The Naples Handbook” Has Been Prepared As a Joint Venture Between the Military Community and MFSE Naples
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE NAPLES HANDBOOK January 2018 1/96 Table of Contents FOREWORD/ BENVENUTI A NAPOLI / WELCOME TO NAPLES PART 1 -NAPLES PROFILE SECTION 1 - OVERVIEW OF ITALY SECTION 2 - NAPLES SECTION 3 – NATO AND JFC HQ NAPLES ORGANIZATION SECTION 4 - THE CANADIAN COMMUNITY PART 2 – SPONSORSHIP AND YOUR HHT TO NAPLES SECTION 1 – SPONSORSHIP SYSTEM SECTION 2 - HOUSE HUNTING TRIP (HHT) SECTION 3 – FINDING ACCOMMODATIONS SECTION 4 – UNIQUE NATURE OF ITALIAN HOUSING SECTION 5 – FINDING AND SECURING THE RIGHT PLACE PART 3 – LEAVING CANADA SECTION 1 – CIVIL OBLIGATION SECTION 2 – DOCUMENTATION ISSUES SCHOOL DOCUMENTS CANADIAN DRIVER’S LICENCE CANADA CUSTOMS EMPLOYMENT AND IMMIGRATION CANADA DND IDENTITY CARD FAMILY MEMBER ID CARDS SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBERS FOR TEENS SECURITY CLEARANCE PASSPORTS (Green and blue) / SOJOURNER’S PERMIT INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION OF VACCINATION (YELLOW BOOK) MEDICAL AND DENTAL RECORDS MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSURANCE SECTION 3 – PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING SECTION 4 – MILITARY CLOTHING / UNIFORMS SECTION 5 – PETS – IMPORTATION INTO EUROPE SECTION 6 – SPECIAL ITEMS TO BRING IN YOUR HG&E 2/96 PART 4 – ARRIVING AND LIVING IN NAPLES SECTION 1 – ARRIVING IN NAPLES SECTION 2 – SAFETY ISSUES REQUIREMENT TO CARRY IDENTIFICATION PAPERS CARRYING IDENTIFICATION LOST OR STOLEN IDENTIFICATION EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS ACCIDENT REPORTING NATURAL DISASTERS LEGAL ADVICE SECTION 3 – HOUSE INFORMATION ELECTRICITY WATER (NON- POTABLE) SECTION 4 – TELEPHONE (“TELECOM ITALIA”)/INTERNET INTERNET AT HOME INTERNET AT WORK/CFMRC SECTION 5 – HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE SECTION 6 – TRANSPORTATION – YOUR VEHICLE INTRODUCTION / DRIVING CONDITIONS YOUR VEHICLE INSURANCE DRIVER'S LICENCE POMV REGISTRATION IN ITAL SECTION 7 – TRANSPORTATION - PUBLIC AUTOSTRADA AND TANGENTIALE AIRPORT TAXIS SECTION 8 – EDUCATION GENERAL EDUCATION INFORMATION ITALIAN LANGUAGE TRAINING SECTION 9 – FINANCIAL ISSUES - GENERAL SECTION 10 – FINANCIAL ISSUES –SPECIAL NAPLES ITEMS SECTION 11 – MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE USN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES MEDICAL RECORDS FAMILY MEMBER MEDICAL/DENTAL TRAVEL NORMAL HEALTH CARE EXPENSES: FAMILY MEMBERS NORMAL HEALTH CARE EXPENSES: CAF MEMBERS HEALTH CARE EXPENSES: CIVILIAN HOSPITALS MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE OPTICAL SUPPLIES AND SERVICES DENTAL RECORDS NORMAL DENTAL CARE EXPENSES: FAMILY MEMBERS NORMAL DENTAL CARE EXPENSES: CAF MEMBERS DENTAL FACILITIES SECTION 12 – MILITARY DRESS AND DEPORTMENT GENERAL SECTION 13 – SHOPPING 3/96 US NAVY EXCHANGE (NEX) SIZE CONVERSION MARKETS SECTION 14 – ENTERTAINMENT RESTAURANTS TELEVISION IN NAPLES RAINBOW MAGICLAND CARNEY PARK SECTION 15 - FAMILY ACTIVITIES / MFSE-NAPLES / PSP MFSE-NAPLES (MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT EUROPE) PSP (PERSONNEL SUPPORT PROGRAMS NAPLES) SECTION 16 - POSTAL ANNEXES Annex A - NAPLES SITE MAP Annex B – JFC HQ NAPLES BASE MAP Annex C - LIST OF RECOMMENDED ITEMS TO BRING TO NAPLES Annex D - REFERENCE MATERIAL Annex E - PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Annex F – SIGHTS TO SEE IN THE NAPLES AREA Annex G – JFCHQ SERVICES PROVIDED BY NATO Annex H - WHAT YOU WANT IN A HOUSE Annex I - AVAILABLE SCHOOL IN THE NAPLES AREA Annex J - GPS COORDINATES - PLACES OF INTEREST Annex K - EUROPEEN GPS COORDINATES 4/96 FOREWORD On behalf of all Canadians serving in Naples, the Personnel Support Programme, and your Military Family Support Europe-Naples (MFSE-Naples), I would like to wish you a warm welcome to Italy. I hope that your tour will be a positive and rewarding experience for both you and the members of your family. Since the establishment of the Canadian military element, the number of families residing in Naples has seen a steady increase. There are currently 42 CAF members posted to Naples, IT. The aim in any overseas posting is to make the experience as rewarding and enjoyable as possible for the entire family. One of the foundations of the Naples Canadian community is MFSE Naples, which was established in February 1998. It provides the same support programmes as other MFRCs in Canada and Europe. Naples is a unique place, as you will find. The lodging and the facilities are different than in Canada. Canadians are spread out over many kilometres with most living in Lago Patria, Licola, Pozzuoli, Bacoli and Monte di Procida. The NATO base at JFC Naples HQ in Lago Patria is the one place Canadians go regularly (military members to work, and family members for shopping, banking, personal administration, working out at the gym, and meeting other members of the international community). In 2013, NATO reorganised its structure, resulting in two deployable Operational level Headquarters , one in Brunssum and one in Naples. What this means to those posted to JFCNP HQ is that most personnel posted to Naples will most likely be called upon to deploy on a NATO mission for a six month rotation (KFOR, ISAF, or a similar mission) and all personnel will be on standby at some point to deploy if the case arises. This is a crucial point for both military members and families to take into consideration when contemplating a posting to Naples. These are very exciting times for JFC HQ Naples in terms of this change of mandate. Opportunities will abound for making this new HQ and structure a great success for NATO as a whole. “The Naples Handbook” has been prepared as a joint venture between the military community and MFSE Naples. It provides an overview of life in Naples and some helpful hints on how to adapt and settle in this unique and diverse environment. This booklet is updated annually. We look forward to members, especially those who will arrive each year, providing inputs to further enhance its usefulness. As newcomers, please note areas where information is outdated, report any hyperlinks that are found invalid, or where additional information is required as you go through the moving process and be prepared to provide your comments this fall, after your move, to the OPI for this Handbook. On behalf of all Canadians residing in Naples, welcome … benvenuto. Colonel Jean-Pascal Levasseur Commanding Officer, Italy 5/96 BENVENUTI A NAPOLI / WELCOME TO NAPLES (A LETTER FROM DOTT. ORESTE SCHIANO DI ZENISE) The keys to a successful posting are flexibility and open-mindedness. There will be many aspects of your life here that will not compare to Canadian ways of doing things, and it will be up to you and your family, together with the support of the Canadian community, to see this experience for the wholly wonderful opportunity it can be. Those who have been here for a while have learned that Naples is a city of amazing contrasts, where picturesque sites, art treasures, unique panoramas and colourful streets are mixed with some unpleasant areas and rubbish-filled lanes. A deep contrast also exists within the population. The kind, helpful and generous character of the majority of the people vanishes in the face of reports of local robberies and the unpleasant experiences of some tourists. As for violence, Naples tends to be safer than many other big cities, such as Milan, London, or New York. However, petty crime can occur, and therefore, it is incumbent upon those posted here to be smart, safe and vigilant with their personal belongings, both in and out of your residences – DO NOT BE A VICTIM. Your stay here has the potential to be one of the most memorable experiences of your life, particularly if you remain flexible and adapt well to change. It is no small feat to move to another country, and your patience will be tried at first. A good attitude will serve you extremely well while posted to this very unique environment. Naples can be somewhat challenging at times, but it has a great deal to offer, which you will discover little by little. There are so many significant sites in and around Naples: museums, royal palaces, ancient churches, cloisters, the incredible crèche in Santa Chiara, the intriguing “Spaccanapoli”, a street in old Naples full of things of interest, the Amalfi Coast with its spectacular panorama, the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the superb Roman sites rescued from the ashes of Vesuvius, are but few of the sites that should be visited. A walk around “Solfatara”, the volcanic area of the edge of Pozzuoli, is fascinating. The Island of Capri is an incredible experience in the ring of the Bay. Some say that the statue of the “Veiled Christ”, in the Sansevero chapel in Naples, is a miracle more than a masterpiece and it alone is worthy of a journey from Canada to Italy! Obviously, robberies take place frequently in these tourist areas, but you can leave your jewels at home, use money belts, and inexpensive cameras, and be vigilant. And if, despite these precautions, something does happen, take it in stride and enjoy the adventure of walking around the back lanes of ancient Naples. Normally, you may live in nice houses or flats, located in refined residential areas, often with unrivalled panoramic views. But problems with the electricity or the water pipes might irritate you. The first phone contact with the electrician or the plumber may well result in him informing you of his visit tomorrow. But what you don’t know yet is that in this part of the world, tomorrow doesn’t mean the following day but any day in the future: “from now to eternity”. If you are lucky, he surely will come a week later and maybe at 8 p.m., while you are putting your children to bed. You must also know that driving in Naples can be a problem for newcomers but not for the locals, who are normally excellent but very undisciplined drivers. Neapolitans do not like to stop when the traffic light is “red” and they don’t see cars in the other stream of traffic. They also usually pass when the “green” has just turned into “red”. And what of the yellow light, you may wonder? That doesn’t mean anything! It is there just like a Christmas decoration! Neapolitan cuisine is well known and celebrated all over the world.