Some fellow Americans living in Rome say that you only get to ask “why?” once a month.
Italy is famous for la dolce vita — the sweet life — where you can spend four hours eating a delicious lunch in a beautiful setting. It’s no surprise millions of tourists flock here every year.
Italian bureaucracy, however, is anything but dolce.
An outsider living here has to deal with many maddening and mystifying situations. If he tried to understand every confusing situation, he would never have peace of mind.
It is better to limit oneself to one “why?” per month and laugh at one’s incomprehension the rest of the time.
The month is young, but I've used up my “why?” already. It’s time to make a contribution.