helendha

Just wondering ... :-)

pmanfre

Yep, I am !! Looking through this forum I was wondering the same thing too...

I'm living and working in Siena, Tuscany, and have been in Italy for almost 8 years now.
Am seriously thinking of moving back to the UK though for various reasons, one of them being that career prospects out here are pretty slim and depend so much on who you know........

Where are you ?

Ciao!
Paolo.

helendha

I'm close to Venice - my husband is US military and we're posted here for another 2 years. I really love it, am just about to start Italian classes...

sandrapela

Ooh, I thought there was no-one in Italy! Me and my partner are wanting to move out there, probably next Autumn, do either of you have any tips for us? For example, jobs, housing? We are both going to learn Italian before we come out.

Sandra

helendha

Hmmm, can't really help with jobs or housing as we rent our house through the military and obviously his job is assured ;-) Plus, I work on base - I barely speak any Italian yet so can't work on the economy just now. So, I think you are doing the right thing by learning Italian before you get here.

What line of work are you guys in?

Don

I lived in Italy - Firenze - for a good while, loved it. Speaking Italian - relax, it's really a very easy language to learn both from the point of view of grammar and pronunciation. A bit of French or Spanish in your past will give you a big headstart as they are very similar.

Have fun!

sandrapela

Hiya Don

What did you do in Firenze? I am a civil servant, partner is a barrister but he is looking into doing advice over the net and by e-mail so that will bring in some cash but I do not know what I could do!!

I have both French and Spanish and loved my first lesson of Italian!!

Sandra

Don

I spent most time there as a student but I also worked in Genoa a bit. Plenty holidays since in Sicily, Amalfi coast, Dolomites, - Sardinia on the list.

I learned Spanish after Italian, so to give you an idea of how easy that makes learning one when you know the other, I did a crash course in Salamanca for 4 weeks then took the A level and got an A. Ie as long as you can map one language's structures over onto the other and not get confused, it's easy to transfer the learning over. (Admittedly I had to study 4 works of literature as well, which took a bit longer, but the language element was just 4 weeks!)

sandrapela

So where are you now then? I can just see myself living in Italy, just need to work out what i will do over there!!! Open an Irish Bar?? They seem to get around a bit! Translating? Who knows..

Sandra

Don

Central Europe. Not too much money in translating unless you are mother tongue in both. Must be a call for something with a Brit feel in Tuscany these days...

stefanaccio

Not exactly languishing but spending as much time in Italy as possible whenever I can get away.

Built a small home near Teramo that I rent out but unfortunately it lacks one essential piece of plumbing hardware....

Casale - The Villa wtih No Bidet

alex and lyn

hi all,
only just found this british ex-pat site...been going to expatsinitaly site ( mr bidet man ...you've been there too haven't you ....loved your story ...definately having a bidet put in my farmhouse...even if i only wash my wellies in it !!!!!

like someonbe else...was beginning to think there were no brits in Italy !!!!!!
we're moving out at the end of april 2005 to retire to a farmhouse in Abruzzo........can't wait.....having a problem getting consistent replies concerning costs of electric /gas/water etc...and is anyone using solar panels yet...got to do a bit of modernisation and trying to decide which way to jump !!!!
any advise/help/costs info greatly recieved...so far there seems to be much confusion on these costs...know it's a bit boring but very useful to us at the moment......what about wood burners...how much are they in Italy...suddenly very fashionable in UK so lots on market...buy UK or Italy?
alex and lyn

Awineor2

Hi

Not sure if you still use this website or not as your last posting was so long ago. Did you make the move to Abruzzo at the end of April 2005? would love to know how you have got on and if you are still in love with the place. We currently live in Oz, but want to move closer to the UK because of family and we are seriously thinking of Italy. Any feedback would be greatly appreicated. I look forward to hearing from you hopefully soon. Oh by the way the idea of a farmhouse with a small holding and bit of lands in Abruzzio is what we are dreaming of.

maryfhickey

Hi. I must tell you that I much appreciate your post, and I know how you feel. I'm American, and taught last year at a new university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was hell. We would have all killed each other and ourselves IF it were not for the Brits. They were cheerful, fun and thanks to them we had pub suppers, fish n chips, once a week. We had movies, sneaked into their compounds, swimming, barbecues, sing alongs, concerts in the waddis.

I am about to retire -- I am teaching in the Czech Republic again -- and I am trying to persuade my new boyfriends that aside from warm and cheap, YOU HAVE TO FIND A British EXPAT COMMUNITY.

I am not just saying this on this forum. I know from experience. If you haven't this kind of normal fun and genuine exchange, all the lovely castles and medieval hilltops grow lonely.

This is a bit like saying The Sky is Blue, but it is one of those all important truths I just got.

Look for them!

piedmontproperty

I have been in Piemonte for several years and really love it especially the lack of wind and rain.