I Love the Swiss

THURSDAY, March 2, 1995.

This morning from my hotel room in Lucca, I spoke with Simone at UBILAB about what exactly I need to bring for the work-visa application. There's life after Rome! UBILAB has come through in the clutch - I will begin work in Zurich on May 15! Simone told me that the list of necessary items was quite long and that it would be easier if she could fax it to me. And so I gave her the fax number at the hotel (it was written on the phone in the room!). She said she'd fax it to me right away. Then, I went out and told the receptionist that I was expecting a fax. He said (my translation), "yeah, yeah, well, when (and if) it comes, I'll let you know." I didn't actually see the fax machine (turned out to be in a closet down the hall) so I couldn't just stand there and wait. I went back to my room and waited for about 20 minutes. Nothing. So, I went out and told the maid that I was expecting a fax. She went to the closet, opened the door, and behold! there it was! there it had been for 15 minutes! Of course, this really isn't that incredible. Simone told me she'd send it right away and she did. However, after being in Italy for two months, it seemed like a miracle. Clearly, the receptionist didn't believe that such an instantaneous feat was possible.

I'm back in Siena now - came "home" to visit my remaining friends and collect the rest of my belongings. On Saturday, I take an all night train to Bern, Switzerland where I will meet up with Michele in her hometown. Sunday night, Michele and I will travel to her parents' house to get her skis and spend a night closer to the slopes. Monday, I go skiing with Michele and her sister. (I'm going for it - my back is still so-so, but it seems stable at this point and I can't pass up this opportunity to ski in the Alps with great snow). Tuesday is somewhat of a question mark although I suspect I'll hang out in Bern and stay at Michele's for another night. Wednesday morning, I head to Zurich to visit UBILAB, put all the paper-work in order, and go out to dinner with "the boys from the lab." I'm looking forward to seeing them again. They were fun in November and now that they've helped bail me out of a somewhat desperate situation, I'd like to buy them a round of beers.

After Zurich, I plan to visit Milan before heading to Rome again. Although she couldn't offer me any work, an American colleague of Zac's at another company has offered to put me up for a week (we'll see if she actually does...). She says that she is really interested in talking about software with "a guy from MIT" - well, I'm not sure what she wants, but I'm perfectly willing to talk to her about software if she'll give me a free place to stay for a week. By the time that week is over, it will be around March 18th. This gives me just under two weeks to make my way up through Italy and across the south of France to meet my mother in Madrid, Spain, on the 31st! I'll spend until April 9th in Spain with my mom and the Meisliks (friends from New Jersey). I'm not sure of the itinerary, but I know we're also going to Barcelona.

After that, I'll have just over a month before I start in Zurich. This gives me time to go to Sardinia, then to Sicily, and then work my way around the toe, the heel, and up the boot of Italy. On the trip to Zurich next week, I will leave all my belongings except the bare essentials behind (including the computer - these reports will soon be interrupted until May when a large installment will arrive). This will let me travel ultra-light and without any valuables - especially important through southern Italy.

I feel quite relieved.

Anyway, I will check my e-mail in Zurich on Wednesday, March 8 before signing off until mid-May. So, if you've been putting off writing to me (please, please) then do it now!

Ciao!



Copyright 1997 by Bradley Edelman
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