Twinkle Canelli

Just reading this post made me think you're me!! And I've been here over 2 years and still feel the same. Trouble is, I've spent the last 2 years persuading my sulky 13 yr old daughter that it's a great life here, so much so that my needs have been sidelined. Now that she's happy and settled, I still feel exactly the same and now she needs me even less, I'm even more depressed.....

pugliese

dear oh dear, there are a lot of us! Can't any of the suggestions we have made to sunnyjt on this thread help you? Tell us a bit about yourself and your life and we'll see if we can be of assistance (there are a lot of nice people on here)

Welcome to the forum

Twinkle Canelli

Thanks! You know, I've just posted on another ex pat website and reading it through made me cry! My man (who works away in the far east for 2/3 months at a time to fund our dream house build here) can't work out what I've got to complain about! But the fact is that I can go 10 days without speaking to a soul - apart from the dog and cat, and my daughter when she occasionally takes her earphones out. I've tried the yoga club thing.... and have volunteered and been turned down at the local dog rescue place.... done the free Italian course at the local school... tried being friendly at the school gates, and still am no nearer to having any social life whatsoever. The highlight of my day is taking the dog to the building plot and digging the vegetable patch.

Isn't there anyone out there near Canelli/Asti/Acqui Terme who feels like me too????

pugliese

what about giving English lessons? I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but believe me it is better than nothing. Try with school kids, they could bring their book and you just follow the lesson or try conversation. You would also get to meet some mums. Print some flyers: madrelingua inglese impartisce lezioni tel......
or try contacting language schools in Asti?

Twinkle Canelli

Thanks it's a good idea, but I'm not sure about tax implications and legalities. I did some silver jewellery making during the summer while I was trying to quit smoking (six months now - at least that's something I'm proud of succeeding at!). When I came to sell it, it went well with friends and acquaintances, but any further than that (I thought of taking a stall at local festas and craft markets) and I have to register for IVA and allsorts and it seems that being self employed here is a whole can of worms that's very complicated and quite expensive to set up. I might start another thread on that to see if anyone can offer advice.

I'm so glad I joined this forum. I'm so surprised there are so many people out there who feel the same as me or who have had similar experiences! Thank you all so much for welcoming me into your little fold!!!

Patty

Hi Twinkle
sorry to hear you feel miserable. I also am in Piemonte but a bit further up North and its not easy is it. The piemontese are by nature very closed - in fact you must have heard the saying .....Piemontesi, falsi ma cortesi
Anyway - if you really enjoy the jewellry thing then you should really try and follow it up. I make cards but only as a sideline and then when I'm at work (I teach in a big factory) I sell them to my students I dont earn much but it gives me more satisfaction than the teaching thats for sure !
Have you tried asking if any school needs a mother tongue - even if you dont have experience they are usually interested.
Try not to give up - I know its hard - I have days when I could just pack my bag and drive off into the sunset - but my kids are settled here and they love it and more so my dear OH (who is from Turin). Its so frustrating cos there are nice things about living here - but there is also a lot of negative stuff. I suppose we just have to try and see the glass half full.
Keep visiting us on the forum - its a great place to come and let off steam and has kept me sane on many a day

Twinkle Canelli

Aaah thanks Patty.... yes when the sun's shining like today and the dog and cat are being silly together in the garden and my daughter is helping me to mop the patio ready for the table and chairs to come out for the summer, my glass is definitely more than half full! And I think talking to people like you might just keep me sane on days when it's not looking so good!

Lorna at Vicenza

Hello Twinkle,

when it comes to private English lessons, most adults looking for lessons, or mums looking for someone to help their kids will be more than happy to pay cash in hand. It's what they all do. It's not just English lessons either. There are plenty of Italians advertising and giving extra tuition in maths, Italian and whatever subject.

A company or business might want paperwork to put through the books and that's easy as well. You can print them out a "ritenuta d'acconto" which is legal. They pay the tax on it and you can earn up to 5.000 euro per tax year without having to pay anything yourself.

Twinkle Canelli

Thanks Lorna - that's useful advice!

Lorna at Vicenza

You're welcome.

I'm waiting for summer to come along. Everything just feels better when it's warm and the sun is out. I love the summer salads and fruits and cherry tomatoes .... but more than that I love an aperitivo sitting outside a bar and chatting or people watching.

duffer

Several aperitivi!!! Just for starters!

Lorna at Vicenza

When I was single, I used to go to my favourite bar after work sometimes for an aperitivo and still be there at 8pm.

I could walk home from work in those days.

Twinkle Canelli

Oh yes! Friday was beautiful here and we had lunch outside the local bar for the first time this year. Yesterday I spent all day cleaning up the patio and getting the table and chairs out but today it's grey and damp and raining again.....

Lorna at Vicenza

I wish it would pour down here for a few hours and that's something I don't usually say.

It has not rained since we got back from the UK on January 5th. It has drizzled once and we had a little snow, but that's it.

I swear that the air must be full of dust as both myself and my son are sneezing like idiots, scratching like mad and the little one has red rimmed, crazy itchy eyes. I'm going to have to put him on anti-histamines for a week or 10 days before he scratches his eyeballs out.

The Italians are blaming the lack of rain on the fact that nearly everyone has had the flu here this last month. The air must be "thick with bacteria".

Mind you - when it does start to rain, it could on for a whole week non-stop and then I'll be wishing I'd never said anything. When the Spring rains come here it's like living in the tropics.

Twinkle Canelli

Yes I shouldn't complain - it hasn't rained here since before Christmas apart from overnight on Friday. We had about 18 inches of snow fall at the beginning of February and it hung around right up till last week which was amazing as we had some beautiful days when it was high 20s in the sun. The grass under the snow was all brown and horrible, but at least everything's starting to look green again and the vines must need a drink!!