I think a few good aspects of Italy are overrated and a few bad aspects are highly underrated. I find myself biting my tongue when talking to friends or tourists so as not to 'badmouth' the country, but I'm glad I'm not alone in this... some truth telling is needed!
I was in the honeymoon phase about Italy for a long time. Like so many foreigners enamored with it, I was sure everything was better in Italy. However, this iteration of living in Italy as a single woman in my fifties, (without good finances, without family in the country) has been quite different than it was in my earlier years in Italy. I have realized, for the most part, the foreigners who have the experience of "everything is truly better in Italy" usually have a solid sense of financial support, and live with a partner/husband/wife/family, and have avoided housing traumas.
Also, I've been planning trips to Italy for clients for so long and I really care about helping people have a good time in Italy and with this recent mushrooming of interest in moving to Italy, I care about helping people understand what's truly involved.
I'm surprised by some of the "influencers" who've recently moved to Italy and are clearly quite well-off, who paint an absolute Shangri-La for their followers. I don't want to say they shouldn't be super excited about their new life in Italy--excitement has its place. But people considering a move to Italy need to learn more than just "everything is better here". They need to know about taxes and driving and visas and they need to understand which camp they will be in: having to work in Italy, versus having a well-padded retirement.
YES to the partner thing. I am starting to realize moving abroad alone IS. NOT. THE. SAME. as going with a partner or moving to your partner's country. And also the difference between Northern Italy (I'm specifically talking about Milan haha) versus for example Tuscany. The two are just not comparable at all.
I used to think Italy was much more progressive than the U.S. I guess I just assumed all of Western Europe was. But the wave of far-right nationalism that has been seen in lots of these countries is troubling indeed. At least gun violence is not to the level as here in the U.S.
I think a few good aspects of Italy are overrated and a few bad aspects are highly underrated. I find myself biting my tongue when talking to friends or tourists so as not to 'badmouth' the country, but I'm glad I'm not alone in this... some truth telling is needed!
Hi Jane, nice to meet you 😀
I was in the honeymoon phase about Italy for a long time. Like so many foreigners enamored with it, I was sure everything was better in Italy. However, this iteration of living in Italy as a single woman in my fifties, (without good finances, without family in the country) has been quite different than it was in my earlier years in Italy. I have realized, for the most part, the foreigners who have the experience of "everything is truly better in Italy" usually have a solid sense of financial support, and live with a partner/husband/wife/family, and have avoided housing traumas.
Also, I've been planning trips to Italy for clients for so long and I really care about helping people have a good time in Italy and with this recent mushrooming of interest in moving to Italy, I care about helping people understand what's truly involved.
I'm surprised by some of the "influencers" who've recently moved to Italy and are clearly quite well-off, who paint an absolute Shangri-La for their followers. I don't want to say they shouldn't be super excited about their new life in Italy--excitement has its place. But people considering a move to Italy need to learn more than just "everything is better here". They need to know about taxes and driving and visas and they need to understand which camp they will be in: having to work in Italy, versus having a well-padded retirement.
YES to the partner thing. I am starting to realize moving abroad alone IS. NOT. THE. SAME. as going with a partner or moving to your partner's country. And also the difference between Northern Italy (I'm specifically talking about Milan haha) versus for example Tuscany. The two are just not comparable at all.
Are you in Milan for work?
Yep, for a few years. Never again. Haha
I used to think Italy was much more progressive than the U.S. I guess I just assumed all of Western Europe was. But the wave of far-right nationalism that has been seen in lots of these countries is troubling indeed. At least gun violence is not to the level as here in the U.S.
You're not kidding, the US is a total outlier with the gun violence. This article has a widget where you can put in any country and see how it stacks up next to the US for gun violence: https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/26/world/us-gun-culture-world-comparison-intl-cmd/index.html