Playing the "merry-go-round"

Instructions on how to play the Italian "merry-go-round"

You will need the following:
1. To be a tourist/professional/student/citizen from a country other than Italy
2. To have a clear objective of what you are trying to achieve
3. To have a realistic time frame of when you what to achieve your objective
4. Lance Armstrong's determination, Mother Teresa's patience, Nelson Mandela's diplomatic and negotiation skills & (depending upon your preference Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, Fred Hollows or Pierce Bronson beauty/charm)
5. Most importantly a lot of time to play this game.

How to play the "merry-go-round":
First you visit Italy on a 3 month student/tourist visa with the objective of establishing a nursing contract. After several attempts to find a nursing contract or endless attempts to speak to someone in the Italian health care system (regarding what the process is to apply for a nursing position in Italy), you can attempt to obtain a permesso di sigiorno (this enables you to work in any contracted position in Italy).

To obtain more information regarding "nursing in Italy" or "permesso di sigiorno" you can visit 1. The Australian Embassy in Australia - however the information they provide is often limited and contradicted when you arrive in Italy.

2. The Australian Embassy in Rome, Italy - there is no Embassy in Firenze.

3. The British Embassy in Firenze - as they are often an excellent initial resource.

For example.

Select option No.3.

When you arrive at the British Embassy in Firenze, the office will be closed so you need to wait and return in two hours. Once you speak to a representative at the British Embassy they will listen patiently to your issue and then explain that they are unable to help you and that you need to speak to the Australian Embassy or consulate in Rome. The Australian Embassy and Consulate is closed now, so you need to ring in the morning. The next day when you ring, you will need to wait on line for 10-15minutes. When someone answers they will direct you to another representative at the Consulate. After you explain your enquiry the second person will kindly direct you to the third representative and after you explain your enquiry they will state that they can not help you and that you need to go to the Questura in Firenze. The Questura office is now closed. It reopens at 8am the next morning. The following day you arrive at the Questura at 7.30am to avoid the long queues. The office doors opened at 8.15am. You then explain at length your situation and purpose of visit to one of the Italian officers at the Questura. He will then advise you to return to the office at 9.30am when that office opens. When you return to the Questura office, you will need to take a number which places you in a queue and take a seat with the ten or more people that are been waiting before you. When your number is finally called the officer at the Questura will ask you to explain your situation and then politely tell you that they can not assist you and that you need to go to another office at the Questura. Once again you will be required to explain your situation at length before being told that they can not assist you and that your enquiry would be addressed at another office (the Prefettura) in Firenze. You then travel to the Prefettura. At the reception area you will explain your situation gain at length before being given a some papers with the contact details of the office hours and the phone numbers you need to ring to make an appointment. The offices are now all closed. If you try to explain you situation with greater urgency and charm they will direct you to personnel at the Prefettura. You will then take a seat beside 15 or more other migrants waiting before you. When the personnel exits their office to answer a personal call and makes eye contact briefly with you, you can attempt to engage them with your enquiry. in my case I explained my situation in detail whilst standing in the corridor outside their office. In my experience, the advice I was given was that they couldn't assist me with my enquires and that I couldn't make an appointment to speak to them because they are always occupied with other enquires. However, if I wanted to pursue the matter, I could ring during certain hours on certain days to speak to her colleague and see if I could register a time to make an appointment to have my enquiry addressed.