliver it to the school, and I’m done. No more documents to get. My Odyssey is over (until the next one at least…).

The Italian Odyssey: hopping from one office to the other. Chapter 2

A few days after obtaining documents A and B, I’m back to my usual “Yes I can!” attitude, ready to defy any obstacle (or probably it is only the energy I’m getting from the spectacular amount of sugar I’m absorbing every day, thanks to my frequent stops to the bakery around the corner…). This time I need document C, so I head to office C. I get there, grab a number, sit, wait (not too long fortunately) and my number is called. I meet the same I-am-so-bored-I-want-to-die guy who checks the forms I filled out, then checks the computer and says: “This is not the right place, since this is the first time you apply for this document you need to go to another office”. These few words are enough to erase any trace of smile from my face, and my mind is already screaming Noooo! when he says: “It’s the building next to this one”. Quite relieved and full of hope I ask: “But, is it open today?”. “Yes, yes”. Pause. “I think.” I think? Oh boy… Things are getting bad…

But I do as he says and I walk those few meters to the building nearby. At the counter I meet an I-am-so-bored-I-want-to-die lady, who says: “Today that office is closed. But here’s a list of other offices you can go to.” After trying to silence my mind which, while yelling another Noooo!, I could picture transforming into the Scream by Munch, I ask: “Without reading this entire list, would you be so nice to just tell me where’s the closest open office?”. Not so nicely she indicates it to me, and I leave.

I take the bus, locate the building, locate the floor, locate the ticket machine and take a number for the office #3. And again: Nooooo!

Number 810 out of 289? What? Someone probably sees my consternation and promptly says: “Don’t panic, just look at the last two digits” . Ah, ok, so I’m number 10, which means that I have only 21 people in front of me. Should I be brave and stay, or should I be smart and leave? As I hear someone saying that it takes about 10 minutes for each person to complete their paperwork once they are called, I run some numbers and absolutely have no doubts: I’m out of here!

And for the second time, I decide that I need something to lift my spirit. So I enter into a salumeria and get a burrata pugliese (a creamier version of the mozzarella, more info in one of my next posts…). No sugar this time, but lots of calories nevertheless. Good.

A few days later I wake up feeling like Superwoman: I know what to do, where to go, and what time to be there. I dash straight to the designated office early in the morning (the arrow above should give you an idea of my state of mind), get my number, have the time to read only a few pages of 50 Shades of Grey on my Kindle and for the first time I’m bothered that my number is called (yes, this is what a good reading can do: the impossible). I get in, present my documentation, and 15 minutes later I’m out. Yes! I can!