JohnD63

Hi my name is John, originally from Kent. I'm an Electrician by trade but in the last 15 yrs in my spare time i've been painting artwork onto motorcycles and crash helmets with an airbrush. I came to Italy almost 10 yrs ago for a 3 week course to take my art to the next level. It was there that i met my future fiancee. Every year i would return to practice and improve my airbrushing skills. To tell you the truth i never had any desire to live in Italy.
In 2005 she left her life in Italy, a very brave move on her behalf, to be with me in the UK. We started a little business painting artwork on collectible merchandise such as lighters and pens. She worked in the day and in the evenings when i finished work i would join in and help her. Slowly, as orders started coming in i could takes large amounts of time off from the electrical work and help her paint. Once a year we would return to Italy so she could spend time with her family and friends. Now the orders are such that i gave up my job a few months ago and we moved back to her home town outside Bologna. We are renting a house close to the town center.
I'm afraid i still havent that desire to be here but it's important that she is happy as she means alot to me. There's alot of things i miss about the UK and the main one is the convenience of 24 hour shopping. Oh and i really miss fresh UK bread. I don't know what it is about the bread here but i feel like i'm eating dust.
I do like the way people here seem to cycle everywhere. I see very old people who look like they can barely walk whizzing along on their bikes, at the same time chatting on their mobile phone - i don't think i would have the co-ordination to do that.
Anyway i feel priviledged that i am surrounded by her family and close friends who are probably the kindest people you are likely to meet. My Italian is still poor but they all make an effort to speak English, even the children and they have an amazing sense of humour. I would still be interested in meeting up with expats in the area. Sorry for the long intro

Lorna at Vicenza

Hi John and welcome to this forum.

I'm not in Bologna but out of curiosity, have you been to that new English restaurant there ? There are a few people on here curious to try it out.

lilibet

Hi John - I've heard said it normally takes about 7 years to feel comfortable in a new country and I'm sure once you get the hang of the lingo you'll feel less at a disadvantage. I admire you for coming back to the country of your fiancee. Have you noticed how the Italians can ride a bike plus keep an umbrella up when it's raining and see where they are going? I'm not in your area (I'm in Friuli) but here's a good place to chat. There are so many types of bread that the Italians produce, perhaps you need to try others in the panificio. Wish you all the best

indiebird

Hi John and welcome. I'm not near you either (near Torino) but I do admire your bravery. I'm not particularly happy here either but am here cos my hubbie is working here and so it keeps us together as a family and helps us save up the money to buy our own house. This is a good place to come and let off steam tbh, and many of us will feel your pain. On the bread front, I've found that not all breadshops are equal so if there are more than one near you go and try them all. There is one near me that does bread con strutto (lard) and that is lovely substantial, chewy bread. Don't even think of buying that longlife spooky stuff in the supermarkets. It is horrible stuff and won't make your marmite taste any better. I often make my own too. This can be really quick if you get yourself a copy of Richard Bertinet's crust or dough books where he gives you a good kneading technique which takes about 5minutes. This you can bake as you like and makes fantastic toast. The fresh yeast you can buy in the supermarket is fab for this too. It's something I do a lot just so I can toast it and butter it and eat it with a bit of my Coopers Oxford Marmalade that I brought back from the UK in the summer. On the bike front, I do have amazing admiration for the cyclists here. I need to develop nerves of steel to be able to do what they do. I see loads of women cycling in stilettos here, chatting on their phone and holding an umbrella. How? is all I can say!!!

TestaRossa

Hi John - bologna is nice but make sure you have your winter woolies! Well done with the business! It's great to hear a success story! If you have a website you could put the address in your signature, I'm really curious to see your work! I'm hoping Pansy reads your post! Her OH custom builds motorcycles - as a hobby! I've seen one on the web and he'd had it custom painted. They are near me in Florence so not amillion miles away!

Patty

Welcome John
Like Indie I'm also near Torino - so not near you. However this is a great place to come and chat and vent all your frustrations - which in the beginning there might be a few But you'll get used to it in time and obviously you have your fiance and her family and that helps a lot.
We're all here if you need any info or advice or even just a glass of vino and a chat

JohnD63

Thanks all for the warm welcome Sometimes its nice to vent your frustrations to like minded people. I think it's alot easier for myself to settle into this way of life than it was for many of you who came here knowing no one.
Everyday i'm amazed at the subtle differences between the UK and Italy. One is customer service which is real frustrating here. My fiancee, who is Italian also notices the difference and usually leaves the shop frustrated and angry, mostly in the large chain stores. They seem pretty condescending towards women. Don't get me started on the driving here, i think most seem to have a "before getting into car remove brain and leave it at home" attitude.

Lorna i haven't tried it but i was speaking to my other half about it and sometime in the near future we will give it a try. I'm always interested in trying different foods, but i have to admit i am bored of Pizza and most main stream Italian food. Sometimes i would give anything for a decent curry

Hi Testa Rossa judging by your screen name you are a Ferrari fan! My fiancees brother does alot of work for Ferrari on their F1 cars. We get all the latest gossip about what's going on in the team.
My old web site is (snip)
Our work site is (snip)

I'm also into the custom bike scene. Is her other half English or Italian? I have my custom bike back in England which has had some custom work done on it. I need some more work done and was looking at transporting it over here this winter to have the work done here.

Thanks again for the warm welcome, i haven't written so much in my life

TestaRossa

He's British, can't remember his last name, but he's called Steve. I would think there is a good chance you know him.

My avatar is from Maranello, so you could say we are fans - except my OH that is!

pansy

Hi john, and welcome. We live in florence and are planning to nip over to bologna on the bike at some point (to visit the english restaurant, probably also the ducati factory/ museum and just look around Bologna). Ste and I have been looking at your website and we have a house in derby less than a mile from your business address (Leman St, Derby, DE22 3UX) so it was a suprise that you're from the same neck of the woods.

Chances are that we may have met you in the past without realising it. Ste (OH) is in to streetfighter style bikes and this is a link to one of his bikes he built (first 2 pictures on Darrens gallery and there's some more later on http://www.horton-design.co.uk/darre...ery/index.html ). He also had some work done in the past by Andy from the paint studio in 12 houses near stanton (you might know andy). Ste is doing a streetfightered TL1000 at the moment and very much likes your work. The custom scene in italy is not really in existence as italian legislation makes modding motorcycles very difficult and expensive.

We're actually not that far away from you at the moment aswell as we live just north of Florence in the apennine mountains/ mugello hills area. Ste is here on secondment with his work.

Anyway welcome again and hope you're stay in italy goes well.

TestaRossa

Pansy - were your ears burning?!

PAT M

Welcome John, we used to live near Rimini, I remember the bread was very tasteless as they don't add salt to the dough in some types of bread. See if you can get bread from Puglia in the supermarkets - Pane di Semola di Altamura by Forte Oropan is quite good and makes great toast - or pane di Matera. Lidl (they do early morning to late evening hours) also do quite a good choice down here in Ugento near Lecce. Good luck with everything. We used to live near Bromley, I really miss those drives through Kent. I am currently learning to drive, heaven help me, I am OK on the main roads but driving through the town can be hair-raising, it's everyman for himself and no consideration for others whatsoever.

pansy

yes ears were burning. Have you got your voice back tessta. Been to florence today found some cowboy boots luv em. I cant believe johns business address is a couple streets away from where our house is small world.

JohnD63

Pansy if you guys fancy company at the English restaurant we would be happy to come along we were thinking of going there ourselves, more out of curiosity our no. is 3331734136

When i first arrived in Italy, my fiancee's company were painting on mass for Ducati on their monster series of bikes. Sometimes the factory would drop a bike off at her studio to paint artwork on the fairing. They used to give me the keys to the bike for a little blast up and down the main road

The Derby address is where we used to live. We were there for 3 yrs because i was working on the Derby City Hospital Rebuild. Lorena had just arrived from Italy and i ended up buying a house there because i fell in love with the area. They also have the best Indian restaurant in the world called Anoki, i have never eating in a better restaurant. Anyway i had to return to London (Kent) and ended up renting the property out.

Pat M i lived in Dartford and i know what you mean about the Kent country side. We both miss it, especially on a warm summers day driving down to the coast, stopping off at a country pub for a meal on the way, total heaven.

TestaRossa

Nearly!! My ears are burning but from pain! Antonia has finally got it that mummy is sick - she's winx'ed out on all her winx DVDs! Oops off topic!

Its a small world!

TestaRossa

Did any of you go to the big rallys down in Brighton? Always alot of ducati and Aprilia there.

Does the ducati place have a website? It might be a way to get my son to Bologna for the day! Maranello was a day trip on the train and bus, but worth it.