Hi All,
I'm new to the site and am looking to use it for advice and help! I currently live in Belgium but there is a strong possibility that my husband will be going to Milan for work so a move to Italy maybe on the cards! I am 40, have a 4 year old child and currently not working. The plan is to return to work in Italy if possible since my daughter is already at pre school full time. Also, what are the options for accommodation and the best/worst areas to live in/ around Milan?

Any personal experiences from others in my position or living in or around Milan would be much appreciated.

Many thanks!

Hi, goodmorning and welcome to BE. Work in Italy? You don't say in what sector, but work is hard to find, work for women is harder to find and work for mothers....well, I'm sure you get where I'm going. And do you speak Italian because except for a few sectors like teaching, IT etc, Italian is a must. Not trying to put you off though. It is possible.

Can't help you with the best areas of Milan. I just visit.

Thanks very much for the reply. I appreciate the candour! I previously worked in Marine insurance in Lloyds, London. Italy was one of my territories so I'm familiar with the sector and is also the same area that my husband works in. I have very little Italian so I at least know what I have to do. I'm under no illusions about the job market but I feel like this would be the best time to get back to doing something even if it is in another field. Thanks again!

Unfortunately I agree with 37100. Jobs are very hard to come by for everyone but especially women over 35 with kids. And this will be especially the case as you've been out of the workforce for some time. This will be hard for Italians to understand as Italians tend to hold onto their jobs for life. And not speaking fluent Italian will make it even harder.

OTOH contacts are everything. Do you have any contacts in your sector in Milan? If so, work them!

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I can't add much to what the others have said, but I do know that I'd avoid being anywhere near Milan train station.

Hi Ismum,
welcome to the forum. If you can choose where to live then I would opt for the Brianza (north of Milan) because there are hardly any mosquitoes and the area is very picturesque (especially Alta Brianza). I lived for 7 years in Lissone near Monza (the furniture town) and enjoyed it. Later moved to the south east of Milan at San Zenone al Lambro near Lodi. It is a nice new town but lots of mosquitoes and fog. Everybody their seems to work either for ENI Gas company or the ATM (Milan transport company). Still have our house there because we can't sell due to the recession. Work is a problem but there are of course lots of multinationals at Milan where you could send your CV. Kindergartens are very well organised in the north and they take them all day and you can take the children an hour earlier or pick them up an hour later if you work (well you could at the one in San Zenone and Lissone). Traffic is awful in and around Milan but they are soon to start building the new eastern motorway (parallel to the Tangenziale est) for the Expo 2015 which will definitely ease traffic round that area.

Thanks to all for your replies. Much appreciated, especially for being truthful. I am sure I'll be back with more queries and questions but good to know that this is a very useful and active forum. If it all goes to plan, I'll be digging out my old contact numbers, updating the CV and signing up for Italian lessons.

First of all, I would say that unless you are very, very lucky, there's not a hope of finding a job here. The unemployment rate is very high and if you are a foreigner and a woman it's that much harder.

Also bear in mind that Italy pays amongst the lowest salaries in Europe and Milan is supposed to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. Also Italy at the moment is in deep financial trouble and a lot of Italians are leaving the country to look for work.

To be honest, apart from the central shopping area, Milan is a dump, as I'm afraid are a lot of Italian cities, and also very polluted, especially in the summer months.

hi, i am italian and i must say i agree with what u just said.
Only move here if you really need to ... and i am not joking.

Hang on a minute ...... didn't you say on another thread that you are Scottish?
So what are you?

A troll?

Sorry its actually his girlfriend who replied there... And it was my boyfriend who started posting on here

I am italian and I have lived in Scotland for over 5 years and we have just moved back to Italy last june ...and we are having quite a few problems as I have expected before!

So, is this everyone's experience of Italian cities?

If you go to a new city you are going to analyse it in a way that you probably did with a city in your home country!

I could say, Italian cities need a clean or I could say they have a timeless charm

Which descrption works for you best depends on whether you want to see the good or the bad!

Ok I have only been in Italy for 1 year all told in my life, but I do think there are two ways to view it and almost comes down to what type of person you are. If you want to go back to your home country you will see the dirt, if you love the people and the culture you will see the history and beauty

The poster would need to explain what he considers a dump. Verona where I live, certainly isn't and neither are the other cities we've lived in. Don't know about Milan as I only visit.