Newbie in need of advice?

[kevin54]

I am a 28 year old middle class student majoring in Graphic Design from America and want so badly to move in the next two to three years to Italy. I have been to Rome a few times and love it, the atmosphere is like a dream to me, a world created for people like us that wish to live their so badly. I have a few friends in Rome that I made during my visits, but I don't speak to then hardly at all, what I need is tons of advice on how I can realistically make this dream reality. I'm totally a newbie to everything as far as moving overseas. I should be getting a book, Working and Living In Italy, but I would love to hear from those that made it, I love to read the stories they are so inspiring. I have an Idea on what the technical details that must be done in order to make the move, I would love to hear that advice as well as anything you can't get from books or whomever,the advice from those that made it and the ones like me who are trying. Thank you.
I am in the process of learning Italian, I hopefully feel I will be fairly smooth with conversation by the time I leave.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forums.

One bit of information that is missing from your post is where you are coming from. It makes a whole lot of difference if you're moving around within the EU, or if you're trying to get into Italy (or any other European country) from outside the EU (like, the US or Australia). It can definitely make a difference in how you plan your big move.

Also, do you speak Italian? That can make a big difference in what strategy you need to use.
Cheers,
Bev

[kevin54]

thanks Bev, those are big things I should not.

[Bevdeforges]

OK - you're hardly the first poster here to forget to include a few details.

Coming from America, you're going to have the "little" matter of a visa to deal with. I'm in France, and had my own problems with visas and immigration. I don't know what the situation is in Italy at the moment, but I can tell you that overall in the EU, there is a big issue with new graduates trying to find jobs.

It will be somewhat easier to find a job (and thus qualify for a visa) if you have some experience in the US before you move over. Think about trying to get some sort of experience in your area that would be of particular use in Italy - I'm not in graphic design, so it's a bit tricky to know what to tell you here, but work on getting some form of experience in the next couple years that will distinguish you from the everyday graphic design candidate in Italy.

Whatever job you get when you finish your schooling, try to develop ties with your Italian counterparts. (Easier, obviously, in a large international company.)

Just a couple of ideas to get you started. It may take a little longer than you have planned, but if you concentrate on things that can distinguish you from the pack of job candidates, you can make it happen.
Cheers,
Bev

[Nancy Beacham]

I have heard that the easiest visa to get is a student visa so you have an advantage over the rest of us non-students.