37100

Surely you've been here long enough to have learned that quick and bureaucracy do go together here.

JohnD63

I'm with Duffer on this one, if it wasn't for my little lady i'd be out of here tommorrow
Everything here seems twice as hard. we've spent the last couple of days waiting for a parcel to be collected from DHL. Everytime we ring to find out when it's going to be collected they tell us they have no information on us regarding the pick up. We've been using DHL in the UK on a weekly basis for 3 years and only once had a problem.
Not only that, i found out that the products we use for our work cost over twice as much as in the UK. Rant over

Patty

I would agree with Indie and say that having children I would probably now in hindsight, have been better to let them finish their education in the UK. It was far better. If you stay with us and read some of the posts I'm sure you'll get a good idea on most things and its a really nice place to come and chat and rant etc

malcesine99

Thanks for all the response. Bit of a mixed bag but the consensis seems to be Italy :UK . Had a quick look at some of the other posts and there def seems to be some positives about living there.

As a family we feel ready for a new challenge, my boys spend all their summers in Italy and always ask when we arrive in miserable wet Glasgow, why we have to stay here!

But in the defence of my homeland there are worse places than Scotland, we are the most friendliest generous people ever!!! Okay slightly mad we may be but having lived in 'down south' for a couple of years found it def helped having a Scottish accent.

Isakat

I think you have chosen wisely.
It seems ideal that you live in Scotland and spend the summers here. Like this you only see the good things of Italy, without the daily grind that as previous posters said seems twice as hard as in the UK.

Best wishes,

Isakat

Cherry B

sorry, just reading some old threads and this to me is just perfect...one of my biggest problems that I am trying to overcome here in pizzaland is the sense of humour failure...everywhere.
Thanks again duffer, u just made me laff oh how I miss pants sarky humor x (OH is Italian obviously) doh.

Mr Posh

I love living here BUT do miss the UK only because in the UK we know whats what.

Found this site so so funny http://www.onlyinitaly.com

duffer

What? You think I was joking? I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to f**king amuse you?

malcesine99

Hello again, not been site for ages, been good fun reading new threads. Had dinner with some Scottish(him) Italian (her) friends who a bit like us decided to return to Italy. The did not settle at all and found it hard to intergrate back into Italian life, so much so that their friends were mostly british expats. They returned back to Scotland after 3 years and don't regret it one bit. Despite all the sceptism our house is going on the market next week (scary mary!), and our plans to move back are well under way! (not holding my breath that we will sell any time soon though) No doubt I will have a million questions so I am sure I will be picking brains. Bye for nowx

Cherry B

And the 'lighten up' comment on the ENEL thread. Still laffin at that one. 10 out of 10 mate. U see I have really been deprived. How does yr other half cope?!

Cherry B

I'm sorry to put a dampner on Bella Italia for you too, as it is a great country (or could be) but really, day to day life here is just pants and very hard work. I would definately stay in the UK and come here for long holidays or if you win the lottery (tonight is superenelotto here) you could do 6 months uk and 6 months here!
Ok not much help but the point is, if you come, prepare for huge burocratic headaches, and with young children? how do parents here cope with the absurd hours, saturday mornings etc. and still hold down a job... I only hope you have grandparents around to help out. Still, the ice-cream is nice...

.Ariel.

I agree with Duffer (first time for everything), in that Italy is best for a holiday. If you need to work, then Italy is a very difficult place to be. If youre retired or don't need to work then it is probably ok.

With your OH being Italian and a chef then he would have a better chance than most of getting a job. For you it is probably going to have to be teaching English to start at least. You don't have to get TEFL to teach.

Unfortunately, to me Italy is just too much hard work ... Everything is more difficult (apart from making good food)

I would suggest to OP to go to Italy for a long holiday and see how you like it years on... Though OTOH holidays are different to living there, but you could get an idea of job vacancies etc.

.Ariel.

malcesine99, your kids might say why are we back in rainy scotland after holidays on Italy, but it's always going to be like that after a holiday isn't it? Even if you lived in Italy and went on holiday to Scotland they'd probably be sad that the holidays were over.

malcesine99

I can see where you are coming from Ariel, when we left Italy in 2001 I was so glad to be back home. I had worked in Italy for 3 years prior to meeting DH and settling down, so kinda got an idea just how much pen pushing and rubber stamping goes on. But have reached that point in my life (wrong side of 40!) when I think is this it? To be fair its more me than DH that want to go back. No lottery win tonight, just watched the live draw, but 6 months here and 6 there, that would just be fab.

.Ariel.

I thought about living between the 2 myself at one point...But realised that I needed to decide where I was going to settle, rather than living between the 2. Also, again, if you need to work, then not a lot of jobs will allow you to go between the 2 - lucky people those who can