Hey everyone, big news - Barbara and I just moved to Italy...for the second time in a year! Yes, we just made our way back to Chieri...in some ways it feels like coming home, but also like we moved away for a second time (but this time, to a place with a fridge full of expired food). We'll self-quarantine for 14 days and then join everyone here in a slow, deliberate, gradual return to some form of normal.
Ciao Atlanta!
First, we are hoping all is well for you and family/friends; the pandemic and lockdown have no doubt left indelible impressions on us all.
We'd tried to keep in touch with everyone during our sojourn back in Atlanta - 9+ weeks of Zooming and Google Meets with you all (thankfully from the same or similar time zone)...I promise I was paying attention to everything you said; I was NOT pondering the changes in my hairline the whole time!
Atlanta lockdown was clearly less onerous than over in Italy; we spent 95% of our time in our AirBnb but at least we could go for walks on occasion (see the photos above).
Other favorite activities included (1) rearranging all of the stuff jam-packed in our storage facility - I assure you, not a cubic centimeter was spared - and (2) finally putting 30 years of photos in various scrapbooks (check us out from our wedding c. 1993, with original kitties Jack and Mica!).
Il Viaggio Verso Casa
But here we are again - thankfully the trip, while memorable, was mostly uneventful. We flew Delta from ATL to Amsterdam and then KLM to Milan Malpensa (yes the epicenter of the outbreak in Italy back in March). Kudos to both airlines for really working hard to keep passengers apart and all surfaces clean (as far as we could tell). The service could not have been better. We were glad that 95% of the passengers were doing dutiful distancing, but of course it only takes a couple of "non-conformists" to make you cringe.
You may have heard they weren't selling middle seats, so we reserved the two aisles of the middle of a 2-4-2 configuration and spread ourselves out (yes another chance for "horizontal first class!"). We wore gloves everywhere (thank you ShinJeong!), did militant masking (good band name?), made zero contact with anyone, kept bathroom trips to a minimum...all in all, we felt pretty protected. I guess we'll know for sure in 14 days!
Clockwise from top left:
--> All's quiet at Hartsfield-Jackson, the "busiest airport in the world;"
--> Have you ever seen a more sparse departures board? (and which of these is not like the others?);
--> You know you're in Amsterdam when...
--> Ready for takeoff (note the nearby baby, flies with me on every flight!)
The transfer at Schiphol Airport (fun fact: pronounced roughly as "Skip-uhl") was slow but painless. Lots of forms to fill out, even though we filled them out online the night before - no worries, whatever, lots of benefit of the doubt these days (just remember to keep your own pen nearby at all times!).
But arriving in Milan had its moments. We had filled out a bunch of new forms for the Italian government - again, no worries, whatever you need to protect your people, count me in - we had confirmed our overall health, that we were asymptomatic, that we wouldn't use public transportation on the way home, that we would alert the Piemonte Regional government of our arrival, that we would self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival (and, yes, be subject to jail time if we broke this rule). All good.
But what about our official reason for re-entering the country? Only work, health, and emergencies were acceptable reasons...unless you are a citizen or resident. OK no problem we are residents, we pay taxes, we have our ID...well I have my ID, but Barbara's official ID has not come yet! [See earlier postings on getting documents in Italy :) ]
So we had two moments of truth when scarily large, armed, and understandably stern officials scrutinized our massive folder of documents, looking for something to allow Barbara to pass through. One gave us grief but allowed her temporary ID to suffice, the other waited a dramatic 60 seconds (during which he ushered me past the one-way turnstile so that we were separated and I couldn't even see Barbara, and during which I realized my phone was on 1% and I had no charger)...to pronounce Barbara fit to enter Italy! Woo hoo - time to exhale, and get the heck out of Malpensa!
We are very lucky to have a contact here, Franco, who does limo rides, especially airport runs for IST teachers. Wonderful man, speaks just enough English so you know he will be there at the right time and place, immaculate car. Check out his profile photo - I think there may be more to Franco than "taxi driver." Check out his brother Pietro in the background, he runs one of the local barbershops - these guys own this town!
We're on day 3 of La Quarantena and it's not too bad - the weather is very pleasant, we have la terrazza to see what the world is up to, and I am teaching in the same time zone as my students. We miss everyone, but siamo contenti di essere a casa (we are happy to be home)!
I look forward to telling you what Italy looks like as it comes out of lockdown the next few weeks. Ciao! Please stay healthy and positive!