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Hi, and welcome to the forum.
I know London is a bit of a killer place, filled with stress and crowds, but that isn't the whole of England.
Perhaps you might like to consider other places in that country before you go wild and leave.
Take a trip up to Yorkshire, Harrogate is lovely.

Hi , thanks for replying.

It's not just the crowds, stress, smog and extortionate living cost I wanted to get away from - it's also the cold weather. After 28 years, I'm still not used to it. I have to accept the fact that I probably never will. Haha! Thanks though

I dont want to be negative on your decisions  but please stay where you are cause your lucky to be there. What will you do in Italy when most of us work as domestic's. Besides there are some certain attitude of the Italians that you would not like later on. I admit that it's one of the rich and best attractions when it comes to history and tourist spot. Anyway I'm planning to retire from here and go back to Philippines someday.

Hi Leona

Thank you for replying. Kahit saan naman mapunta, there's always a negative side to anything, anywhere. Such is life.

I'm currently a freelance Graphic Designer and a self-employed therapist, so will most likely keep some of my clients from here with the design work. Such is technology that you can work from anywhere in the world for anyone in the world.

If I listened to every negative thing that's been thrown at me, I would never leave my house, let alone think of emigrating somewhere with my precious little boy in towe. No offence meant.

Filipinos have been so used to having an inferiority complex because of the jobs we do. But as domestic help/maids, nannies, nurses, whatever we do - we help people. And it's something to be proud of. Not ashamed of. Regardless of how people want to see you or treat you (that's their problem), you hold your head up high and know that you work hard for your families. The sacrifices you had to make is something none of the 'amos' will ever know because they've never had to go through what you do.

My mother was a nanny and I'm very proud of her and appreciate everything she's done for us. We never would have had the opportunity to be who we are today without her doing what she did. And the fact that she raised other children apart from myself and my brother, well, what can I say? That's a lot more than what most people are capable of. As long as you're kind, compassionate and you don't go round hurting or taking advantage of anybody, be proud of you are and where you come from. I know I am.

On that note, thank you for taking the time out to reply to me. I hope things get better for you and you retire happily in the Philippines. I wish you all the best.

Hello.  Have you spent any time in Italy?  It's difficult to give advice on "anything."  What are your major concerns?

Hi Jack

I've only spent time in Rome. Enough to know that I want to stay away from any city. I want to raise my son more towards the countryside where there's plenty of fresh air. Something you appreciate when you grow up in cities.

So I guess, it would be nice to know customs. Do's and don'ts. I know every country have their own version of what's rude and what's considered acceptable etc.

Thank you for your reply!

Also looking to spend some time in the next couple of years travelling around Tuscany. Just to see where I'd like to settle...

Hello.  The customs will vary somewhat depending upon which region you choose.  I always just suggest that folks new to Italy pay close attention and learn from the locals.  Most Italians do not speak English, especially outside of the tourist centers, so if you do not speak Italian, I'd recommend that you start studying now; it will be very, very stressful otherwise.  Just a solid 1st year level would go a long way.  Tuscany is probably one of the most expensive regions in Italy, so if economics is a concern, you might to to look into other areas.  Emiglia-Romana is nice, as well as Umbria.  Ravenna is a nice small city with excellent services and is rated as one of the most "livable" cities in Italy.  Parma is a lovely small city, as well.  There are so many lovely small cities, and beautiful country-side, it's difficult to say.  It will depend on what strikes you.  However, southern Italy is the least expensive area, but services (including medical) aren't that great if that's a concern.

Thank you again for your help! I am starting my Italian class this month, so hopefully I will know enough to get by, by the time I get there. I'm also doing a TEFL course too, in case I can find jobs teaching English. I'm sure there's probably more teachers than the jobs could provide for, but just as a back-up...

I was actually looking at Umbria, or somewhere around Siena? I've tried to look for rental apartments online, but only seem to find vacation/holiday rentals. I'm just wondering what the average prices are around Umbria for a one-bedroom, would you happen to know?

As for healthcare, this is important for me, although my son and I are very healthy, do we have to have medical insurance? Or is there such a thing like the NHS (National Health Service) here? Which is a free publich healthcare system in the UK.

First try immobiliare.it to look at apartments because they have an English version.  You can put in your search parameters and cities around Umbria, or other regions, and see what pops up.  As far as medical goes, I'm not sure what the situation is for folks from the U.K.  Are you a U.K. citizen?  If so, you should be able to transfer your U.K. insurance to Italy.  Your NHS office should be able to give you all the information on that.  You might also want to visit the Italian Consulate/Embassy in London to talk to them about what you would need to do.  Always go to the source; there is a lot of misinformation out there on the web and immigration laws change at lightening speed, so it's difficult to keep up.

You've been a great help. Thank you so much again!

No problem.  Good luck with your plans; I hope all works out well for you.