I moved to Italy at the end of September.
Without getting overly political, I decided that I wanted to on 24 June 2016, but life got in the way and it all got complicated and looked unlikely. Then, in August, things changed, different planets seemed to align (as it were) and I now live in Italy.
I don’t want to lose my right to live and work in Europe and so I’ve moved.
Third World Experience Has Helped!
Living here for 4 weeks has been an education. I consider myself fortunate that I lived in Botswana for a number of years, because that experience has set me in good stead for trying to navigate the incredibly complex processes that are in place here. The bureaucracy is astonishing. There seem to be processes in place simply to justify processes. Most interesting of all is the number of public employees who think that the UK is already out of Europe.
And of course this experience is in Italian! Io sono una studentessa di Italiano. That means ‘I am a student of Italian’. I am and a complete beginner to boot. This doesn’t really help in the navigation of complexity, but it does add spice. Thank God for Google Translate!
I’m incredibly fortunate in that I have close friends who live in norther Italy and I have moved somewhere near them. I’m based just outside Turin. I went to school with one of them, and was in a youth orchestra with the other. Fortunately, they speak Italian and have been very supportive indeed.
Turin is stunningly beautiful. The photo with this article is a picture of the city, and yes, the Alps are that close. I can see them from my front door when the sun’s out, which is often. They are massive. I realise that everyone knows that, but I hadn’t actually realised how massive massive is. They remind me of the Wall from Game Of Thrones.
Even better (regarding the Alps) is that they change each day. The way the light hits them, or the cloud cover and even the snow cover changes. They are very, very beautiful and I stare at them in awe each morning.
Trying To Rent A House In Italy
Trying to rent a house here is hard work if you’re a newbie. I have had to complete ‘proposal’ documents that are then submitted to the property owner for their consideration. I have to pay €500 for the privilege of submitting them too! I do get the €500 back if my proposal hasn’t been accepted.
Probably the biggest difference between renting a house in the UK and in Italy is that the tenant is expected to make repairs and install a kitchen into the property. Seriously, the properties have no kitchen. They are empty rooms with the electrics and plumbing in place. I thought it was a joke at first, but no. Even more interesting is that people then take their fitted kitchens with them when they move. I find this amazing because surely, a fitted kitchen fits a particular space? Or have I missed something?
I think I have secured a house, and I’m ready to move into somewhere more permanent than the Airbnb place I’m in right now. It’s lovely, but it is as the top of a ridiculously steep hill. The kind of hill that makes you wonder if your car is actually going to fall off as you’re driving up it. On the wrong side of the road. With the steering wheel on the other side of the car. Those things that make life spicy!
Running an Online Business From Italy
The Coaching Revolution has always delivered its services online. From our community, to our group training sessions, it’s always been online. The only bit that’s not online are our quarterly training sessions in Birmingham. As the pandemic has put paid to these for now, I decided that I can deliver my online contribution from anywhere and Turin is the anywhere I’ve chosen.
My Family
My daughters were supposed to be visiting on 7 November, but the spread of coronavirus has put paid to that. So we chat on FaceTime and we are in touch every day. I miss them and I’m looking forward to seeing them as soon as possible. The pandemic cannot last forever, right?
My Conclusions
Italy can be very complicated, but its people are friendly, its wine is gorgeous, its scenery is beautiful and the food is outstanding.
I feel like I’m having a big adventure and I’m really enjoying it!