Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I am new to the forums and I would like to hear your opinions.
For me some days I feel really happy to be here, but I also sometimes feel like jumping on the next plane out. I suppose there are good and bad aspects of living anywhere in the world.

Regards,
Isakat:)

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I think you have to give it some time. Once you settle in a bit and start making friends it should be easier. Also winter is on its way and everything looks grey which doesnt help. It was a bit easier for me because i'm doing exactly what i would be doing in the UK in exactly the same working environment. So no change there. Of course there are times when i miss the UK but like you said there are good and bad aspects.

Things that drive me potty are when we go out i'm amazed at the crappy customer services in the shops. Also how patronising they can be to women, according to my other half, who also happens to be Italian :lol:

My little moan is these damn plugs they put on electrical appliances and trying to get them to fit into the sockets in the house. They have 3 different types of plug that i know of and its a task trying to find one to match a socket in the house :frown:

Okay moan finished:o

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

Hmmm not sure I'm the best person to comment on this.... I'll come back when I can think of some positives.... ;):p

You are right about the plug thing though John. It drives me bonkers. I've got adapters on me adapters on some places!!! :eek: I also hate the fact that I can't have the washing machine and the oven on at once and the fact that I still forget this at least once a week!!!!!

However, I do like the autumn sunshine during the day. I don't miss the grey and windy days for most of the year back at home thats for sure!!

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

We had a similar thread a few years ago ......


http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=LOVE+HATE


no reason why it cannot be updated though .......

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

Ooops - did my last comment kill the thread?

Know what you mean about the plugs, and the older style phone sockets are huge and stick a mile out of the wall.

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

[/QUOTE] I also hate the fact that I can't have the washing machine and the oven on at once and the fact that I still forget this at least once a week!!!!! [/QUOTE]
:D when we first moved into our house here in UK DH was amazed when one evening I had the oven, dishwasher, washing manchine on whilst running a hot bath for the kids !!:eek:

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

That plug thing cracks me up. Why on earth do you have to have adapters on adapters? I'm interested to know if there is any explanation behind it. Now that I'm back in England we have Italian adapters on adapters, with an Italian to UK adapter on the end ha ha.

I had the dishwasher, washer and heating on last night ... Made me think of Italy where there's no doing that.

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I have to say it ......... "shut up !"

I plunged my kids into darkness the other night just by putting some toast in the toaster - the dishwasher was on hot wash cycle or whatever.

I am learning though that when a large appliance is on cold rinse for example, less electricity is used meaning another another small appliance can be used at the same time. Not all times though can one gauge if the dishwasher or washing machine is doing a cold rinse.

Have I really just said all that tripe ? I can actually hear when a machine is on cold rinse and know I can turn another something on? I need a lover !

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

Lol!!!! It really annoys me that I can't gauge it at all!!!! We also brought an A rated oven and I truly believed this would be fine with the A rated washing machine.... not so!!!!! :frown:

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

Why are you unable to use more than one appliance at the one time?

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I can....should I just shut up now and go away?

Melvin- the normal kw rating coming into an Italian residence is 3kw. This means you can't have the fridge, cooker and iron on at the same time, the fuse trips. But enel etc are modern companies so now you can increase the kw at a cost. They do it remotely. Most people go for 6kw which still creates some problems. I have 10kw...that said I think in the UK it is 30kw...

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

10kw! You can have a Santa's Grotto! I have to make do with 41/2kw. That's all the line would take. Still have to be careful but at least I can put the dish washer and washing machine on at the same time as long as I don't use the hoover, oven, iron or a/c.:)

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

Its funny cos when I go back to see my mum I tend to worry about how much electricity I'm using. I think she thinks I'm a bit weird - but I try to explain that here in Italy we cant have lots of things on.
This week we were plunged into darkness as I switched on the iron as OH switched on the oven. What a pain :thumbdown:

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I have ordered some solar powered fairy lights so they won't be using any electricity.

On the plus side - had some very, very nice white wine last night and it was dirt cheap too. If I can drag my sorry arse out of the house today I'll go and get some more of it.

Re: Which aspects of living here make you happy and which ones drive you potty?
 

I know. But I think I pay more per unit too! But it is nice not having to worry about stuff going off! It's because of the a/c. Houses I've looked at recently are lower where there isn't any.