Becoming an American is much harder than becoming an Italian citizen these days.  I have taken it into account being on the waiting list for almost 2 years at the end of December.  I was reading a post on the forum on Expats in Italy from Cristina, the owner of the site dealing with this issue.  She referred to the notion that we should be grateful we are not trying to obtain American Citizenship.  She recalls taking her friend to the Immigration office back in San Francisco and how rudely they spoke to her immigrant friend.  They called the friend very prejudice names.  Can you imagine being called horrible names at the consulates here in the States?  I personally have never been called names or been rudely spoken to.  Just typical Italianisms like when I asked to see how my citizenship was coming along, the man at the window replied with, "Why?" 

"Because I want to, Francesco."  Yes I know pretty much everyone's name at the Consulate.  I have been going there since 2005, I should know their names. 

Now my mom and Nonna has thought it would be a great idea to write a certified letter to the Consulate and let them know I am arriving in a few weeks to see if they found my documents and file.  Side note, the last time I saw Anna Vigella, the new citizenship director(that's what I call her) she just started the new position at the Consulate and couldn't find my file with all my documents.  So it worried me.  But then I talked to my friend Riccardo who I found through Gente di Mare Italian Genealogy.

He informed me that perhaps they have sent my documents to Italy already.  I looked into that and had my great Uncle Lorenzo call the Comune of Montefiorino because he was speaking to them in order to be married in Italy this past September.  The lovely woman from the Comune told him that my documents have not pasted through her hands there.  The process moves on and on.  My Uncle recommended to me that I should go back to the Chicago Consulate and ask what is going on. 

Alas I must press on.  And I WILL go down there once again.  And be very up front and ask them what the status of my process(if anyone knows).  But if nothing comes from my umpteenth visit to Italian Consulate of Chicago, I shall keep the faith that my documents are being looked at somewhere.  And I will be receiving the call soon enough saying...

"Your citizenship is ready to be picked up."