The unthinkable

Delusion is "the pathological formation of erroneous beliefs, absurd in content, resistant to any criticism." Until now, I thought it was something that concerned people, thoughts, and ways of doing things, but since I learned about the procedures required by the Italian government for the visa process for a Kenyan student, I have had the opportunity to understand the institutions' delusion. Apps, links, websites, documents, procedures, communications between institutions, return emails, translations, certifications that lasted 12 months until Sophia arrived in Italy.

It seems like a long story with a happy ending, but then the unthinkable happens: the university cannot proceed with her registration (a document is missing, or rather, it is there but is on its way from the Ministry of Education to the embassy), so the administration asks her to return to her country and repeat the process for next year. After an eight-hour car ride, a twelve-hour plane ride, hospitality, and smiles, the "Belpaese" throws its delirium in your face, but it's not Sophia who's missing out on an opportunity, it's Italy (increasingly aging) that's abandoning a young woman with a future. For 12 months, I've looked at the world through Sophia's eyes: brilliant eyes, a woman's eyes, the eyes of Africa. Sophia won't return; she'll be an illegal immigrant, she won't study, she'll work illegally, she'll find love, and she'll give birth to illegal children who, for the next 20 years, will be in our schools without documents, who will play sports, but won't be able to win.

Days pass, and in no time at all, the appointment at the police station for the residence permit arrives. Simultaneously, after 23 days of deposit at the post office, the document arrives at the embassy. The application process is underway, but the university—according to regulations—must enroll Sophia for the 2024/25 academic year: she must pay €1,840 in fees and then enroll in her second year of university in September with zero exams taken... so she won't be eligible for a scholarship, a place at the college, or a cafeteria. Enter lawyer Andrea. Meanwhile, as in Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad, the Poor Clares and a family strive to provide hospitality, but the general backdrop is marked by a delirium that replaces law and makes you see the world through its tears. Tomorrow we'll resume: she'll have to face the specter of the ISEE parificato, present documents that don't exist in her country but that Italy requires. Indeed, this process, too, will fail because the tax code issued by the university isn't in the Revenue Agency's database (the real code will be assigned with the residence permit!). I'm suffering from a delusion, mine is Sardinian and it goes in a stubborn and contrary direction, but delusions don't disappear, they add up and cause the loss of lives (and health).


Fabrizio Floris
NP August/September