Introduce yourself!!!

[Twinkle Canelli]

Originally Posted by sLsM

Hi Everyone

My name is Leah, going as sLsM on the forum, (initials). I"m 53, have two teenage boys 19 and 17 and my husband is Italian. (He wanted to return home which is why we're here!( I've been living in Italy for a little over a year and a half and I couldn't join or write in any expat forums because I've been so angry, depressed and culture shocked that I've had nothing positive to say, and I'm a firm believer of "if you have nothing nice to say....," old school.
Anyway, I'm finally feeling better about living here also I'm appreciating just how incredibly cool Italy is, so thought I'd join to chat with you guys if you'll have me, that's it for now!

Thanks!

Hi Leah!

Not quite sure why I didn't answer your first post before, so I'm doing so now!! I feel pretty much the same as you I guess, except that this is my third year. My Italian is awful because I rarely get a chance to try it out. My daughter (now 14) is fluent and takes over the talking when we're out, or sniggers at my clumsy attempts, which does little for my confidence!

Like you, it has taken all this time for me to become comfortable with living here. It was such a culture shock being here for the first 2 years, but now, despite the problems, I can see the advantages more clearly now and am loving it. My daughter was extremely unhappy here until quite recently and I channelled my energies into supporting her and my needs and happiness were put aside, but now I'm feeling more positive and know I have to change things for myself.

I live in Santo Stefano Belbo, on the border of Asti and Cuneo, which probably is a bit far for us to meet often, but maybe we could meet up half way at some point? I think we may have quite a lot in common!

Look forward to hearing from you
Amanda

[lizatlibrary]

Hi all,
My name is Liz, and I live in Maine. My partner and I, and our cat and dog, will be relocating to Milan to try a new experience.
I am not worried that I can find a job teaching English, and get a student visa or a work visa.
I am a little bit worried about my partner getting a Visa because he is of retirement age. Anyone know what the process is like to apply for a retirement Visa, and also how strict would they be on him not working if he has that type of Visa?
Grazie!

[Riess]

Hello all! this is my first time on here. My name is Francesca, i have just moved to Italy to make a life with my 'other half' who is Italian. I am 24 years old and a qualified photographer. We are currently living in a small village up in the mountains, close to Turin. I love Italy, its peaceful and beautiful, but i feel so lost as i am trying to learn the language and looking for work which is proving to be very difficult. This is the start.

[eccoci]

Originally Posted by sLsM

Hi Rina, wow 4 years! You an old hand at living in Italy now! Love to hear your story. How did you end up here, and in La Spezia? I too am having a hard time with the whole language thing. Seems like I'm always speaking English! My Italian husband is more comfortable using English with us at home, and everyone outside of my home is learning English and they are more than happy to practice on me, on top of that my husband, all his friends, family, and it seems like, the entire town, speak Piemontese, or Bovesano, the dialect, so I hear Italian on the TV a couple of hours a night! Nevertheless, I STILL forget my native language and mix the two er, 3, when I do get to speak Italian! After almost 2 years I still sound like a child of 4. What is my brain doing?! Anyway nice to meet you, I'm happy to chat anytime. I'm sure this experience is not like what ANY of us expected!

Hi Leah. Just checking back with you. I had hoped to catch you here for a chat. Hope all is well. Rina

[Greta1]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

this is for everyone to tell us all a little bit about yourself

you won't be especially interested in me - but I live in Spain & have done for 8 years


over to all the posters who live in Italy - or want to

Hi

Am totally new here.

Am not sure where to write this !

I have a house in Bolsena. Is there any one out there who lives in the northere Lazzio region or Orvieto way ?

Love Greta xx

[Greta1]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

this is for everyone to tell us all a little bit about yourself

you won't be especially interested in me - but I live in Spain & have done for 8 years


over to all the posters who live in Italy - or want to

Hi I am new here. I have a house in Bolsena. I would like to meet fellow expats in the area . Bolsena Orvieto Viterbo.

Greta

[Un italiano in America]

Ciao a tutti!

My name is John and as my username suggests I am Italian but I was born and raised in the USA, Chicago to exact. I am the first person in my family born outside of Italy, so the culture and traditions are deeply ingrained in me and I think of myself as Italian first then American. Anyways, I'm here because I, like many other people, have been unemployed for a long time and cannot find work here in Chicago. So I thought to myself that this would be the perfect to time to try and realize my dream of going back to Italy, and I came here to get any information/advice/tips from anyone I can.

Thank you so much for a site like this, I'm looking forward to using it.

Grazie mille.

John

[eccoci]

Originally Posted by Un italiano in America

Ciao a tutti!

My name is John and as my username suggests I am Italian but I was born and raised in the USA, Chicago to exact. I am the first person in my family born outside of Italy, so the culture and traditions are deeply ingrained in me and I think of myself as Italian first then American. Anyways, I'm here because I, like many other people, have been unemployed for a long time and cannot find work here in Chicago. So I thought to myself that this would be the perfect to time to try and realize my dream of going back to Italy, and I came here to get any information/advice/tips from anyone I can.

Thank you so much for a site like this, I'm looking forward to using it.

Grazie mille.

John

Hi John, You said the culture & traditions are ingrained in you - how about the language? Are you fluent, because that will be a Tremendous help to you. Rina

[Un italiano in America]

Originally Posted by eccoci

Hi John, You said the culture & traditions are ingrained in you - how about the language? Are you fluent, because that will be a Tremendous help to you. Rina

Hi Rina,

Of course, I have been speaking Italian everyday since I could talk. However, I am not completely fluent in proper Italian. My family has always spoken in dialect, and I also have family members from Argentina. So I grew up trying to juggle 3 languages. 4 languages if you want to be technical, because our family's dialect can vary so greatly from proper Italian lol, it hasn't been easy. Actually, it could very well be 5 languages because of the differences between Argentine Spanish and proper Spanish. Hahaha, too many languages and dialects. However, I can speak and read in proper Italian very well and my writing is not bad either. I do need to keep practicing, but I'm not very far from being completely fluent.

[mericano]

Hello, my name is Brandon, I currently live in the area of Varese, Originally I am from the Seattle area. I have been an Italian resident for over 5 years now, and have recently recieved also my Italian citizenship, I carry both citizenship.