THINKING ABOUT MOVING TO ITALY?

JULY 19.2004
 
Okay, I finally got the Tiscali internet sevice connected!! We went round and round with a woman on the phone this morning...she only spoke Italian, and for something this technical, we just didn't know the right words.  She finally connected us to someone who spoke English and he talked me through a manual installation.  Whew!!! 
 
This service now allows me to be online between 9 am and 6 pm for a flat rate of €14.95 per month.  Of course this limits the time when I am online during US business hours, since there is a six hour difference between Italy and the East Coast, but I think it'll work out. 
 
I found our about this service from another ex-pat, Patrick, who with his wife Marilda, lives in Cetona.  Cristina, from www.expatsinitaly.com did a lot of research on the various offers for internet and phone service, and this is the one that sounded like the best deal for us. 
 
Cristina was the moderator for the Living and Working in Italy Forum on the SlowTalk website, and because of the interest, that forum has now become a site all by itself!!!  Cristina is a San Franciscan who came to Italy to be a nanny about 8-9 years ago.  The nanny thing didn't work out, but she stayed anyway, went to language school in Siena wwhere she met her (future) husband, and the rest is history!!! Well, you know what I mean. 
 
One of the things that we have found most helpful is to have someone explain the Italian way of thinking and the Italina way of doing things in terms that we, as Americans, can understand.  Remembering the fiasco we had when we bought our house using a British realtor really emphasized the different perspective that we as Americans have.  
 
This is Cristina's gift...she knows not only HOW they Italian sytem works, but also WHY it works that way, and what it means to us.  She also has an American perspective and American tastes.  She can tell you where to buy taco fixin's or English language paperbacks.  She can answer questons about what needs to be done to move to Italy, and once you're here, she can answer questions about everyday life, taxes, driving, etc.  This message board has been a lifesaver for us!!!
 
It seems like I always talk about the people at SlowTrav and SlowTalk, but since the Living and Working in Italy section is now located at www.expatsinitaly.com, I thought I should let everyone know about that site too.  I don't know if anyone reading our blog will move to Italy because of us, but if they do, there is so much more information available than when we moved...everyone gets to benefit from the mistakes of others...and Lord knows, we've certainly made our share of mistakes!!!