Early Morning Banking and Discoveries

I meant to post this last week but as the Italians say, I had un sacco da fare (I hope that's right or that could be embarrassing). Here it is anyway.

I'm sure I've mentioned (moaned about this) before but here, in Italy things like to close and open at awkward times, which can make things particularly difficult when you have to work 9 till 6 every day.

One of these particularly difficult things is the Bank. I'm pretty sure they try and make it as difficult as possible to get to your money as mine (and it seems the majority) is only open for about 5 hours a day and is conveniently is closed over lunchtime and even more conveniently (I'm being totally sarcastic obvs) open..wait for it..an HOUR after lunch. I mean really...what is even the point of that?

AND they don't even work at the weekend! These bankers have such an easy life..

So somehow I needed to get to the bank when it would be open. That meant only one thing..

Getting up super early.

Now, I'm really lucky because I only live 10 minutes away from the office by bike so usually i roll out of bed at 7.45 to arrive at work at 9. But today I had to sacrifice my sleep and instead set the alarm for 7 am. 45 minutes I hear you scoff. But that's 45 minutes less in my comfy bed! It was also the principle. You'd never have to make this much effort in England! But of course I'm not in England so that wasn't really going to help.

I hopped on my bike just before 8 am and began a leisurely cycle to the bank in the early morning sunshine.

I thought to myself..this is actually quite nice as I passed the church (there's always a church) and little square of shops near my house, the  sweet smell of freshly baked pastries wafting from the bakery. It was just too good to resist..
(I had to buy something for lunch anyway so you know, I did actually need to go in)

The whole shop was filled with the sweet aroma and i took a deep breath as I stepped inside. There's nothing better than the smell of a bakery early in the morning.

For once I knew what I wanted: a nice, fresh, warm focaccia. So much nicer than a boring old ham sandwich/rolls that constitutes a packed lunch in England.

Salty Goodness

I narrowly avoided succumbing to the pastries oozing with cream and chocolate (sadly I don't have a picture), sticking with my banana instead that was already in my bag (you gotta be healthy sometimes).

Lunch taken care of I continued on my way to the bank, arriving before it opened in classic British style.

Getting my money went smoothly, a bit too smoothly if you ask me...

All I had to say was my name and sign a bit of paper and the money was mine..which is slightly worrying. :/ 

Also turns out that what I thought was my PIN, because on the letter it said PIN unico which to any sane/normal person would indicate that this is the number you need for it to work, is in fact NOT. ah so that would explain why it kept telling me the PIN was wrong when I tried to use the card. 

Got to try and find that letter now...funny feeling that in my excitement of having instant access to my money, I may have thrown it away.

Oops.

I decided not to worry about it too much and go for a little cycle instead as I still had time before work (there's no point turning up too early, everyone rocks up at about 5 minutes before).

I explored a little and found the cutest little town with the cutest little streets, tucked away around a corner.

I found some "interesting" graffiti...

Actually, this is probably the sort of thing you'd find in the Tate Modern. I can just imagine it:
"this represents the very essence of human nature, the blinding obvious causing us to question ourselves, what are we doing here, why are we even alive..." or something...

Sorry to all the artists out there but I really think there is a limit. I mean come on..

btw the strange guy in the photo is my boyfriend :)

How many thousands did this guy get paid.

Or this one...

There's only so much you can take :)

As I cycled past these discoveries I realized it wasn't so bad getting up early after all. I had my foccacia, got to indulge in the smell of a Bakery in the morning and it was quite relaxing meandering along on my bike, alone with my thoughts, the sun-too early to be uncomfortably hot- bathing me in a warm golden glow.

It's not often we take time to just think.

And as I past this

I'll give it to the Italians-at least their graffiti isn't just swear words

I thought, you know what Italy, it probably could be worse.

No matter how hard a day seems or how many things go wrong, there are so many things to be grateful for. It's clichè I know, but especially on a year abroad, which itself is such a great opportunity you just have to take everything as it comes, good or bad and put it down to experience.

Experience, I hope will make me a stronger person.

And with that, I arrived at work.