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Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Old Jun 20th 2010, 1:19 pm
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Default Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

I'm not sure where to begin. I have been living in Porto Garibaldi (FE) in Italy for over four years. My mother is Italian, my father English, my grandfather Argentinian and I was born in Canada but I am also a British Citizen. Am I a little confused? - Yes. Don't ask me which football team to support!

I am intending to move back to England around the month of September 2010 in order to make some investment there. However, I am planning to return to Europe again, after maybe one to two years in England, this time moving to Spain.

I shall miss Italy very much. The part I shall miss is the facility in which contact and conversation can be made with anyone - one feels connected in the stream of Life.

One of the things I dislike immensely in Italy is the system itself. The bureacracy, the many high taxes and expenses for everything.

This is where I feel the UK wins "hands down" - it is the system itself. The system in the UK is more organized, rules are followed, it has a better climate for businesses to open up and grow. The accountants in England do their job well for a reasonable fee while in Italy you pay "i commercialisti" (the accountants) vast amounts of money every three months!

Oops...I have written far too much for an introduction! My apologies.

Anyway, hi to everyone here on the forum.

Last edited by wolf727; Jun 20th 2010 at 1:24 pm.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 2:49 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by wolf727
Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

I'm not sure where to begin. I have been living in Porto Garibaldi (FE) in Italy for over four years. My mother is Italian, my father English, my grandfather Argentinian and I was born in Canada but I am also a British Citizen. Am I a little confused? - Yes. Don't ask me which football team to support!

I am intending to move back to England around the month of September 2010 in order to make some investment there. However, I am planning to return to Europe again, after maybe one to two years in England, this time moving to Spain.

I shall miss Italy very much. The part I shall miss is the facility in which contact and conversation can be made with anyone - one feels connected in the stream of Life.

One of the things I dislike immensely in Italy is the system itself. The bureacracy, the many high taxes and expenses for everything.

This is where I feel the UK wins "hands down" - it is the system itself. The system in the UK is more organized, rules are followed, it has a better climate for businesses to open up and grow. The accountants in England do their job well for a reasonable fee while in Italy you pay "i commercialisti" (the accountants) vast amounts of money every three months!

Oops...I have written far too much for an introduction! My apologies.

Anyway, hi to everyone here on the forum.
Welcome to the Forum

"Edit" I got the welcome in before I read the post, Anyway We have a nice Moving Back to the UK section which will right up your street. Pollyana , Sue , iaink are the Moderators so if you get any issues give them a shout.

Last edited by Ka Ora!; Jun 20th 2010 at 3:01 pm.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 4:19 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Welcome to the forum. It seems like Italy and Spain have something in common... bureaucracy by the tons.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 4:46 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Ciao wolf27 from Italia! Don't forget to come and visit us over on the Italy Forum where you can join in with the rest of us having a moan about the system!! You'll also find a few who either visit the UK frequently every year or live in both for parts of every year. Were you in the UK or Canada prior to Italy? Must admit my OH spends alot of time in Spain and compared to Italy he has found getting residency there a breeze!!
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 5:33 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Hi wolf27 welcome to the site. I guess no one place is perfect otherwise we would all be living their, then it would not be so perfect

Enjoy having a look around the site & being apart of this friendly community

Dewb09
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 6:58 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by TestaRossa
Ciao wolf27 from Italia! Don't forget to come and visit us over on the Italy Forum where you can join in with the rest of us having a moan about the system!! You'll also find a few who either visit the UK frequently every year or live in both for parts of every year. Were you in the UK or Canada prior to Italy? Must admit my OH spends alot of time in Spain and compared to Italy he has found getting residency there a breeze!!
Ciao TestaRossa

La ringrazio per la tua risposta! Thanks for your reply. I have to reply to the others aswell but a little later as I'm pressed for time at the moment.

I was in the Uk prior to moving over to Italy. I have been in Herts. England for well over 20 years but I always wanted to move over to France or Italy. My mother being Italian and because I have a few interests here in Italy we finally made the move to Italy.

I have a lot of mixed feelings with Italy. I can relate to the people but again I am still the foreigner who has experienced far too many cultures and ideas.

When I first arrived in Italy my intention was to get residency here and to live here permanently. But...I don't think that will be wise for me at the moment.

Italy is fine for going out to restaurants, bars, communicating with people, going to beaches, and in my case looking at beautiful women (I'm still single) etc. but when you finally want to get into business here, it is a totally different story and I do not like what I see.

Here I have to say that the UK definitely has the better system. I could go on and on about this subject! LOL!

People will say that Spain and Italy are the same with bureaucracy but I disagree. Italy to me is far worse. I have Italians I know here who have made the move to Spain so that they can escape the Italian bureaucracy and the many taxes and expenses that make life hell for the ordinary man who has just opened up a bar, shop or business in Italy. I am not saying Spain does not have bureaucracy and expenses but it is not the same. I DO know this because I do have a business in Spain.

I would return to England to do further investment and later if I still feel the need to get out of the UK then definitely Spain would be where I would look.

Italy has energy, elegance and refinement and I do enjoy the lively atmosphere and talk that goes on in the restaurants. I love socialising here but that's it. But beneath the surface is there permanency, even in relationships?

Italian women here seem to be too preoccupied with things, with themselves, how they look, and seem more interested in having a lot of friends, socialising, having their independence, but do not seem to be interested in having a real one to one relationship with a man. Both men and women seem to like playing games with each other. Everything is for the show.

In my personal experience French women seem to be more natural and more interested in a one to one relationship with a man and are jealous if he even looks at another woman. The same goes for British women, if they go out on a date, if she looks at you, you know she is interested in "you".

In the UK or France if a woman does phone you and goes out with you, you know there is a big chance she is interested in having a relationship. Here in Italy it does not mean that.

Even if she goes out with you, don't get your hopes up, it doesn't mean she is interested in "you". It usually means she wants to socialise, have you as a friend and introduce you to her other friends, add you to her 500 Facebook friends, and then you all "chat" as friends in a bar, and that's it. It's all chat, chat, chat and then good-bye.

Italian women seem to be more interested in "things", having a good time, dressed up in their Gucci dressed-to-kill designer-styled clothing, looking like actresses, chatting to people at bars.

They used to say how Italian men are the ones who play around, but my observation is that the women too are just as prone to "playing around", being "playful" and do not seem to be the slightest bit interested in having a one-to-one meaningful relationship with a man or into any sort of "depth". It's all a big game.

Has anyone else notice this or...do I have a BIG problem?

I still love Italy but when it comes to anything meaningful or permanent whether it is business or relationships, hmmm...I have to reconsider.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 7:01 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by Dewb09
Hi wolf27 welcome to the site. I guess no one place is perfect otherwise we would all be living their, then it would not be so perfect

Enjoy having a look around the site & being apart of this friendly community

Dewb09
Thanks "Dewb09" for your friendly welcome. Yes, you are right no one place is perfect!

And I guess I'm still stupid enough to keep on looking for it!

Once again, thanks for the invite.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 8:29 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by TestaRossa
Ciao wolf27 from Italia! Don't forget to come and visit us over on the Italy Forum where you can join in with the rest of us having a moan about the system!! You'll also find a few who either visit the UK frequently every year or live in both for parts of every year. Were you in the UK or Canada prior to Italy? Must admit my OH spends alot of time in Spain and compared to Italy he has found getting residency there a breeze!!
Thank you "TestaRossa" for your welcome.

I was in the UK prior to coming over to Italy. I was living in the UK for more than 20 years. Before that about 13 Years in Canada. However I did live for one year in Austria and one year in France somewhere along the line.

About Spain and getting residence, I do believe you are correct that it is easier to get residence over there than here in Italy - it was an impression I got when we were ourselves enquiring information on Spain.

I have several Italian people that I know here who have made the move from Italy to take up residence in Spain and do business there. The main reason for them doing so was their frustration and anger with the taxes, expenses and bureaucracy when running a business in Italy.

It is true to say Spain has its share of bureaucracy but it is not as bad as it is in Italy, especially when the average owner wants to just get on and run his business and make a profit without being interefered and stressed out by the rules, restrictions and expenses that are put upon him by the "Commune" and "Commercialista".

Having made my "gripe" about this, I still love Italy and the Italians but...unfortunately one has to live...

Thanks for your reply.
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Old Jun 20th 2010, 9:31 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by Casa Santo Estevo
Welcome to the forum. It seems like Italy and Spain have something in common... bureaucracy by the tons.
Thanks for your welcome "Casa Santo Estevo".

Actually...Italy has more bureaucracy than Spain in my opinion.

I have a few Italians I know personally with businesses who have moved to Spain. They moved to Spain because they were fed up with the many taxes and expenses and the countless bureaucracies that the government and the "Commune" create.

Thanks for your post.
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Old Jun 22nd 2010, 3:08 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Yeah, my OH has his business based in the UK and Spain, but we, the family, live in Italy. As he is none of these places that frequently he is lucky that he was able to choose residency in Spain, plus his business has a base there too, so the tax system in Spain or the UK is much fairer than in Italy!! You have to have permission to put a sign above your shop, even if you are already open and operating, so the sign is covered in bin bags and brown tape until permission comes through! If you are a tourist business not a good image to portray to prospective customers!! Anyway, too much for this thread!! You will find like minded people on the Italy forum, I hope you have the time to come over and meet us!
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Old Jun 25th 2010, 9:01 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Oh dear, I am sorry to hear about your bad experiences in Italy. I have just moved here, outside Rome, from Germany with my husband. We are both now retired from the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. I symphatise with you about the system, but I do enjoy the lifestyle it allows one, especially when retired from the grind of daily office work. Maybe you will enjoy it in later years. Safe trip to the UK.
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Old Jun 25th 2010, 10:48 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Hi Michelle - how long have you been in Italy then? I know you are already joining in on the Italy forum, so welcome belatedly!
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Old Jun 25th 2010, 11:12 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by MichelleLang
Oh dear, I am sorry to hear about your bad experiences in Italy. I have just moved here, outside Rome, from Germany with my husband. We are both now retired from the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. I symphatise with you about the system, but I do enjoy the lifestyle it allows one, especially when retired from the grind of daily office work. Maybe you will enjoy it in later years. Safe trip to the UK.
Hello MichelleLang

It was very kind of you to reply to my post.

Please forgive my rather emotional rant - too much wine maybe.

Being half Italian, I DO enjoy the restaurants, bars, the beach, the elegance and refinement of the people, the buzz and chatter. Definitely Italy is great for holidays and for enjoying a certain lifestyle...but...when it comes to doing business...hmm...a different story.

My father used to work for the UN giving advice as to what type of infrastructure was needed in so-called underdeveloped countries. I had to live and travel to other countries to the point that I no longer knew what football team to support!

I suppose you will be supporting Lazio now...

Once again thank you for your post.

Last edited by wolf727; Jun 25th 2010 at 11:30 pm.
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Old Jul 2nd 2010, 12:09 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Dear Wolf 727,
I can understand your anguish if you had a life of travel with your father. I find Italy really wonderful after the daily grind of Frankfurt. My husband and I were there for quite a number of years and moved to Italy at the start of this year. It has been fantastic so far, but then I am not a business lady, only a mere retiree who is settling back and starting to enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work. It is harder for the younger generation though today. All the best dear and I hope the future is more successful.
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Old Jul 2nd 2010, 1:07 pm
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Default Re: Ciao a tutti dall'Italia!

Originally Posted by MichelleLang
Dear Wolf 727,
I can understand your anguish if you had a life of travel with your father. I find Italy really wonderful after the daily grind of Frankfurt. My husband and I were there for quite a number of years and moved to Italy at the start of this year. It has been fantastic so far, but then I am not a business lady, only a mere retiree who is settling back and starting to enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work. It is harder for the younger generation though today. All the best dear and I hope the future is more successful.
Hi Michelle...I see you are also a new member to BE. Why don't you open a new thread in this forum and introduce yourself?
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