Why We Move

By Tina Ferrari
September 3rd, 2009

9 Comments »
Posted in ( SEO Tools )

What is it that attracts us to a place? What inspires us to take the leap across the ocean to make a new country our home?

Some people move for work, others for the experience of living in a new place with a new culture and language, and yet others for love. Then there are those of us who just feel “right” in a certain place. We all have different reasons for being inspired enough by a country to live there. I’ve moved for plenty of different reasons. Having lived abroad several times, every motivation was unique, as was every experience.

Heritage. In my case, my love affair with Italy began when I was born. Born to an Italian-American family, I was exposed to all things Italian from the get-go. I still remember sitting in my great-grandmother’s kitchen when I was a child, listening her speak to me in Italian mixed with broken English while she fed me. At the time, I had never guessed that I would live there, but once I started traveling to Italy, it was apparent in my heart that it would be my home. When I found out I qualified to be an Italian citizen, I was overjoyed and jumped into the long bureaucratic process of becoming Italian. Moving to Italy means moving back to my roots.

Love for a person. After I finally took the leap and moved to Italy for the first time, I also fell in love – with an Argentine. Next thing I knew, all I had created for myself in Italy was put on hold so I could follow a man to Buenos Aires. It was very romantic, this move, but it certainly brought up its own set of challenges. After about a month and a half in Argentina we were in Seattle again, for various practical reasons. The relationship didn’t work out but I did fall in love with Buenos Aires and went back to live on my own for a year and a quarter.

Love for a place. Some people get quite attached to places. Every time I traveled to Italy, the moment I would set foot on Italian soil, I would sigh as though arriving home. I moved there because I wanted to go home. It is my home. Those hills with their ancient olive trees are part of who I am. I know expats who feel this way about Spain, France, England and many other places. Sometimes the pace of a city just fits with how you do things. Maybe you find it easier to adapt to the cultural habits of a certain country more than your own. Maybe you just like it.

Something different. Eight years ago, a good friend of mine returned from living in Italy for a year. I was inspired, envious. I had just made some changes in my life and wanted to do something new, take a new direction. I needed something different, and a totally new environment sounded just right. I had already traveled a considerable amount, but had never considered living abroad. I got tired of feeling jealous of people who “got to do” these things and created an opportunity for myself. I closed my eyes, put my finger on a map of Europe, and it landed on Switzerland. I made it happen and spent eight months working as an au-pair and taking the train to Italy as much as possible. I became the perpetual expat you see here today.

What inspired you to make the move?

Tina Ferrari is a translator, writer and tango dancer who will soon be based in Italy. She writes at AffordableCallingCards.net as well as on her own blog, Tina Tangos. Comments are always welcome!

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Tags: expat life, Italy, relocating

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