Well, I got some disappointing emails this morning. The husband and I had kind of figured that Milan would be the place we’d end up because of his work… Our friends who live in the Veneto hate Milan, but, since we’ve never visited the city, we were trying to keep an open mind.
One email I got is from a friend of mine who lives in the Friuli (he’s a native Italian, not like our Veneto friends who are expats), and he confirmed all the bad things our Veneto friends said about Milan. Then I got a note from a British expat who’s lived in Milan for nearly 30 years – she must like it there, right? Wrong. She hates the city, too. From her email:
It’s polluted, noisy, full of ugly apartment blocks, and completely lacking in green spaces. It’s full of chaotic traffic, hideously expensive, has a high crime rate … need I go on?
Oy!
Honestly, on the one hand I feel like beggars can’t be choosers – and since it’s already quite difficult for non-EU citizens to get work in Italy, if the husband’s job put him smack-dab in the middle of Milan, we’d make do. I mean, Milan is a helluva lot closer to, say, Florence than Oregon is! And on the other hand, I’m feeling like this is the first in what I expect will be many, many bumps on this road. If it were easy to find a job in Italy and move to an idyllic village in Tuscany, everyone would do it.
At any rate, for me it’s back to the book I’ve been immersed in since Christmas, and for the husband it’s continued work on his CV, which he’ll then have to get translated into Italian. Then we both get to reach our tentacles into the world and see if anyone we know can help us make all of this work.
So, yes – it would be nice if this were an easier prospect. And then again, if we can make this happen, it’ll be that much more satisfying. Right?
P.S. – Since I figure we’ll be finding roadblocks a-plenty en route to expat-hood, I’m starting a series here. I’ll call all of these posts “Expat Roadblocks” and will also tag them with “expat roadblocks” as well so they’re easy to find later. And yes, that’s just as much for me as it is for you.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Jessica, Milan isn’t all bad.
I was there for 15 months and while it is polluted, noisy, full of ugly apartment blocks and has a high crime rate, so do lots of other cities in Italy – and the world. And yes, it is true that there isn’t any green space but the park with the lido by the airport more than makes up for this in summer. Plus, it’s only 20-30 minutes by car to Monza which has a huge park and the lakes – Como and Maggiore – are only 40 minutes away.
Of course, you don’t actually have to live in Milan. A lot of expats I know who work in Milan live in Monza or other towns around Milan for the daily commute in.
But don’t forget everything that Milan does offer: the Scala, Brera, lots of museumes, the fashion, the navigli and the kitch chic boutiques dotted along the canals. This area is also being revamped along green lines to take advantage of the renewable energy sources of the canals. And of course, easy access into France, Switzerland and Eastern Europe, and you can access a lot of regions fairly easily. It’s also a compact city that you can actually walk around fairly easily due to its hexagon layout.
Plus, if you get ill, it has some of the best hospitals – and doctors – in Italy.
I realise that Milan is not for everyone but it’s too easy to get bogged down in the negatives. And Italians are famous for dissing any city other than their own in a show of city and regional pride.
Why don’t you take a piece of paper and draw up a list of must-haves and must-nots, both in terms of work and the lifestyle you are after? That way you can really work out whether it is suitable for you.
Ciao,
Emma
Ps – I know I left Milan but that had more to do with a ragazzo sardo than not enjoying my time in the city.
Thank you for the feedback, Emma! I’d like to visit Milan before I make up my mind, of course, and it’s good to get other opinions. It must not be all bad, or so many people wouldn’t live there. (At least that’s what I keep thinking.) Anyway, I appreciate your feedback, as always!
Jessica, I was teaching Business English in-company in the multinationals and banks in Milan before my move to Milan. I remember telling my students (managers, directors etc) that I was moving to my own paradise island and they were horrified. They told me outright that they loved Milan and would never consider moving elsewhere and that I would be back in the city in a year because I would hate Sardinia.
I have lots of friends who are Milanesi or Italians who have moved to Milan and it’s true! They love going to the beach for a holiday but for them, Milan is where it’s at. If you want to speak to some of them, then email me and I’ll put you in touch.
Ciao
Emma
ps – I love the buzz of Milan and I loved living there, too. I lived in the centre, just a two-minute walk from two metro stops and had everything I could possibly have wanted nearby.