very frustrating to not speak the language or well to speak it like an Italian two year old! Plus if someone *actually* speaks to me - I freeze and cannot remember what little i know. Eeeks. Sometime the abundant wine ( see below) helps in this area.
!(*#&)(!*& paperwork to get anything done like 42 signatures for a bank account and social security number to buy a cellphone! EVERYTHING takes TIME.
Don't try to do anything on Monday - shops and businesses are closed. Efficiency is not especially important.
local wine - yes indeed the wine is good, relatively inexpensive -except for barbaresco ( ~ E30) and anything from Gaja ( ~ E150) and it is at lunch an dinner with any gathering.
local food- very good and fresh, abundance of cheeses, lots of meats, not spicy, lots of fish, most food here is indeed the local, traditional cuisine. Carlo and I did see one chinese take out place in Bra. It had gnocchi!
having family near is nice - I have not loved near family for about 20 years and is it nice
not having friends nearby is not sustainable :-)
The fuzzy driving lanes are not too bad except in rush hour in the city then they are just scary and the drivers seem like "the bad guys"
Moving here is just like moving anywhere one slowly explores further afoot from home - starting with the grocery store and school and on from there...yesterday the Le Clerk 5 km from here, today Bra 20 km from here and next week Torino perhaps ~ 1.5 hr drive??
Chow for now;
JT
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