Living in Italy
Moving to Italy, expat blogs and the daily roadblocks.
A Reading List for Italophiles
Not everyone can travel to Italy every year, or be in Italy whenever they want - so, for some, the next best thing is reading about Italy.
Note to WhyGo Italy Subscribers: New Posts, Coming Through!
A quick note to anyone who's subscribed to WhyGo Italy via RSS or email: First of all, THANK YOU for being a subscriber .
Best Italy Expat Blogs
I love reading about the expat experience in Italy, especially in light of the fact that I'm not yet living in Italy myself.
Best Italy Expat Blogs: Culture & Language Bloggers
For the third installment in the series of "best Italy expat bloggers," I thought I'd highlight the people who routinely look askance at their surroundings and, no matter how long they've lived in…
Best Italy Expat Blogs: Bloggers in the Travel Industry
I'm back with another list of some of what I consider the best Italy expat blogs, and this time the category is expat bloggers in Italy who work in the tourism industry.
Best Italy Expat Blogs: The Most Helpful Bloggers
When I first started looking around online for blogs and websites written by expats living in Italy a few years ago, I was surprised at how many there were.
Spain Embassy and Consulates in Italy
Here is the contact information for the Spanish Embassy and Consulates in Italy . While you hope to never need their services while you are traveling, it's good to know they're there if you do!
France Embassy and Consulates in Italy
Here is the contact information for the French Embassy and Consulates in Italy . While you hope to never need their services while you are traveling, it's good to know they're there if you do!
Heading Back to the US Today, Ready or Not
As you read this, it's likely that I'm en route back to the U.S. after spending nearly six weeks in Italy. And it's also quite likely that I haven't changed my mind - I'm not ready to go back yet.
Making Friends at the Pasticceria
We spent Sunday afternoon wandering around the Brera neighborhood in central Milan, having a lovely little lunch, visiting an art museum (more on that later), and re-visiting a gelato shop we liked…
The Keys to an Apartment in Italy
Well, the husband and I finally got to move into our apartment yesterday - we're renting a furnished apartment from an agency in Milan, and thankfully the place matches the photographs exactly.
Will I ever be witty in Italian?
When I first started learning Italian in the spring of 2001, it was in anticipation of my first trip to Italy.
Sound Advice on Moving to Italy
To anyone who's visited Italy, it's probably not surprising that so many people fall in love with the culture and the country and want to move there.
Resources for Italian Expressions
I'm a huge fan of Italian sayings , so I was very pleased to come across a few pages on the Moving2Italy2 blog that deal with Italian sayings and expressions .
To Learn the Language (and Not Sound Like an Idiot) Pt. 2
I've noted before that one of the struggles of learning a new language is going from being reasonably articulate in your native tongue to being reduced to childish phrases and half-sentences in your…
Learning from Other Expat Wannabes
I have a ridiculously long list of blogs related to Italy which I try to keep up with on a semi-weekly basis, and I'm still finding more blogs to add to the list.
Getting Used to "Italian Time"
I'm a firstborn, which I think means certain things to certain people. I know it does to me.
Visa Change: No Work Permits Required for 3 Month Stays
Good news for anyone who's looking for more time than a two-week vacation in Italy, but isn't quite sure they want to become permanent residents: Foreigners can now live in Italy for study or work…
The Challenges of Finding a Job in Italy
It's been awhile since I've posted an update on the whole attempt to become expats; partly that was because the husband and I hadn't really learned anything new, and partly that was because what we…
New Words in Italian
I'm taking a break from teaching right now, but one of the things I used to have to explain to my students was how the Italian language is a "living language" - it's still changing, because it's…
To Learn the Language (and Not Sound Like an Idiot)
One of the things I find most frustrating about learning another language is how stupid I sound sometimes.
Italians Iron Everything
I've never been very good at ironing. If we move to Italy, however, I think I'm going to have to learn.
Doing the Grocery Shopping in Italy
Not everyone who visits Italy is a foodie, but many of the people I talk to who are planning trips to Italy are hoping to eat well while there.
Getting Used to Food Differences in Italy
Vacationers in Italy exist in something of a bubble, where they think they're experiencing something of authentic Italian life without getting close.
Another Italy Book to Read
I've got a giant stack of books beside my bed (not to mention the bookcases which are overflowing in my living room), but it's kind of a situation of having too many choices - whenever I finish a…
Getting an Italian Drivers' License
Among the gajillion things that the husband and I have discussed - or at least started discussing, because the task is always far too overwhelming to continue for long at this point - about a…
Politics as Usual in Italy
Whenever the husband and I complain about the current administration of the United States, friends who know about our dream to move to Italy are incredulous, saying, "But what about the Italian…
Italian Regional Dialects Still Prevalent
This Spring marks the sixth anniversary of my first Italian class, and while I tend to think I should be further along than I am, I also am reasonably proud of myself when I'm able to understand and…
My Inner European is Dutch
Well, apparently I've been working toward living in the wrong European country. Either that, or my Outer European is the dominant one here and my Inner European has learned to keep her damned mouth…
Expat Roadblocks: Experiencing Culture Shock at Home
Even if you're prepared for culture shock, that doesn't mean it's going to be any less, well, shocking. And, as we're learning already, it begins even before you've left the comfort of home.
Winter Term Teaching Italian - Done
Winter term just finished at the community college where I teach beginning Italian, and I've got a week now before the Spring term starts and I get a whole new crop of eager students.
Moving Furniture in Italy Without Elevators
I can't count the number of times I've wandered through the streets of an Italian town (take your pick) and thought, "I wonder what it would be like to live here?" Where would my local market be?
Visiting an Italian Gynecologist
I know plenty of people who steer clear of the doctor's office at almost any price. I'm not one of them.
Getting an Italian Work Permit Just Got Easier - Or Did It?
While it's still no piece of cake to get a permit to live in Italy if you're a non-EU citizen, there have been some efforts made recently to make the process smoother.
Living in Italy - Don't Take it for Granted
A few years ago while visiting our expat friends who live north of Venice, the husband and I stood for a moment over her desk, looking out the window that is her view all day (she works from home).
Learning Italian Through Song
There are many ways to learn a foreign language - some of them are harder than others, and certainly some are more fun than others.
Italian Politics: Can You Keep Track?
Anyone who thinks the American political system is confusing is warned to not even attempt to figure out the Italian political system.
Expat Resource: Pet Movers
I'm sure some pet owners are content to leave their dogs and cats with family or friends in their home country rather than deal with the hassle of getting the furry creatures to a new home abroad.
Expat Resource: Living Abroad Report
UPDATE: Unfortunately, it appears that the Living Abroad Report is no longer available online... At least at the moment.
English Words in Italian: Not a Pezzo di Torta
Anyone who's tried to learn another language no doubt has found moments of comedy amidst the hours (scratch that, weeks and months) of slogging through grammar rules.
Expat Resource: How-To Italy
Part of my "day job" at BootsnAll includes reviewing the applications for new members of our travel community.
Benefits for unmarried couples in Italy? Not so much.
I remember how difficult it seemed eloping in Italy was going to be (which is why the husband and I ultimately ended up in Scotland), and I chalked that up to the proximity to the seat of the…
Research on the Road to Expat-hood
I'm knee-deep in research for the husband's and my attempt at expat-hood, and I haven't read this site yet, but I'm bookmarking it for futher inspection.
Fontanafredda Winery For Sale
Here's the perfect way to have your cake and eat it, too... Or, rather, make your wine and drink it, too. The famous Piedmont wine estate, Fontanafredda, is up for sale .
Italian Marriages Suffer from TMM: Too Much Mother-in-Law
Mother-in-law problems cross borders and oceans - and apparently in Italy, they're being blamed for a recent rise in the divorce rate.
Looking Beyond the Popular Italian Regions
Italy is an incredibly popular holiday destination, there is no denying that. Most tourists, however, never make it beyond the "holy trinity" of Rome, Florence and Venice.
Expat Roadblocks: Does Milan Suck?
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...
Welcome to the Italy Logue
I'm Jessica, and I'm excited to welcome you to the Italy Logue! Allow me to introduce myself...