FAQ: Living Abroad
What is the hardest part of living abroad?
Ooh, hard question. Everything is brand new so you have to get comfortable with always being uncomfortable.
What has been your favorite part so far?
The food is incredible. The city is mesmerizing. But just the fact that it was a dream of mine and I hustled to make it happen makes me really proud. It’s the little moments, like sipping a cappuccino on the corner when I think “I actually live here and that’s SO COOL!” :)
Had you been abroad before moving to Italy?
Yes, a lot. I had my first experience living abroad at 14 when I did a summer exchange program in Spain. It was then that I realized how much I feel aligned with European culture and needed to do everything possible to establish my life here. I’ve “backpacked” through many other European countries, had short-term jobs in different cities, and now have ended up in Florence, Italy! Who knows where the wind will take me in the future:)
Why Italy?
Why move anywhere else? No, but really I realized how easy it is to live here as a celiac and that was enough to make me move. My quality of life here is significantly better than in the states. Not to mention how absolutely beautiful Florence is. I am in awe every day.
I’ve heard that bureaucracy in Italy is pretty bad. What has been your experience?
Haha. Italian bureaucracy used to bring me to tears and keep me up at night. Now I know all you can do is laugh it off. Be prepared to spend days in lines, have everyone tell you something different, and leave wanting to bang your head against the wall. Unfortunately, the systems in Italy just don’t work well at all. Bureaucratic hoop-jumping is what you sign up for when you move here. If it’s any consolation; we’re all in the same situation and we’re all just as annoyed about it!
How long did it take you to get a visa?
Oh what an experience that was. Let me preface: my experience was particularly difficult because (a) COVID happened and (b) I decided to go at the whole thing on my own. As in, I didn’t have a school or a job that worked out all the documents for me. Yes, I have a student visa to study with a language school but, because it’s not a whole university program, it wasn’t like someone from the school did all the documents on my behalf. From when I decided I wanted to move to Italy (December 2019) to when I got my visa in the mail, it was a few months...which is pretty quick. Then COVID happened and the whole timeline got switched around.
But the visa is just what gets you into the doors of the country. Then you have to apply for a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit), codice fiscale (tax code), tessera sanitaria (public health card), etc. It’s a long process. We’re approaching 2 years from when I started this journey and I still am not anywhere near stability in Italy. Ci vuole tempo e pazienza (it takes time and patience).
Was it hard learning Italian?
Immersion will do magical things for your language acquisition:) Italian grammar is pretty complex but when you're hearing and using it every day, you catch on quickly. The important thing is to keep immersing yourself.
What's it like finding work abroad?
Your ability to work abroad has everything to do with what kind of visa you have. Many visas (like student visas, for example) limit how many hours you’re allowed to work. It’s also worth mentioning that Italy has a significant issue with unemployment. It is difficult even for Italians to find work, then add the “foreigner factor” to that. All this being said, there are tons of ways to get creative about income.
It is very common for expats to teach English, at least for a period. Online/freelance work is great. Finding a way to work for yourself is also a fantastic option. Long story short, your income will likely not be conventional so embrace creativity and flexibility. Be ready to pivot!
I’m a woman in my early 20s wanting to travel alone but I’m scared. Is it dangerous?
Good for you babe, do it! I have found Europe to be a very safe place for solo female travelers. Of course, this depends on your destination, so do your research. So far, I have had very few experiences when I felt genuinely unsafe. A couple of quick suggestions: bring a portable door lock for all hotels/hostels/AirBnBs, always keep an external battery with you, do not keep all your money in one place and leave a detailed itinerary with a few friends before leaving. In my opinion, dating apps are up there with the riskiest things for solo female travelers. In that case, I just shared the details of the date, the person's profile, and my live location with a friend. Have fun!
What is it like dating as an expat in Italy?
I’ve experienced a little bit of everything in terms of dating in Italy. I’ve been in committed relationships, casually dated, tried dating apps, fallen in love, and gone through breakups. With Italians, Americans, and other foreigners. Really, I think I could write a whole post on this topic alone.
If anything, dating is a great way to practice your language skills! Jokes aside...the biggest hurdle I noticed was accepting the stark cultural differences in terms of gender roles and dating formalities between the US and Italy.
The awesome thing is you get to meet lots of really interesting people! Especially if you choose to live in a big, diverse city. You get to learn about new cultures and share your own. Dating is also the perfect place to try new things: a restaurant you’ve had your eye on, a museum you haven’t seen, etc. Enjoy it!
Does it feel lonely to be an expat?
If you make the decision to leave everything familiar/comfortable behind, including friends and family to embark on this journey, you need to understand your relationship with loneliness. Do you need constant social interaction to feel satisfied? Are you happy with your own company for extended periods of time? Because it will feel lonely sometimes. Instead of letting that loneliness swallow you whole, look at it as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with yourself.
And here’s the thing about moving to a new place: it just means you have to put in the effort to create new friendships. So jump at every opportunity to meet new people. Yes, I want to go to that language exchange. Yes, I will go to that expat Meetup. Yes, I do want to go take that art class. Over time you will build a wonderful network of friends in your new city!
What advice would you give to someone wanting to move to Europe?
Just do it! You will always (and I mean always) be able to think of a reason why now is not a good time. It will never be a perfect time. Eventually, you have to decide you want it more than you’re afraid of it and take the leap.
Make sure you really understand the “why” behind your decision. Because it’s going to get hard and when you feel like you want to throw in the towel, that “why” needs to be significant enough for you to keep going.
Be present and enjoy every second of the journey! It’s an incredibly rewarding and formative experience, so be open to all the new lessons and adventures headed your way!
xo,
catalin