Comments on: Busted! Three Things You Didn’t Know About Being an Expat in Southern Italy http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/ Living and Traveling in Calabria, Italy Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:49:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Barbara http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12244 Barbara Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:22:31 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12244 So true, so true. Especially the part about missing home. I don't want to miss home. I like it here. And yet, suddenly I'll get on the phone with a friend or see pictures of my hometown and yearn for it. <strong><em>I've found I "appreciate" home in a new way, as well. I mean, I always loved Texas, but now I super duper love it. Ya know? :-)</em></strong> In these southern parts, I have made great friends with my Tom-Tom who guides me, usually, everywhere by car. That way, I don't have to use maps and rely on the tourist things I was normally used to in more touristy areas. :) Saluti da Napoli!!! .-= Barbara´s last blog ..<a href="http://theespressobreak.blogspot.com/2010/03/caffe-pignatelli.html" rel="nofollow">Caffe Pignatelli</a> =-. So true, so true. Especially the part about missing home. I don’t want to miss home. I like it here. And yet, suddenly I’ll get on the phone with a friend or see pictures of my hometown and yearn for it.

I’ve found I “appreciate” home in a new way, as well. I mean, I always loved Texas, but now I super duper love it. Ya know? :-)

In these southern parts, I have made great friends with my Tom-Tom who guides me, usually, everywhere by car. That way, I don’t have to use maps and rely on the tourist things I was normally used to in more touristy areas. :)

Saluti da Napoli!!!
.-= Barbara´s last blog ..Caffe Pignatelli =-.

]]> By: Michelle | Bleeding Espresso http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12158 Michelle | Bleeding Espresso Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:48:07 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12158 Hey if you're bored, I got some goat pens that could use a good cleaning.... ;) <strong><em>Ha. But then we'd have to see each other-and that's a myth lately, too. :-)</em></strong> .-= Michelle | Bleeding Espresso´s last blog ..<a href="http://bleedingespresso.com/2010/03/love-thursday-love-with-frost.html" rel="nofollow">Love Thursday: Love with Frost</a> =-. Hey if you’re bored, I got some goat pens that could use a good cleaning…. ;)

Ha. But then we’d have to see each other-and that’s a myth lately, too. :-)

.-= Michelle | Bleeding Espresso´s last blog ..Love Thursday: Love with Frost =-.

]]> By: Katja http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12157 Katja Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:35:03 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12157 A friend of mine came over from the UK for a weekend visit a month or so ago. "Where shall we go to eat?' she asked, and then looked flabbergasted that I didn't have the first idea. What people forget is that I *live* here. Do you go to restaurants every night when you're in your own town? No, you do not. So why would you think I do so, just because I live in Italy? The other myth is the weather. Friends from the UK assume that I'm bathed in glorious golden sunshine every minute of the day. Sadly, this couldn't be further from the truth! The temperatures may be higher than in the UK, but it's also as damp as sin down here, and I feel far colder than I ever do at home, an awful lot of the time. Roll on spring, say I! <strong><em>Ha! So funny. I just wrote a post about this (that goes live this Tuesday)!</em></strong> .-= Katja´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.katebailward.com/drivinglikeamaniac/?p=203" rel="nofollow">Lost in Translation</a> =-. A friend of mine came over from the UK for a weekend visit a month or so ago. “Where shall we go to eat?’ she asked, and then looked flabbergasted that I didn’t have the first idea. What people forget is that I *live* here. Do you go to restaurants every night when you’re in your own town? No, you do not. So why would you think I do so, just because I live in Italy?

The other myth is the weather. Friends from the UK assume that I’m bathed in glorious golden sunshine every minute of the day. Sadly, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The temperatures may be higher than in the UK, but it’s also as damp as sin down here, and I feel far colder than I ever do at home, an awful lot of the time. Roll on spring, say I!

Ha! So funny. I just wrote a post about this (that goes live this Tuesday)!

.-= Katja´s last blog ..Lost in Translation =-.

]]> By: Martha http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12156 Martha Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:30:15 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12156 All of this is so true. It is easier for us to travel up here in Tuscany, but it is the idea that you have to travel if you want to buy a book in English or eat a Chinese meal. And then people can't beleive it when you whine about it! Oh and libraries. We so miss libraries. But there is so much I don't miss like traffic and too much snow. <strong><em>I miss libraries, too, but I REALLY miss big bookstores where you can hang out for hours ... ah ....</em></strong> .-= Martha´s last blog ..<a href="http://friendsandfamilyinitaly.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/more-thoughts-on-retirement/" rel="nofollow">More Thoughts on Retirement</a> =-. All of this is so true. It is easier for us to travel up here in Tuscany, but it is the idea that you have to travel if you want to buy a book in English or eat a Chinese meal. And then people can’t beleive it when you whine about it! Oh and libraries. We so miss libraries. But there is so much I don’t miss like traffic and too much snow.

I miss libraries, too, but I REALLY miss big bookstores where you can hang out for hours … ah ….

.-= Martha´s last blog ..More Thoughts on Retirement =-.

]]> By: Loulou http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12155 Loulou Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:07:37 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12155 For #3, I get just the opposite that you do. :) People can't believe that we don't miss things from America. When they ask what we miss and we respond, "good, take out Chinese food" they insist that there must be more. They also often assume that we moved here because we don't like America. Very strange! <strong><em>Ha, that is strange (and lucky that you can admit to missing things!) I wonder what the difference is-Italy vs France, me being in the south, the people I'm around ... :-) I was just bemoaning the lack of take out this week! Sometimes you just aren't in the mood to cook!</em></strong> .-= Loulou´s last blog ..<a href="http://chezlouloufrance.blogspot.com/2010/03/dont-speak.html" rel="nofollow">Don't Speak</a> =-. For #3, I get just the opposite that you do. :)
People can’t believe that we don’t miss things from America. When they ask what we miss and we respond, “good, take out Chinese food” they insist that there must be more.
They also often assume that we moved here because we don’t like America. Very strange!

Ha, that is strange (and lucky that you can admit to missing things!) I wonder what the difference is-Italy vs France, me being in the south, the people I’m around … :-) I was just bemoaning the lack of take out this week! Sometimes you just aren’t in the mood to cook!

.-= Loulou´s last blog ..Don’t Speak =-.

]]> By: Sonia http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12154 Sonia Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:37:33 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12154 Excellent post Cherrye! You're so right on with all 3 of these points. Everyone assumes because we live in Italy it's paradise.... if only we had our families and Tex-Mex food... then it would be! <strong><em>Amen!</em></strong> .-= Sonia´s last blog ..<a href="http://mysweetmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/02/q-what-will-our-child-be-speaking-opol.html" rel="nofollow">Q: What will our child be speaking? A: OPOL</a> =-. Excellent post Cherrye! You’re so right on with all 3 of these points. Everyone assumes because we live in Italy it’s paradise…. if only we had our families and Tex-Mex food… then it would be!

Amen!

.-= Sonia´s last blog ..Q: What will our child be speaking? A: OPOL =-.

]]> By: travelingsuep http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12153 travelingsuep Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:04:06 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12153 Well said Cherrye, especially the point about routine and boredom. I often get asked about what I cook, and as I am a basic cook I cook the same dishes whichever country I am in; just in the Med the ingredients are fresher and better. <strong><em>Yea, I know it seems strange to say you can get "bored" in Italy, but it is what it is ... right?</em></strong> .-= travelingsuep´s last blog ..<a href="http://pownallchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/03/gratitude-friday-moment-of-peace.html" rel="nofollow">Gratitude Friday - a moment of peace</a> =-. Well said Cherrye, especially the point about routine and boredom. I often get asked about what I cook, and as I am a basic cook I cook the same dishes whichever country I am in; just in the Med the ingredients are fresher and better.

Yea, I know it seems strange to say you can get “bored” in Italy, but it is what it is … right?

.-= travelingsuep´s last blog ..Gratitude Friday – a moment of peace =-.

]]> By: Laura from Ciao Amalfi http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12151 Laura from Ciao Amalfi Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:24 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12151 Ciao Cherrye! #1 is certainly true, and I know we have it a bit easier being so near Naples. But it is expensive. Once you factor in train tickets, eating, hotel, even a weekend in Rome or Florence can be quite a lot. But I'm set on exploring around Campania more this summer and doing more daytrips. Enjoyed this post! :-) <strong><em>Thanks, Laura. I plan to do more day trips this year, too. It's sad that it is *so* much more expensive here to do a weekend trip than it was (is?) back in the states. </em></strong> .-= Laura from Ciao Amalfi´s last blog ..<a href="http://ciaoamalfi.blogspot.com/2010/03/sugar-snow-on-amalfi-coast.html" rel="nofollow">Sugar Snow on the Amalfi Coast</a> =-. Ciao Cherrye! #1 is certainly true, and I know we have it a bit easier being so near Naples. But it is expensive. Once you factor in train tickets, eating, hotel, even a weekend in Rome or Florence can be quite a lot. But I’m set on exploring around Campania more this summer and doing more daytrips. Enjoyed this post! :-)

Thanks, Laura. I plan to do more day trips this year, too. It’s sad that it is *so* much more expensive here to do a weekend trip than it was (is?) back in the states.

.-= Laura from Ciao Amalfi´s last blog ..Sugar Snow on the Amalfi Coast =-.

]]> By: Busted! Three Things You Didn’t Know About Being an Expat in Southern Italy | My Bella Vita http://my-bellavita.com/2010/03/05/myths-of-being-an-expat-in-southern-italy/comment-page-1/#comment-12150 Busted! Three Things You Didn’t Know About Being an Expat in Southern Italy | My Bella Vita Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:03:36 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=3729#comment-12150 [...] to prepare for meals and seeing the same people at the local bars and pizzerias. Post continues here. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Busted! Three Things You Didn’t Know About Being an [...] [...] to prepare for meals and seeing the same people at the local bars and pizzerias. Post continues here. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Busted! Three Things You Didn’t Know About Being an [...]

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