When she was a student, one fine day she was crossing the square in front of the duomo at the same time a young Italian man was crossing from another direction. She accosted him, suggested a coffee and conversation. Not long after, a wedding in Corciano, followed by a 5 year stint in Vancouver, Canada, from whence we came, where they bore us two grandchildren. The moved back to the Gualdo area and "forced" us to uproot ourselves. Who says septuagenarians are too old for such an upheaval. It's tonic for the soul.
Good piece, Cheryl. My wife and I were lucky to find Perugia many years ago because our daughter attended the Universita per Stranieri and later the Universita di Perugia. When we moved here last year (a year ago tomorrow), on a permanent basis, we settled in a rural area south of Gualdo Tadino, a small town on the eastern edge of Umbria. Suits us fine. One of the things I realized after reading your article is that we are immigrants and not expats in the sense of the words you use. I have, however, been referring to myself as an expat. Not now. Immigrant it is. And yes, I am changed and changing.
I’m thrilled to have just discovered your newsletter and am making my way though past ones. I too am a SF native (also with a large dog!) hoping to relocate to Umbria when my youngest graduates from college in two years, so everything you are writing about your experience feels like it might be coming from my future self!
We love Lucca! But I can see why it closed in on you. Waaaaaaay too many tourists. It makes me feel bad, as an American, like I’m part of the problem. That’s why I always let John beard me with his far superior Italian :-) Easier to hide that way.
Perugia’s fantastic, especially if you’re not smack-dab in the city center. You were smart. And if you ever find yourself in Amelia, which is not too far, there’s a coffee and a convo in it for you, from one crusty hermit to another.
I think moving anywhere in a foreign country means being open to the possibility that the place you think you're moving to may not be that place. Until you're in a space and get a sense of it, you can't know if it's what you're looking for. That requires understanding that it may not be what you've believed it to be.
Once you're on the ground and you can try a place on and see if it works for you, then you can determine what the long-term possibilities are. I think your approach and your mindset were solid. You can't know what you're getting into until you're there, and then you learn things you can't know until you experience them for yourself.
It's not easy moving halfway around the world. Congratulations on finding a place that fits!
Love your articles. Question a little off the beaten path but how did you get your dog to Italy? My wife and I are constantly stopped by how to get our dogs, 2 small Jack Russell terriers, safely to Italy. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks
Another great article! It's so true that at least one - - and maybe more - - moves between towns and regions are to be factored into the reality of moving to Italy.
When she was a student, one fine day she was crossing the square in front of the duomo at the same time a young Italian man was crossing from another direction. She accosted him, suggested a coffee and conversation. Not long after, a wedding in Corciano, followed by a 5 year stint in Vancouver, Canada, from whence we came, where they bore us two grandchildren. The moved back to the Gualdo area and "forced" us to uproot ourselves. Who says septuagenarians are too old for such an upheaval. It's tonic for the soul.
Good piece, Cheryl. My wife and I were lucky to find Perugia many years ago because our daughter attended the Universita per Stranieri and later the Universita di Perugia. When we moved here last year (a year ago tomorrow), on a permanent basis, we settled in a rural area south of Gualdo Tadino, a small town on the eastern edge of Umbria. Suits us fine. One of the things I realized after reading your article is that we are immigrants and not expats in the sense of the words you use. I have, however, been referring to myself as an expat. Not now. Immigrant it is. And yes, I am changed and changing.
I’m thrilled to have just discovered your newsletter and am making my way though past ones. I too am a SF native (also with a large dog!) hoping to relocate to Umbria when my youngest graduates from college in two years, so everything you are writing about your experience feels like it might be coming from my future self!
We love Lucca! But I can see why it closed in on you. Waaaaaaay too many tourists. It makes me feel bad, as an American, like I’m part of the problem. That’s why I always let John beard me with his far superior Italian :-) Easier to hide that way.
Perugia’s fantastic, especially if you’re not smack-dab in the city center. You were smart. And if you ever find yourself in Amelia, which is not too far, there’s a coffee and a convo in it for you, from one crusty hermit to another.
I think moving anywhere in a foreign country means being open to the possibility that the place you think you're moving to may not be that place. Until you're in a space and get a sense of it, you can't know if it's what you're looking for. That requires understanding that it may not be what you've believed it to be.
Once you're on the ground and you can try a place on and see if it works for you, then you can determine what the long-term possibilities are. I think your approach and your mindset were solid. You can't know what you're getting into until you're there, and then you learn things you can't know until you experience them for yourself.
It's not easy moving halfway around the world. Congratulations on finding a place that fits!
Thanks for sharing your story! I look forward to reading more.
To paraphrase another movie, Jerry Maguire, you had me at "better train service."
Love your articles. Question a little off the beaten path but how did you get your dog to Italy? My wife and I are constantly stopped by how to get our dogs, 2 small Jack Russell terriers, safely to Italy. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks
Another great article! It's so true that at least one - - and maybe more - - moves between towns and regions are to be factored into the reality of moving to Italy.