No, this is not a blog about crazy Italian drivers and how brave you need to be to drive here, although yes, Italian drivers are crazy and you do need to be very brave to drive in Italy. Some stereotypes exist for a reason. This is a blog about the hidden side of driving inContinue reading “Driving in Italy”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
It can hurt to be an expat
I have in the last couple of days, attended my second funeral in quick succession, another of my ex-boyfriend’s relatives has died. As I stood in the same church from a couple of months ago, it dawned on me how I don’t have any memories of doing the same for members of my family, andContinue reading “It can hurt to be an expat”
A sick boy
Last Friday night I had to take my 13 year old to the hospital here in Florence, we went to the Meyer. Before I tell you how it went, let me tell you more about my boy. The boy Tiago is 13 years old and has been to hospital just once before in his life,Continue reading “A sick boy”
Is a life in Florence for you?
This is not an easy question to ask yourself. But be brutally honest, can you handle all the pitfalls, bureaucracy and inevitable disappointments that come with a move to a foreign country? I will never stop being amazed at the resilience and sheer strength of my clients. People determined to make a life in Florence,Continue reading “Is a life in Florence for you?”
My gym in Italy
A candid and funny look at a personal experience at a gym in Italy.
Art in Florence
We all know Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance, right? The art in Florence, Italy, is second to none in the world. The David statue in the Accademia Gallery is one of the many examples of artworks in Florence that are some of the most popular in the world. In fact there are soContinue reading “Art in Florence”
An Italian Funeral
Last Saturday morning my boyfriend and I woke up to the news that his 96 year old grandmother had died. She had been bed-ridden for the last 10 years, his mother was a full time carer for her and she wasn’t all that lucid, so it goes without saying that it was one of thoseContinue reading “An Italian Funeral”
Adapting to a new country
The first time I ever moved in my life, I was 15 years old moving from Rio de Janeiro to York, England. Let me tell you, the culture shock was seismic. Literally nothing was or felt familiar, or even similar. This was in 1991 long before we were all connected and could go on GoogleContinue reading “Adapting to a new country”
How to make friends in Florence
One of the big problems of being the new family in town is how to make friends in another country. We get comfortable in our lives, we have our friends from maybe as far back as high school and never need to make new ones, we already have all the friends we need. Then, bam!Continue reading “How to make friends in Florence”
Should I learn Italian?
In a word, yes! If you move to Italy, the best thing to do is to at least learn the basics, ideally, you’ll be fluent in a couple of years. For that to happen you need lots of opportunities to practice, you need to leave the house and give it a go. It’s not easy,Continue reading “Should I learn Italian?”