Every Wednesday (except last Wednesday), in honor of Hump Day I will pick a sexy destination for a little abroad inspiration.
New Zealand kicked off the series. Please read the comments as one expat had some very interesting things to say about her time there. It’s not all Kiwis and rainbows, apparently.
This post is inspired by an episode of International Househunters. I watched as two fifty year old women sold off all their possessions to open up a bed and breakfast and live La Dolce Vita in the rolling, impossibly green hills of Tuscany.
A wave of jealousy almost knocked me off my feet as I watched these two friends sip red wine from a stone porch that must have been at least 300 years old.
Ahhh. Tuscany. I could live there. Or could I? Honestly, I have heard from multiple expats that Italy is a difficult place to live. And they don’t eat nearly as much pasta as we assume. But it’s fun to dream about, so here we go.
Living Abroad: Tuscany
Hello gorgeous!
Pros:
It’s Italy. Endless wine. Beautiful sunsets. Italian men. The opportunity to learn another language. No needing to get a tourist visa (30 days or less). It’s the birthplace of Italian renaissance – a great place to have your own life renaissance.
Cons:
Italian men. A language barrier. You might will have trouble finding work. You’ll get frustrated when everyone is livin’ La Dolce Vita and you want them to work on your house or process some paperwork.
I would have a solid plan for funding your lifestyle or a lump of gold.
Everyone thinks when they move abroad, they’ll just work in a vineyard or a bar until they figure it out. Well, even low-paying jobs go to locals who speak the language fluently. Do not get sucked into the romance of it. Picture yourself on an outdoor terrace, alone, sobbing because you haven’t spoken to anyone but your dog in days, and sleeping under a roof leak because your apartment is a million years old.
Don’t let the cons stop you though. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. You have to go into it ready for the struggle, ready to learn that language, ready to meet Italians. Just be willing to try and adapt. Expect good days and bad days.
Anglo Adventure 