Members in MILAN
 

:D

:welcome:

How many members living in Milan???

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Hi and welcome,

We seem to be scattered all around Italy. I am in Casale Monferrato which is about 1 hour from you.

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Not in Milan yet but will be from August. Will be living near Piola Metro.

Re: Members in MILAN
 

I live in Muggio' which is between Milan and Monza. Used to work in Milan

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Hello and welcome. We hope you stick around , for a bit of fun and to ever take or offer advice when and if you can .......... but we do kind of like the so called British humour and sarcasm.

The Italians generally don't get it so we get cheeky on here - but we can be deadly serious as well. The serious threads are just that ... serious. We know all about the red tape .... unfortunately !

Welcome.

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Thanks Lorna.

I've lived in Milan since 1998, so have come up against most walls so to speak and am pretty good now breaking them down ;)

Yep I will offer any advice to new ex pats on the what and what not to do if the need arises for anyone.

I can see by the threads that there is humour here, so that's a bonus hahahaha

ciao
Jamie

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Excellent.

I hadn't realised you've already been here a good while so you'll know as much about the ins and outs of bloody red tape as we do - and have as much advice to offer to the newcomers.

Please do stick around. You might even like us :lol:

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Oh yes indeed. I used to get a lot of Multas, until I learned how to read and speak Italian. I certainly do know about red tape, bureaucracy, and Italy's many laws believe me, I could write a book about life in Italy.

I do love Italy though, and take the rough with the smooth. Ya have to or go under. :lol:

Re: Members in MILAN
 

:rofl: We all could - write a book that is.

We are here too because for the most part, we love it despite all its cracks and crevices (and the Goddamn bleeding earthquakes of late), and we all have learned far too much about papers, documents, notaries, town hall rules and such like.

Yes, if you can get over the rough, the smooth is not so bad. :thumbsup:

Re: Members in MILAN
 

How long have you been in Italy Lorna?

Re: Members in MILAN
 

In my local dialect ......anca massa .... too long. I arrived in 1990. It's been tough at times but I have cried and laughed and made a family here.

I cried quite a fair bit in the first 4 months. I had many misadeventures in Italian and with Italians that I can laugh about now, but by God I'll never forget just how tough it was. Funny how some of it seems worse now looking back ,,,, that's because I was innocent then of the language and generally innocent as a girl. Now I know what everyone was saying about me ..... I'd almost go back in time and smack them up proper well and good. Bastards! Bitches!

However, is it my last laugh that they didn't scare me away? Is it to my advantage that I stuck it out and made something from it? Am I better off because of it? In some ways I think I am.

Am I Italian? Not on your bleeding Nelly !!!!!!

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Sounds like you had a tough time in the beginning Lorna. I guess we all go through the learning curve one way or another.

Do you go back to Blighty often? I have a house in Cornwall, so get back home now and again sometimes for a couple of weeks and sometimes a couple of months depending on circumstances, but it's always nice to have a change. A change is as good as a rest so it goes eh?

Ciao
Jamie

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Tough but kind of exciting too I suppose.

Always back in the UK for Christmas and I usually take my kids back in June or July if I can find cheap flights when the English kids are still in school.
Family and friends come and stay with us here for a cheap break too. They are not allowed in the front door if they do not have bacon and t-bags :lol:

Re: Members in MILAN
 

I will be moving to Milan in few months time from Scotland.

Re: Members in MILAN
 

Hi Kay
Have you arranged for a place to live yet? If so, what part of Milan will you be living in?

Is it your first time in Italy or do you have some knowledge of the country from holidays?

There are quite a few things you should be made aware of if you are going to stay here in Milan, so keep in touch and I and I am sure others will give you information and assist you at the beginning.

One of the first things I learned was that the streets are cleaned in the early morning and their are signs up in Italian to tell you what time this will be. When I first came 16 years ago I could not read or speak Italian, so of course left my company car parked in the cleaning zone. I woke the next morning with a Multa (Penalty ticket) stuck to my windscreen. I went to the police to explain, but the policeman just smiled and said to me quote "You will not do this again then from now eh" The police do not give any second chances no matter if your explanation is genuine, so remember this.

Living in any new culture is daunting, it has always been this way for me, but exciting too and despite the little things like I have explained, Italy is a wonderful country to live in, I love it. I have made literally hundreds of friends and am about to marry an Italian girl next year after a 15 year courtship LOL.

On your doorstep are the Alps if you ski, Lake Como (Great to go on Sundays), The ligurian coastline is only a few hours drive away and of course Tuscany too is not too far away for a weekend away. The food, the views, the friendliness of the people, the way of life (passeggiata) for example or translated (walk), to meet with friends during happy hour and have an aperitivo and a chat.

Anyway just a few things for you, but you won't regret coming to Italy as long as you go with the flow, adhere to all the little rules and regulations and adapt to the way of life, it is literally a learning curve, but an exciting one.

One other thing to tell you. Traffic signals!! In August and sometimes out of the holiday period, a red light is just an option to an Italian and you will see cars and scooters going through them, be careful and don't follow suite as if caught you could lose your licence and have to take a test again. That's how it works. Be careful anyway if driving in Milan, this can be quite frustrating, especially trying to find a place to park. There are rules for this too and you often need to buy some time tickets from a tabacheria or a man/woman with a satchel selling these scratch tickets on the street.

Welcome to Italy ;)

best wishes
Jamie x