Il internetto

When I booked my apartment through the school, I asked if it had wifi. I was told that of course it would have it by the time I came in October. The week before I came, I asked again and they said that yes, it should be functional.

Of course when I got to apartment D at via dell’Oriullo 8, there was no internet. The next day at school, I went to see Lapo, who had the USB wifi keys. I went home at lunch and tried to install it. Of course it didn’t work. So I was given another USB key, and again it didn’t work. Lapo said it was probably because my Mac was too new.

So I resorted to doing my emails at home and then using the wifi at school to send and receive. After a couple of days of this, all the while still trying to get a functional USB key, the wifi at school slowed right down. I had to leave my laptop on Lapo’s desk while I was in class for 4 hours in order to send and receive. The USB keys that I kept trying turned out to not have the proper matching passwords, so they wouldn’t work either. That’s when I decided to go to the Firenze library and try my luck there. At least I could go late at night and not have to lug my laptop all over town. I got the requisite library card and finally had connectivity. I thought this solved my problem, until some days, their network wouldn’t let me join (but I have a library card!) or was so slow that I gave up. Finally, on the Wednesday, I decided to go to the Vodaphone store to get my own USB wifi card. I went at my lunch break, but it was closed until 2:30. So I went back after class at 5. I was told that they had just sold out that morning. I almost started crying.

The next morning I decided to go to the bigger Vodaphone store near the Duomo. After a very convoluted number taking system – I had number A151 and when my number was called, right after C024, someone else went up to the counter and got served. So I waited until the next client rep opened up explained to him that although my number had already been called, someone else was being served in my place. So he served me. So, what’s the point of the fancy electronic numbering system?

Anyway, he had a USB wifi card, with 10G download in 30 days. Perfect. I bought it and went home, installed all the necessary software and badaboom badabing I had connectivity in my apartment! I send and receive and upload until I am giddy.

The next morning when I try to connect, it won’t let me. I am completely deflated. Back to school with my laptop to churn away while I am in class.

I couldn’t do anything about it over the weekend because I went to Cinque Terre and it hadn’t self-corrected by the time I came back Sunday night. I couldn’t go on Monday either because my classes ended late and I was so fed up, I didn’t want to spend any more time on connectivity. Tuesday, I decided that I would march right back to the Vodaphone store by the Duomo and tell them what was happening and demand my money back.

Somehow, I get served with the proper number despite the numbering system. I decide to speak Italian so that they know just how serious I am. (In hindsight, it probably didn’t help anything…) I explain, they listen and correct my grammar, and then after a few phone calls and ridiculously fast conversations between the clerks so that I don’t understand, and I don’t, they tell me that my card wasn’t activated. Tutto e bene, it should be activated in 2 hours. Arrivederci and they send me on my way. There. I told them. I go to the Ponte Vecchio to celebrate.