Mcdonalds, Maps & Permits

Slept in until 12 today. Boy was that nice! My two English speaking roommates helped with my residence permit forms. We finally finished about 3 hours later and I was on my way to the post office. I had big plans (because today was the deadline and the post office closed at 7pm) to get on the bus, get there, send my papers away and get home. Well there I was 5pm, It was thundering and pouring rain and the buses weren't running because they were on strike for one day. lol How does that happen?!? Anyway, so I was walking, yet again. It took about 25min in the pouring rain to walk to the train station were the post office was, and of course, just to tick me off, the sun came out just as I was entering the post office. ugh Waited in line only to be told I needed to have my passport photocopied....not just the passport picture page and the visa page but every single page, including the cover. So I found a place that photocopies and headed back. It took about 20min of me standing there while he muttered stuff to me in Italian, 80 euro's and a few signatures later and I was finally given a date in which I can hopefully go back to the place I was at yesterday where there was over 100 people. Its July 29th! Seriously. They make you go through this crazy process of filling out forms and photocopyig documents, hand over 80 euros and then they still may or may not give me a permit card. I don't get it. Why make the big fuss about the 8 day rule then? Oh well, now I wait unil the end of July, and see what happens. I am just glad that it is done for now and I have done all that I can.

Ate at McDonalds today. I don't really need to say more than that. ;) The food has the same goals as it does back in Canada. Its a filler. Something to get you to your next meal. Why so many people eat it and love it, I will never know. I had the chicken burger, which is actually chicken here as opposed to ours which is processed chicken. Very tasty though. They also have curly fries here so that was cool. Super yummy!

On my way home, I didn't have to use my map once! YEAH ME! and to top it all off, when I see people that speak English that need help, I have been trying to lend a hand (not that I can off much help yet), however, I helped an American couple at the post office as well as another couple that was on the side of the road wondering aloud where the river was. I stopped and showed them on my map and they headed off. It actually felt pretty good that I can offer some assistance already and without my map in hand, people actually think I know what I am talking about. ;)