I'm a 24 year old male with no partner, children, mortgage, career to keep down or any of that shenanigans, and thinking of making the move. My dream has always been to live abroad and experience different countries, and I feel I've been a bit of a wimp so far for not putting my money where my mouth is. What better time than now before I have a career or a business which would stop me? I went on holiday to Italy in Vicenze for the first time in June and I'm going back on holiday visiting Rome, Florence and Tuscany in the start of September. I love the Italian culture, weather and not a small factor - I'm allowed to go there without visas etc. I thought I was all set to work abroad but my job offer in NYC (which I accepted) fell through. Since then I've been to Northern Ireland and now the training programme I was on has come to an end. My degrees are in IT, I've got a good educational background, but I've switched to sales and marketing and don't have much experience (although I can blag my way through an interview and come off as having potential from what I've been told). I'm really interested in import/export or international trade. Italy's a great trading nation and I'm wondering if I'll be in demand in this field if I learn the language, having English as my mother tongue. Or would I be best to go off to Spain and learn Spanish since it's spoken in more countries?

Now I'm in Belfast and I'm trying to decide if I should move to Italy or go to London and find a job in import/export and join the rat race. I worry that as soon as I join it I might find it difficult to escape and I'll put down roots and get used to a good salary. My plan for Italy would be to go to, say Rome, enroll in intensive language lessons taking up board at the school, and support myself with savings (which could see me through for a couple of years) and by working odd jobs the school promotes for foreigners, such as IT support and the like. I'm not proud, I can work any job for a few months. But I do want to take up a career in import/export. Eventually I want to go freelance importing and exporting on my own account between different countries - so starting to learn langauges would be good for that. Also as I want to run my own company I feel that I should at least be able to take on the risk of moving abroad, and it in itself would be good so as I wouldn't get too comfortable in a cushy job in London- I think I kind of thrive in a state of flux. At 24 I feel I should get started if I want to move around too.

Anyway, does this sound like a reasonable plan, or are there better ways of going about it? I know from reading the forum people will say the life's hard and it's not all it's cracked up to be, but I think I'm young and single and more able to take on the crap. I mean, if I can't do it who can apart from people who are well qualified and well on with their career?

Hi there

I don't think there is a perfect plan of how to move abroad and have a successful career. How much do you know about Italy? Things can be slow, complicated and bureaucratic but if you're willing to take chances and seeing as you're young enough to go back to London and get a good IT job why not have a go? You could just do it for a year or so and see how things go.

It might be a better idea to start studying Italian in the UK, and only move to Italy when your Italian allows you to communicate with people who don't speak English. In my opinion when you are studying a foreign language at beginner level it doesn't really make too much difference where you are. Also, it would be very difficult for you to find any job (even working in a bar or a restaurant) until you can communicate in Italian. Finally, keep in mind that Italy is not a very friendly place for entrepreneurs.

Wouldn't total immersion be quicker? I mean, I can support myself financially in the meantime. What do you reckon - six months to be proficient enough to work in a business environment? I just see all these people doing modern languages degrees and wonder why don't they just go to the country and save themselves a 3 year degree?

It depends on what you mean by "work in a business environment". If you mean asking a secretary to make a photocopy, ring a taxi, book a flight or hotel then probably yes. If you mean negotiate a contract, argue about liquidated damages, quality issues, take part in a teleconference etc then, unless you are exceptional at languages, probably more like 6 years.

I'm more interested to know what you think working in "import and export" entails? My husband was in this line for 10 years before moving on and out. It is badly paid and extremely dull. If you get in with the right company you can move to other countries but it is still clerking, just in another country! But if Bills of Lading and containers are your thing, go for it!

There's nothing more sexier than a Bill of Lading

All custom officers luv em. lol

Sorry for the time lag, I've been on holiday visiting Rome/Florence/Viareggio.

6 years before I can do that stuff, are you serious? There are people such as lawyers, diplomats, salespeople and marketeers that deal in different languages. Are you saying that each of them had to become almost native in ability before they were effective?

What if I was interested in sourcing products from one country and selling to another? What if I am interested in negotiating distribution, etc?

Well I've done that stuff to a small extent. But what I'm interested in is being a marketeer/salesperson for an import/export trading company or import/export management company. Sometimes called import/export merchant. I'm interested in sourcing products, i.e. gadgets, coffee and selling them into other markets.

Have you tried to contact an agency that recruits workers for international companies either in London or Milan or Rome?

Have you contacted any HR offices of British companies that have subsidiaries in Milan or another city to find out what experience, qualifications or level of fluency they require?

Hi Overdriven

Just had a chat with my husband. He suggests that you start with an e-bay account. Source stuff to sell from all parts of the world and see how it goes. He says this would be a good way to test how well you would be able to do it on your own.

Also he suggests that you visit the trade shows for manufacturers of products that you would like to source. From this you will discover who manufactures where and therefore where you would have to travel to to do your sourcing.

He says the job you describe doesn't really exist as such any more because of the net, so you would find it difficult to actually get in with a company to do this specific job. Hope this helps!

TestaRossa, that's just what I need - basic common sense advice, like selling on eBay. I've noticed a large number of small import/export merchants in the yellow pages, and a number of books which teach how to set up a import/export business. As a i/e trader I would take title to goods and either sell them myself in the target market or use agents/distributors. I/E service companies basically are like consultancies for companies to execute and plan their export strategy.

Anyway, I'm getting away from moving to Italy. In the end for goods to move about the globe people need to travel to see and negotiate buying them and travel to sell them. All of this can't be done on the Internet. I'd like to think that having 2 languages would give me a leg up in this field.

Basically though I'm at a crossroads and all I know is that I want to experience other countries and a better climate, and there's nothing stopping me doing that. I think people put up false walls and barriers. The visa one would be a dead end, and I can't move to the US now my job offer's fallen through. But there's nothing stopping me moving to other EU countries and learning the language there. Or is someone going to tell me I'm trapped in the UK?

Hi Overdriven

If look for some nice place to live and develope import-export company what about China? This year I went to china with my friend to make reserch and start some trading company. We have been in Shenzen near Hong Kong. I felt in love in China and some chinese dolls. I have stayed there for half year. I did not want to come back to western world but my money melted down and I did not start any bussines. I have seen some opportunity to start something but I was not desided because my savings melted down and maybe I had not suficient connections. For me it was ideal place, modern, fast developing with nice people especialy girls with possibibilities to make big money and relatively cheap as well as worm climate.

Overdriven,
Whilst all of the replies you've had so far are helpful, and recommend you learn the language, exercise caution etc, etc I would, if I were you, just go for it.

(1) You're young enough to pick up the language quite easily.
(2) You're young enough that, if it doesn't work out, you can go back to the UK and start another career. Living and working in another country will enhance your cv.
(3) You can afford to live in Italy for a little while without working. This will give you sufficient time to assimilate the culture, learn conversational Italian, and more importantly make contacts for future employment.
(4) You've now realised that, if you do move there and things go wrong, this forum is a useful source of advice.
(4) When you get older you'll regret not taking the chance. It's one thing to have tried and failed, it's another to wish you tried something but never had the courage.
A friend of mine, from the wilds of Cambridgeshire, met an Italian girl whilst we were all racing in Europe (another story). He only spoke English, was suspicious of garlic, and love his mum's shepherds pie. He moved to Italy; married her (still speaking very little Italian) and started working for Ducati. He never took lessons, although she spoke English which helped, and is now a senior manager with them.

Go for it! You've got nothing to lose.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Regards

Richard