is it worth being an expat in ITALY.

3POSTS

9 years ago

I have been an expat in ITALY since 2014. However, I had to send my family back to Australia as we could not just understand why everything so difficult for non ITALIANS聽 in ITALY.

It is a big shame ITALY is set up as a closed system. We have lived in other part of Europe but ITALY has been a very bad experience, mainly the people and the system.

ITALIANS who are living in Australia are very different to ITALIANS here in ITALY.

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Nostalgia85 Member

2POSTS

9 years ago

As I was reading your post I was feeling your pain.

It is a huge shame that most Italians in Italy are closed minded about letting outsiders in. The ones in Australia seem to be different and maybe that's because they have worked so hard to get away from Italy and as a result have become more humble and open to other cultures.

I lived in Italy 3 diferent times in my life. Both in the south and north and I can say I had a similar experience. I think part of it is just the language barrier but the other part may also be the a cultural barrier. They just have a diferent way of doing things that pushes beaurocratic boundaries and annoys the hell out of us. Then there is also that small racism factor Which gets in the way unfortunately.

I take my hat off to you for continuing to stay there. Who knows, hopefully things do change. Every time I go back I change my strategy a bit. Let's see if the next one works

GuestPoster3124 Guest

0POSTS

9 years ago

I definitely relate to what you are saying and feel it.Yes they are different and closed up.I have had terrible experiences of racism but i soon came out of it.I have learnt their language but still not that good.One thing for sure is i have had to push myself to be positive otherwise my life will go down in misery.I don't have friends but that doesn't stop me from getting inside their so called culture. I go in with my english and mix it with italian. I do things the way i was taught and they look at me like...who are you alien.The only way to get through this is to maintain a positive mind and not rule them out.Push them to see who you really are how you do things even how you cook cabbage Kikiki.Trust me those around me have come to accept me for who I am but guess what they are still Italians.Open your mind a little bit don't let the number of years you have had here pull you down or the colour of your skin.We are special in our own way as they are special in their own. ...Buona fortuna!!!!

Simpson01 Active member

41POSTS

9 years ago

First, the bureacracy in Italy is also difficult for Italians.聽 Second, you are correct that they are closed-minded.聽 I have been in Italy for three years but have made only one Italian friend; my other friends are also foreigners in Italy.聽 I know an American who has lived here for over 25 years and is married to an Italian; she told me that the only reason she has Italian friends is because of her husband.聽 It's the way it is.聽 There are open-minded and friendly Italians, it's just difficult to find them.