Help translating this

[Squigy]

Okay, so over the last two years, I've tried everything to get my great grandfather's birth cert - I've mailed the Comune, I've faxed them, I've emailed them - everything. So, today I decided to try the direct way. I called and asked if there was anyone there who spoke English, to which I was met with a "No...No".

Now I'm thinking I'm going to call when I know there won't be anyone in the office, and leave a message on their answering machine with all the information they need (such as my great grandfather's name/birth date, my name, address, phone number, email, etc).

I don't speak Italian, but I've been learning, and through studying and listening to Italian music and watching Italian movies (both with Italian subtitles to see what I'm hearing), I think I have the phonetics down pretty well. So if anyone could translate this, I think I'll be able say it clearly:

Hello, my name is (my name). I live in the United States.

Over the past year, I've sent multiple letters to this office requesting my great grandfather's birth record. I'm afraid the requests were lost in the mail, which is why I'm contacting you directly. His name was (His name). He was born in (Comune name) in October, 1879. His parents were (father's name) and (mother's name).

I would be very grateful if you could send his "atti di nascita" to (my address). The address is spelled (spell address out phonetically).

Please charge me for any postage and for the certificate.

You can contact me by email at (email address)

Does that work, or do you think it needs re-written? Also, how would I pronounce "@yahoo.com"?

Anyway, a year ago, I would have thought this idea was a bit silly - but I wasn't desperate a year ago I'm going up to PA for two weeks in June, 2012 for my sister's wedding, and while I'm there I'm going to get the rest of my American documents (for dual citizenship). After that, and when I'm done getting apostilles/translations or making corrections, this birth cert. will be all that's holding me up.

[PippoM]

Have you tried with ordinary mail?
When they receive your letter, they have to protocol it, so, there's an evidence of reception. This way, they have to answer your request (or at least, they should).

[Squigy]

Have you tried with ordinary mail?
When they receive your letter, they have to protocol it, so, there's an evidence of reception. This way, they have to answer your request (or at least, they should).

Yes, I've tried ordinary mail - no reply. Maybe my letters were lost in the mail, or they just didn't want to respond. Regardless, if I call maybe they'll feel like they have to.

[adelfio]

Might need a lttle fine tunning but should do
Mi chiamo (Squigy,) ed abito negli Stati Uniti.
Nel corso dell'anno passato, ho inviato diverse lettere a questo ufficio la richiesta il mio atto di nascita del bisnonno
Temo che la mia lettera sia andata persa o sia stata dimenticata.
Questo è il motivo per cui ti sto contattando
L’individuo seguente è il mio antenato.
Nome e cognome: NAME OF PERSON
Data di nascita: Ottobre, 1879
Luogo di nascita: Comune
Nome e cognome del padre: FATHER
Nome e cognome della madre: MOTHER
Le sarei molto grata se potesse inviare il suo atti di nascita al mio indirizzo. Il mio indirizzo YOUR ADDRESS
Vi prego di farmi sapere il costo del vostro aiuto e come posso effettuare il pagamento.
Mi potete contattare via e-mail all'indirizzo EMAIL ADRRESS

Marty

[Squigy]

Well, I called.

Unfortunately, I called late - I was NOT connected to an answering machine, but a clerk. When I called, I THOUGHT it was 7 AM their time, but it was actually 8 AM (I moved to Texas from VA, recently, and I always forget I'm in a new time zone).

Well, I decided to just READ my message anyway. For the first part, it went fairly well. We understood each other well enough, so I was able to tell her who I was and why I was calling. Then I told her my great grandfather's name, she repeated it, wrote it down, and then asked for his birth day (which I told her, and again, she repeated, and wrote down).

Then, I was going on to tell her my address, and she interrupts me and starts saying "Ah, Maietta, Giuseppe!" and then something else I couldn't understand. I told her my Italian was poor, she laughed and then re-phrased it. I told her I still didn't understand, there was a long pause, and then I continued to say my address. She interrupted me again, saying what she originally said - all I could make out was my great grandfather's name, and what sounded like the words "fiacche" and "scrivi". I again told her I could not understand, and heard "Tsk" and "click" (evidently she'd given up trying to make me understand).

What could she have been saying?? I'm really worried they may have already SENT it, but it got lost in the mail or something, since it sounded like she was remembering his name when she said "Ah, MAIETTA, Giuseppe". I really don't want to get on these peoples nerves, since they'll be registering our records for my jus sanguinis, right? But I also REALLY need his birth record - or else there'll BE no records to register.

I'm so frustrated, right now!