podencolove

hi, moved to palermo ..came here last november (from 2 years in SPain) for a job contract and the descent into hell began when my suitcase and all my clothes were stolen on the ferry from rome to palermo and since then the way down has been progressive..so many problems and so little time...hoping I can find some other english speakers to do things with and maybe save my sanity (or insanity)....HELP!!!!!

Are there any other single english speaking women or men out there that want to hang out and keep me from myself??????????????????

I want to know where to go to have a drink and meet people, go dancing with people over 30....fun things to do here.
Cheers, Hillary

tony126

I think you are a little bit off course with your question this is the USA forum.

TestaRossa

! No it's not....Or was the thread moved? Then again, some people would say the USA was hell on earth, so maybe not far off.....

I'm in Florence so can't help, but there are a few others down your way, I'm sure they will be in touch soon.

barbiebt55

Hey Hilary,

Did you find anyone to help with your sanity? Or are you still in hell? I'm female Brit in Sicily if you need one.

Mya

aussie_in_italy

Im Catania
and feel your pain.. lucky for me i only have 6 more weeks until i return to New Zealand - the countdown has begun !!

Good Luck

SusanKathleen

Hillary,

I know what you mean....sometimes life on this island can be unbearable. I am not exactly in Palermo, I am in Sciacca. It is about an hour and 15 minute drive. Thank God for my dog or I too would be in hell. I hope things have gotten slightly better.

Sue

barbiebt55

Forgot to say, I'm in Palermo....

Mya

extremeld

crikey this is thread is really putting a dampener on my plans to move to Sicily!

extremeld

crikey this is thread is really putting a dampener on my plans to move to Sicily!

Any change the posters can say why it is so bad? I want to move there with eyes wide open, i am sure you can offer info that i may not get until its too late!

Mr Posh

Italy is not for everyone......if it's not for you....Arrivederci....

giuliana

Here Here!!! Mr Posh.
I've been here now 25 years, and I love it! Instead of looking for English speaking friends why don't you try the locals!
I have loads of Italian girlfriends and they are great! Just because someone speaks your language doesn't mean that you will be automatically friends!
Here the food is genuine the weather fantastic it's safer for kids growing up than the UK. I could go on and on but I don't want to bore you!!!!
Sicilia

duffer

And that's coming from someone living in Sicily. Therefore the rest of Italy must be absolutely wonderful!

SusanKathleen

Don't get me wrong, SIcily is not bad at all...it just takes some getting used to that is all. I actually love Sicily. It is just that there are moments when one goes through a culture shock - not only in the beginning but along the journey. My Italian sister in law has the same experiences and she is Italian, just not Sicilian. I am sure that the longer one stays here, the most accustomed they get to the way of life and mentality - however when you are fresh of the boat, somethings are mind boggling.

For example, where I live there is absolutely no life between one-thirty and five o'clock every afternoon. All the stores are closed, in a way it is not really worth it to leave the house during those hours. This is similar in all of Italy, but I worked in Bologna for four years and I know that the break is not nearly as long. So to pass the time, one could wander through the shops...here it doesn't exist.

I am also a huge fan of Happy Hour. In the States, I would catch a couple of drinks after my 9-5 work shift. In Sciacca I have come to ask if they have ever heard of happy hour. Here everyone goes out (if they go out) at 11 or 12 at night for a drink. Which is a big change.

In other words, it is the little things that eventually build up to a minor culture shock. But give it a day or two, meet up with some friends (in this case it is more important to have Italian friends instead of foreignors, who might tend to bad-mouth the place) and it passes. It doesn't take long to remember how beautiful Sicily is and how friendly the people can be in order to put a smile on your face.

As they say here, piano piano things work themselves out. Maybe I am just too American and want things to be solve right away.

I hope that helps.

Lorna at Vicenza

Good for you.

All shops etc close where I am too from 12.30 til 4pm. I am forever checking the fridge each day to check how much milk is left and what could I make for lunch.

Not much of a happy hour here but there is a kind of aperitivo time. Quite a lot of folk stop off at a bar on their way home from work for a quick one.

Some bars have cottoned on to the happy hour idea and I have seen signs for "happy hours" - "happy our" - mostly after 8 or 9pm though.

I've been here a long time but I'm sure I'd find many thing in Sicilia to be different ........... not least the dialect !!!!

37100

Bolzano's just as bad if not, worse. They shut Saturday afternoon. And in Trento when the horn blows at noon you get thrown out. Except if your British and you refuse to budge.