Archive for October, 2009
7 Habits of Highly Effective Expats in Italy
Today we have a guest blogger, and she comes from just down the road in Catanzaro. Welcome back Cherrye of My Bella Vita!
7 Habits of Highly Effective Expats in Italy
The reasons people move to Italy vary-some came to retire in the land of their fathers, others were pulled by Italy’s charm and yes, some of us came here for romance-or to say it like my mom would-we came here for a boy.
Regardless of our motives, we all left our homeland and entered the world of Expats in Italy. Over the 3+ years I’ve been here, I’ve noticed there are two distinct categories of expats-Effective Expats, or those who are happy, successful and grounded and Miserable Expats, the ones who can’t wait to leave.
Just so you know if you are considering a move to Italy … you want to be the first type. Just to be sure here are the seven habits of highly effective expats in Italy.
1. They research.
Most people plan for months for their Italian vacation so why wouldn’t they do the same when they are considering a move? Expats can adapt more quickly to their new country when they have done research, read other expat experiences or joined an expat forum. The Internet is full of information on moving to Italy. So fire up your laptop and get reading.
2. They can adjust to change.
Successful expats know where the best laid plans go and are able to adjust to changes as they come. Being able to go with the flow and adjust to those changes, rather than getting disgruntled and negative is one of the major differences between those two groups of expats I listed above.
3. They don’t focus on the differences.
This is one of the hardest habits to attain, but happy expats don’t focus on the differences between their home country and Italy. Learning to appreciate the differences instead of obsess over them makes expat life easier to enjoy.
4. They work hard to acclimate to life in Italy.
If you move to a new city in Any State, USA and lock yourself at home, you won’t be very happy. The same goes for living in Italy. Happy expats take a risk, get out and meet new people and work hard at acclimating to their new lives.
5. They are interested in the world around them.
And by that, I mean effective expats want to learn more about the people, places and things around them. We want to know how they do things, how they did them ‘back in the day’ and why.
6. They have honed their stress-management techniques.
There is no other way to say it, moving to Italy is stressful. Whether you get crushed by the stress of your new life or learn to adjust to the changes depends on how well you handle stress. Successful expats are good stress-managers.
7. They remember who they are.
The most successful expats remember who they are, or more importantly, who they were back home, and don’t alter their behaviors just because they are on foreign land. Some young or temporary expats might find themselves partaking in activities they would have never considered back home.
Opening your mind is a good thing, losing yourself is another. If you aren’t sure what I am referring to – think Amanda Knox.
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Cherrye Moore a freelance writer and B&B owner living in Calabria, Italy. She writes about expat life for Affordable Calling Cards where they sell calling cards to Italy and about living and traveling in Calabria at My Bella Vita.
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Thanks Cherrye!
What do you think are some habits of highly effective expats?
Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change
I’ve written a bit about Going Green, so be sure to check out those posts for specific things you can do to help climate change for Blog Action Day 2009, but I really couldn’t say it any better than SealtheDeal2009.org, the UN-led campaign aiming “to galvanize political will and public support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December”:
Sign the petition for a fair climate change agreement at the Copenhagen Conference, let the U.S. government know it’s time to act on climate change, and of course incorporate as many green changes into your lifestyle as you can.
“One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.”
Holy Mackerel! Look at Those Altocumulus Clouds!
Yesterday while walking the dogs, I looked up and saw this:
My mom’s friend Kitty (she of the unique tea strainer and adorable heart bracelet) once told my mom these were “mackerel clouds” because they resembled the fish’s scales. Of course we both thought this was an old wives’ tales, and maybe it is, but it also made Wikipedia, so there.
They’re actually called “altocumulus” clouds (thus the title of the post), just in case you didn’t remember from elementary school science class.
So I smiled as I photographed the sky, thinking it was rather fitting that these clouds would be over me this week. Kitty’s 87th birthday would have been on Saturday the 17th–a day before mine–but she passed away two years ago.
The mackerel clouds, however, will always live on–and always make me think of our Kitty.
Had you ever heard of mackerel clouds?
Do you have strange things that remind you someone special?
Love Is…
Remember those old comic strips with the adorable pudgy couple so very much in *in love*?
I used to wait impatiently for everyone in my house to read the newspaper every day so I could cut them out (my grandmother, bless her soul, took over doing this for me even after I was in college!).
I’d deposit them in a big ole envelope and then on crafty-feeling days, would pull out the envelope, color the strips in with colored pencil, glue them to color-coordinated construction paper so the colored edges framed the comic, glue the whole thing onto cardboard, punch a hole in the top, laminate them using lamination sheets (not the machine), carefully cut out the hole, and then braid a selection of three colors of yarn at the top for the tassel.
Voilà! Lovely homemade bookmarks something like these at Petitt’s Creations!
Goodness knows where that stack of lovelies is today, but how fun–I just found a site where I can relive those Love Is moments!
And why am I thinking about this today?
Well because a friend in California sent me this gorgeous photo of a bookstore display window:
So lovely! And thank you for reminding me of some wonderful memories.
Happy Love Thursday* everyone!
*Make that Friday. This got auto-published a day late…so…
Happy Love Friday and buon weekend!
Mudslides in Messina: Thanks for Not Getting in the Way Berlusconi!
*UPDATED BELOW*
We’ve had a lot of nasty weather lately and even had damage in Calabria, but nothing even close to the mudslides in Messina, just across the Strait. The death toll is expected to reach at least 50 and the number of homeless 400, making these mudslides the worst in Italy since 150 people were killed in mudslides in Naples in 1998.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has reportedly called off a visit to the area so he doesn’t get in the way of rescue efforts. How considerate! What a nice vaffanc…erm…thank you to the South who continually puts this man back in office.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano did tour the affected area, however, and had this to say:
There is a situation of widespread hydro-geological instability and that’s mainly because of unauthorised buildings in the Messina area, and many others in Italy. A serious plan is needed, rather than massive prestige projects, to invest in the safety of these zones, or other disasters will happen.
Nice to see someone in power at least looking toward the future and how to prevent something like this from happening again, although in Berlusconi’s defense, perhaps he has more important things to do like try to break up “Cloonalis” and wrestle showgirl Elisabetta Canalis away from George Clooney or something.
What, you think I’m being too harsh? Check out these 19 Unbelievable Berlusconi Quotes and get back to me.
Anyway, you may remember I visited and loved Messina, and also that P has a sister living there (she and her family are fine). As far as I know, there is no government or other organized special effort to help the victims in Messina, but if you know of something please let me know, and I’ll post it here.
In the meantime, the Comune of Messina has established a bank account accepting donations:
- C.C. IBAN IT 91Y0102016598000300034781; C.C.P. N. 1406398
Payments can be made to “Comune di Messina – Servizio Tesoreria” specifying “pro-alluvionati” in the memo section.
And of course you can always donate to the Italian Red Cross.
Siamo con voi, Messina!
*UPDATE: Apparently Berlusconi changed his mind and showed up in Messina today to promise affected residents they would be exempt from taxes and added: “Reconstruction is too expensive and cannot be assured, so we will do like in L’Aquila: new homes in other areas, but still within the urban fabric.”
Nice thought, if only this actually was being done in L’Aquila….
And while I’m picking on Berlu, did you know the law that granted him immunity from criminal prosecution while he was in office (that, of course, he pushed through) is up for review by Italy’s Constitutional Court this week? Pins and needles here!
Michelle Fabio is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer living in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy and savoring simplicity one sip at a time.
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