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Southern Italy has it all-Medieval towns, fishermen villages, stretching beaches and swooping mountains. We learned about some of the most famous places as children and some of us grew up dreaming of the day we’d visit our grandparents’ homeland. But that doesn’t mean we know it all. Post continues here. |
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You know how your mom said something as a child that always stuck with you and you find yourself remembering those wise words well into your adult years? Well, when I was young, I had a hard time understanding the Mother’s and Father’s Day gift-giving rituals that excluding us kids. Post continues here. |
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Many people travel to a new country to immerse themselves into the culture and imagine-if only for a few weeks-what it would be like to live there. If they rent an apartment or a B&B, they can get into the routine of going to the local market, choosing what to prepare for meals and seeing the same people at the local bars and pizzerias. Post continues here. |
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Last week Andrew Whittaker of Speak the Culture wrote a post about coping with culture shock. It was interesting because Whittaker didn’t take the stance of an expat or long-term traveler trying to adjust to a new culture, but rather that of an average traveler. Post continues here. |
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Carnevale has come and gone and the Lenten season is in full swing, but this doesn’t mean you are sentenced to six weeks of grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese pizza. Italian food was created for vegetarians. With the rich array of cheese, vegetables and pasta, there is no limit to what you can do. Post continues here. |
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The expats in Italy are some of the most charming, outgoing, caring people I’ve come across in my travels-and no, I’m not biased. Well, maybe I’m a little biased, but don’t let that stop you. Read on. The thing is. I like being an expat in Italy. I don’t want to be Italian. Post continues here. |
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Whoa. Stop right there. Don’t hit that back button or double-check the url. You are in the right place. Welcome to the new My Bella Vita. In addition to the spicy new logo and nifty thumbnail feature, Santa’s bringing a gifts and freebies to My Bella Vita readers. Interested? Post continues here. |
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Even with the Grinch mandating baggage restrictions, Scrooge in the security lines and the inevitable airport delay, traveling this season doesn’t have to lose its merriment.
Here are five holiday travel tips to help you stay in the spirit of the season.
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Having a Calabrian father-in-law takes some adjustments. No matter how much you eat, it is never enough, you have to learn a new language to communicate and no matter how hard you try you might never-ever!-decipher his hand gestures and grunts. But all that aside, having a Calabrian father-in-law really takes the torta. Post continues here. |
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A few weeks ago I asked where all of the good customer service guys had gone? I lamented the lack of a customer-service and wondered how businesses could remain open with that attitude. Well today, I have that answer. Post continues here. |
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Regular readers of this column might have noticed an italicized notation at the bottom of each week’s article directing readers to another website. That website, My Mélange, is owned by travel professional Robin Locker, who has recently launched a new site and is offering specials all week. Post continues here. |
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After two years of running our B&B in Calabria, both my Italian husband and I think American guests rock. In general, they are most respectful, the most gracious and the most grateful guests who pass through our doors. Here are 10 reasons why we love you, American Tourists in Calabria. Post continues here. |
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Every time I go to Texas I get hit with questions about Twitter. My corporate friends don’t get it and they think it is just another social media outlet for people to tell the world up-to-the-minute details of their lives. And well, some people do use Twitter for such communications. But savvy travelers know better. Post continues here. |
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You’ve booked your flights. You’ve secured transfers. You’ve reserved the best hotels and B&Bs in the country. But have you done it all?
Here are five travel tips Italy-bound travelers should know before they head abroad. Post continues here.
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Here is your chance to win a romantic weekend for two at Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast in Catanzaro, Italy and a Taste of Calabria welcome basket, complete with Calabrian specialties of the season and drinks. All you have to do is … Post continues here. |
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There is nothing like a good homemade Bolognese sauce in the winter months to stick to your ribs and warm you up from the blistery weather outside. Here in Calabria this Bolognese sauce is one of our old standbys. It’s Italian comfort food for the soul and … Post continues here. |
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It is 2010 and time for all good travelers to pull out their journals and start making travel goals.Think you can do it? These three tips will help you keep your 2010 travel goals in sight and ensure you have the motivation to make it through the rough times. Post continues here. |
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Italy Christmas traditions are a little different from the ones we have in the states. In addition to the less-obvious decorations and Christmas cheer, they also celebrate key dates we tend to overlook, especially the 12 days of Christmas. Post continues here.
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Booking your northern, central or southern Italy travel can be overwhelming. Where do you go? What do you see? Where do you start? Well, my friends, you are in luck. Here are the first five things you should do when planning a trip to Italy. Post continues here.
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Calabria in 2006 was a lonely place to be an expat. My husband worked nights, I didn’t know the language and I was scared out of my wits to sit behind the wheel of a car. Then one day I stumbled upon Expats in Italy, a website and forum dedicated to expats in, well, Italy. And there I met Judith. Post continues here. |
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No woman should ever be party to the following conversation with her true love … |
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As the oldest granddaughter of a woman with 29 grandchildren, I was denied the luxury of grandparents whose lives revolved around me. My cousins, my sister, and I took turns staying at Maw Maw and Paw Paw’s house, because there just wasn’t room in that two-bedroom house in the “forest” for everyone at once. Post continues here. |
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Pizzo, located just 40 minutes from Catanzaro on the Tyrrhenian Coast is full of history, intrigue and some of the best homemade gelato in the country. Don’t believe me? Just read on … Post continues here. |
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Old Wives’ Tales. We’ve all heard them. We’ve all repeated them. We might even believe a few of them. But you don’t hold a candle to my Calabrians. Post continues here. |
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Calabrian Christmases are full of fresh seafood, homemade desserts and fun times with the family and even if you aren’t lucky enough to spend the holidays in bella Calabria, you can still infuse a bit of these traditions into your holiday season. Post continues here. |
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As an American expat in Italy, I had the luxury of a ready-made wedding theme. If you’d like to inject some southern Italian wedding traditions into your wedding, or are just curious about what the heck they do down here, then read on. Here are five southern Italian wedding traditions. Post continues here. |
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Calabria travel doesn’t have to be intimating or scary, in fact, Calabria is one of the most welcoming, warm places in the world-but tourist savvy she is not. My very first booklet, “Don’t Get Caught With Dirty Drawers” was written to help Calabria-bound travelers navigate the south. Post continues here. |
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Expats in Italy are among the most charming, informative and entertaining bloggers on the net and it is with that enthusiasm that we bring you … Blogging from the Boot: The Best of 2009 blogging awards. Post continues here. |
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Calabria is a well-known travel secret virtually unknown on the international stage and enjoyed mostly by northern Italians, Germans and Calabrian descendants returning to the land of their grandfathers’ births. But still … I have my favorites. Post continues here. |
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Although most people consider Calabria a warm-weather destination, the lakes, mountains, ruins and medieval villages are actually year-round attractions. Here are five things you should always pack for a Calabria vacation if you are traveling in the winter. Post continues here. |
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One of my favorite things about meeting other Italy expats is learning about their lives and understanding what it is about Italy that made them stay. Today, I’m interviewing Judy Witts, an American who visited Tuscany 26 years ago and has established herself as one of the most popular cooking divas in Italy. Post continues here. |
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After two weeks of accepting posts, nominations and submissions, the first annual Blogging From the Boot contest is closed for entries. Judges worked all weekend narrowing down the entries, breaking ties and notifying finalists. And now it is up to you. Post continues here. |
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During the process of reading submissions and chasing down finalists for the Blogging from the Boot contest, I stumbled upon some top-notch travel writing, written by some of my fellow expat in Italy bloggers. I’ve pulled some of my favorite posts together to share with you today. Enjoy! Post continues here. |
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Ahhh … it is here. The day we’ve waited for … longed for … dreamed about. It is World Nutella Day 2010, so let me be one of the first people to say “Auguri,” and welcome you to the party. Those of you who know me well, know I’m an avid party planner. I don’t wait until the last minute and I like to make sure all of my i’s are crossed and t’s are dotted. Post continues here. |
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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about expats in Italy-about what motivates us to move to this country, what encourages us to stay and even more about what it takes to make a life in the bel paese. Today’s guest blogger offers four steps to finding a job in Italy and thus, securing your happily ever after in Italy. Post continues here. |
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A couple of months ago I was contacted by a producer at KPAM Portland Radio. He wanted to know more about my favorite little region in Italy and asked if I’d be interested in talking to them about Calabria. Me? Talk about Calabria? Now, that’s not fun at all. Post continues here. |
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It should be known I am an avid budget traveler. I advocate counting pennies, budget B&Bs and low-cost airlines and for some reason, I always seem to enjoy a trip more if I feel like it was a good deal. That being said, Italy’s not cheap. Post continues here. |
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I’ve been thinking about the events in our lives that forever change us. For many of us it is the moment we met our future spouse, the day your children were born, the day we moved abroad. And it is that positivity of change I want to focus on today. Post continues here. |
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Did you know 25% of Italy’s olive oil comes from my favorite little region that is burrowed down deep at the toe of the boot? Well, it does. It is also used in antipasto dishes, pasta plates, meat, fish and desserts-and we are giving some away. Post continues here. |
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Congratulations! You’ve saved your pennies and set a date and now you can start planning your trip to Italy. You are bubbling over with excitement and can barely pull yourself from your laptop at night to cook dinner or tend to your children-or answer your boss’s emails, for that matter. Just don’t make these five common mistakes in the process. Post continues here. |
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Last week I introduced you to Monica Kripalani, founder of Monica’s Fine Foods in California, who traveled to bella Calabria last summer, fell in love with the area-and the food-and decided to start selling Calabria olive oil in the US. I’m always interested in why people travel to southern Italy and even more excited to hear tales of their trip. Post continues here. |
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A few days ago I received an email from a guy who is planning his first trip to southern Italy. He’ll be visiting his grandfather’s homeland in Calabria-just about 50 minutes north of me in Catanzaro-and like any would-be international traveler worth his passport, he’s researching the area. And he’d like to know what to wear. Post continues here. |
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One of my new favorite hobbies is going through my Stat Counter and Lijit reports and discovering which terms readers search to reach this blog. Popular terms include “Pasta Puttanesca Recipe,” “How Do You Eat a Persimmon” and “Things You Shouldn’t Say in Italy” – and we’ll get back to that in a minute. Post continues here. |
Southern Italy has it all. There are ancient Medieval towns, peaceful fishermen villages, stretching beaches and swooping mountains. There are even Roman and Greek ruins. We learned about some of the most famous places in southern Italy as children and some of us grew up dreaming of the day we’d visit our grandparents’ homeland. But that doesn’t mean we know it all.
My then-boyfriend/now-husband grew up here in southern Italy and I was still surprised at some of the assumptions I made that were downright wrong!
With that in mind, here are three things I wish I’d known before I traveled to southern Italy.
(c) Leanne (pictured above) of From Australia to Italy
1. It Gets Brrr … Cold
Calabria has this fabulous reputation of being a hot, steamy, tropical getaway for northern Italians and other Europeans. Unfortunately, it’s crap. It gets downright cold here in southern Italy and depending on when and where you visit, you might see a lot of snow.
It’s true. Laura at Ciao Amalfi! recently posted some videos of a thunder snowstorm on the Amalfi Coast and Leanne of From Australia to Italy was recently snowed in near Cosenza (Calabria.)
2. All Restaurants/Trattorie/Pizzerie Were Created Equally
Regardless of what you may have heard, you *can* get a bad meal in southern Italy. I know. I’ve done it. Still, it is surprising to me when I hear people proclaim sweeping generalizations like, “It doesn’t matter where you eat-you are in Italy,” or “You can’t get a bad meal there!”
Trust me. You can.
If you are traveling to southern Italy and don’t want to be victim to an overcooked pizza or tasteless ragu, then search the Internet for recommendations made by locals or consider hiring a travel consultant who can help with the details.
3. Don’t Assume Anything
Seriously.
Anything.
For example, many restaurants in the US offer free soda refills, in Italy, you will pay full price. Also, don’t assume that just because opening hours are posted on a museum’s website that they are correct, or that the museum is even open. Oh yea, and don’t assume that your hotel will have washcloths. In fact, they probably won’t. Italians don’t use them.
What other things do you wish you’d have known before you visited Italy?
Don’t forget to check out Robin’s travel tips today at My Melange.
Until next time … Buon Viaggio!
Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
You know how your mom said something as a child that always stuck with you and you find yourself remembering those wise words well into your adult years?
Well, when I was young, I had a hard time understanding the Mother’s and Father’s Day gift-giving rituals that excluding us kids.
“But when is Kid’s Day?” I asked, as I handed her the gift my father had bought in our names.
“Every day is Kid’s Day,” she replied, as she happily accepted the present, along with the laughter and adoration of my father, her quick remarks had earned her.
“Hmmm …,” I thought, as I begrudgingly marched off. “It’s never kids day … and I’ll never tell my kids that!”
And I haven’t. (No, I don’t have kids, but that is neither here nor there, really …)
But I have repeated those words.
When I moved to Calabria in 2006, I’d never heard of the Festa della Donna or International Women’s Day, so I wasn’t really expecting the outpouring of presents I received from my husband. Although he brought me a mimosa flower-and if memory serves, a new pair of shoes-he did have one thing to say about it.
“Why isn’t there an International Men’s Day?” he asked.
… and I think you know what I said.
But more to the point, today, March 8, is International Women’s Day. It represents not only the economic and political achievements for which it was founded, but for me, here in Calabria, thousands of miles from my closest female family members and friends, it represents gratitude.
1. Today, I’m celebrating Women’s Day with as many international women as I can round up-and that is the first way you can celebrate. We are meeting for pizza and shopping here in Catanzaro, and I, for one, am hoping to hit up the Furniture Fair in Catanzaro Lido.
2. If you can’t get your girls together for lunch and shopping but happen to be in one of Italy’s larger cities, then you are in luck. Venice had free admission to the state museum yesterday and several attractions in Rome and Florence regularly have free or reduced entrance fees for Women’s Day.
3. Recognize the Women in Your Life. I’m thankful for many of them*, particularly the ones who have helped to make my transition into Italy a success.
From the blogless world, I’d like to thank my favorite Irish lass, Jenny, who found my sign for a mother language English teacher in our local bookstore and dialed the number.
Kerri and Felicia, who are down to earth, logical and realistic in their experiences as an expat in Calabria and who share their positive perspectives each time we meet.
For my newest friend, Karen, who’s recent move to Catanzaro has spurred an equally enduring friendship between our husbands and who is teaching me the art of making a mojito.
Many of you know my friend, Michelle of Bleeding Espresso, who incidentally, I met-along with Dawn, from Bovino-the weekend of my first International Women’s Day celebration in Calabria.
So, there you go. Three ways to celebrate International Women’s Day today. What are you planning to do?
*For the purpose of this post I’ve limited my shout-outs to women who live in Calabria. So, Mom, yes … I love you, too!
Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
Many people travel to a new country to immerse themselves into the culture and imagine-if only for a few weeks-what it would be like to live there. If they rent an apartment or a B&B, they can get into the routine of going to the local market, choosing what to prepare for meals and seeing the same people at the local bars and pizzerias.
But breaking out of that tourist-or “traveler,” if you subscribe to the notion that there is a difference-mentality and settling in as an expat are completely different.
Here are three of the biggest myths of being an expat in southern Italy that I’ve come across.
1. Weekend Travel is Easy
One of my favorite things about living in southern Italy is the obvious lack of international tourists. Southern Italy, particularly south of Campania before you reach Sicily, doesn’t cater to tourism and because of that, the infrastructure has suffered.
It isn’t easy to travel around southern Italy by train and getting from Calabria to Puglia by car is downright tough, thus, weekend trips are hard to come by. It’s also expensive. When you’re on vacation, you can justify the expenses. That’s not always the case when you live here.
2. We Don’t Get Bored
While there is something comforting about getting into a routine, mundane tasks like going to work, paying the bills and yes-even shopping at the market and cooking delicious Italian dishes-can get old.
Just because we live in southern Italy, doesn’t entitle us to all-access pass to the fun house. Routine is routine is routine … we are just in the Mediterranean with ours.
3. We “Shouldn’t” Miss Home
I know this may sound crazy to some of you, but I have seriously-seriously!- upset people when I talk about missing things from home. All of southern Italy’s glamor and grandeur could be wrapped and handed to us with a big shiny red bow, but when you are out of your home country for any length of time, you start missing it. That is why some expats I know who have been here 20+ years still have their moms send them care packages with maple and brown sugar oatmeal and Splenda!
What other myths do you think exist about being an expat?
This post was written on behalf of AffordableCallingCards.net. Visit their site for more expat stories from around the world.
Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
Last week Andrew Whittaker of Speak the Culture wrote a post about coping with culture shock. It was interesting because Whittaker didn’t take the stance of an expat or long-term traveler trying to adjust to a new culture but rather that of an average traveler.
Although I’m slightly obsessed with culture shock and the stages expats endure on our path to security, I’d never given much thought to what travelers experience when they enter a new country.
Whittaker is right on when he describes the sensation of disorientation we experience in their first few days of a foreign vacation. Adjusting to the new sounds, a new language, eating habits, climate and customs can be exciting for some travelers, but most would agree that the vacation really starts once your comfort level rises and feel a sense of security.
Speak the Culture listed five tips for helping travelers adjust to culture shock. I’d love for you to read the article-so I’m not going to list his tips here, but I am going to add a few of my own.
Here are five more tips to help you quickly adjust to culture shock so you can get on with your Italian vacation.
1. Read Books Set in Italy
Most travelers agree nothing gets them “in the mood” for an upcoming trip more than a good novel or nonfiction book that is set in the country they are planning to visit. While it is a good way to learn history of an area or get an idea for a new place to visit, books are also a great way to introduce you to the country.
The more you learn before you get here, the easier your transition into Italy will be. To get you started, here is an extensive list of books that are set in Italy.
2. Interact with Bloggers
and don’t dismiss the negative things they say.
Many Italy-bound travelers dismiss negative comments made by expat bloggers and I’ve been personally-well, virtually-attacked for alluding to Italy’s flaws.
However, by reading and interacting with bloggers who are based here, you can be conscious of the country’s eccentricities before you arrive, thus taking the shock out of culture shock.
3. Follow Twitterers and Facebook Fan Pages of People Who Live (or Travel Often) to Italy
Take your research one step further by following Twitter users who live or travel often to Italy or by joining their Facebook Fan Pages.
Here is a list of Italy Twitterers you should follow if you are heading to the bel paese.
4. Don’t Dive In
As I’ve said before, you shouldn’t jump into your Italian vacation without taking a day or so to get settled. Don’t plan anything big the day you arrive in Italy. Instead, get settled into your hotel, then take a stroll around town, enjoy an apertivo at a nearby bar or sit in a busy piazza and people watch.
While this helps you feel more relaxed and ready for your adventure, it also serves as a way to slowly introduce you to Italy’s culture.
5. Document It
Journaling is therapeutic for many people and can serve as a way to help you connect your home culture to the new experiences you are having in Italy. It can help you release any frustrations by getting them on paper and will later serve as a fond reminder of your vacation.
What other tips do you have for travelers wanting to quickly acclimate to Italy?
Don’t forget to check our My Melange’s travel tips today.
Until next time … Buon Viaggio!
Carnevale has come and gone and the Lenten season is in full swing. In case you missed it, I told my Facebook fans about my plan, not to give something up for Lent, but to spend a little time each day doing something for someone else. So … if YOU need something, just shoot me a message and if possible-and legal!-I’ll happily oblige.
One of the traditions I’m not tweaking this year is the Catholic obligation to abstain from meat on Fridays. This doesn’t mean you are sentenced to six weeks of grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese pizza. Oh no, my friends, Italian food was created for vegetarians. With the rich array of cheese, vegetables and pasta, there is no limit to what you can do senza carne.
To help you get started, here are five of my favorite meatless Italian recipes.
This salty concoction takes its name from the ladies of the night, but with black olives, capers and anchovies, it doesn’t matter what it is called, as long as it good. And trust me, it is good.
Crunchy asparagus and fresh shrimp are sauteed in butter and tossed with penne pasta. Does it get any better than this?
3. Gorgonzola and Grape Bruschetta
You might think bruschetta is just an appetizer, but if you eat enough of it-and believe, you’ll eat a lot of it-then it is a safe bet you won’t go to bed hungry. This bruschetta recipe calls for a bit of cream cheese, Gorgonzola cheese, sauteed onions and plump red grapes. Yum!
4. Cacio e Pepe
This is one of my favorite Roman recipes and it is ideal for a meatless Friday during Lent, a quick, easy pasta dish at the end of of a long day or a nice surprise for your vegetarian friends … and really, Italian cooking doesn’t get any easier than this.
5. Pasta e Ceci (Chickpea pasta)
This pasta dish is like chicken soup for the Calabrian soul. It is healthy, it is hearty and it is wholesome. Oh, and it is also delicious.
What is your favorite meatless Italian recipe to cook during Lent?
PS: Gina of Warm October is the winner of a bottle of Calabrian Olive Oil and Paula of Paula’s Talk won a $50 gift certificate to Monica’s Fine Foods. Thank you to everyone who played along and auguri to our winners!
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* 1 bedroom house on three floors
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* Contact us for more information
