Posts Tagged ‘expat in italy’

Well folks, the votes are in and the time has come to reveal the winners of the Blogging from the Boot contest.  It wasn’t easy narrowing down the initial finalists, as so many great entries came in!  I can only imagine how tough the choice was for you, the general public, when it came to voting the winner in each category. One of the entrants won in four different categories, so it looks like she’ll be getting a bit of extra chocolate.  Way to go!

Alright, here are the winners:

Mamma Mia: Parenting Stories

Eggs and so Much More by Lucia (Dim Sum, Bagels and Crawfish)

That’s Amore: Love and Romance

The Motorcycle Diary by Katja (Driving Like a Maniac)

Paparazzi: Expat Photography

Pathway of the Gods by Scintilla (Bell’Avventura)

Eccomi: Arrivals in 2009

On Banking and Stalkers by Katja (Driving Like a Maniac)

Mangia: Food and Recipes

Woman Cannot Live on Pasta Alone by Katja (Driving Like a Maniac)

Buon Viaggio: Living and Traveling in Italy

Every Sunday Evening by Laura (Ciao Amalfi)

Italianissimo: Only in Italy

Well It Was Bound to Come Up at Some Point by Katja (Driving Like a Maniac)

Thanks to everyone for submitting, thanks to the public for voting, and congratulations to our winners!

Hi, it’s Tina and Cherrye again!  We are have having so much fun collecting entries for the Blogging from the Boot contest.  This week, I (Tina) will be paying a visit to a certain chocolate maker and picking out some sweet little prizes for our winners.

We’re also have a great time getting to know our judges.  You’ve already met Michelle and Georgette, and today I’ll be introducing you to our third judge.

Audra de Falco, aka That Girl in Italy, is a freelance translator, student, and part time English teacher from New York, living and loving in Reggio Emilia. She enjoys trying new foods, travel, dancing and cheesy horror films. You can meet her and all her friends at the bi-weekly Reggio Emilia and Modena English meetup.

I first got to know Audra through Expats In Italy.  She’s one of those sunny spirits who really doesn’t let anything get her down.  She’s also a talented writer.

I enjoy reading what she has to say about food, and it’s always enjoyable to read her posts in which she includes a bit of the Sicilian language.  What really gives me a sense of solidarity with this girl, is our similar experience with Italy’s internet providers.

There are still a few days left to submit entries, so don’t be shy!  Click here to enter!

Entries are still coming in for the Blogging from the Boot contest!   We are so very fortunate to have selected three special judges to help us with the narrowing down of the finalists.

Recently you met one of our judges, Michelle Fabio.  Today I would like to introduce you to our second judge.  Though we’ve never met, she is a woman after my own heart.

Georgette Jupe lives in Florence and her blog makes me feel like I’m chatting with one of my American girlfriends over a cosmo about everything in life, a la Sex and the City.

In her own words, she’s “a 25 year old from Texas with an addiction to food, wine and good conversation…not to mention a long and arduous journey from America to  Italy (well it was British Airways).  I left for LA when I was 18 for 5 years, taught English in China for a month, and now I’ve ended up via fate in Florence, Italy.  So I suppose you can assume I’m a bit of a vagabond or a gypsy…or as I like to think…just curious.  My passions include sarcasm, laughter, good friends and new wine…and giddy feelings of excitement ”.

Georgette is a breath of fresh air in the land of Italy expat blogging.  I particularly enjoyed reading this post about paying taxes in Italy.  It’s no fun or small feat, but she tackles it with flair, at least in her blog.

We are happy to have her among our judges!

There is still time to enter – you have this whole week!  And don’t you like chocolate?  Click here to submit.

As you know, Cherrye and I (Tina) have been hard at work with the Blogging from the Boot contest. We’ve seen some very fun entries and I can’t wait to see what more is to come.

Well, we couldn’t possibly do it alone, so we’ve recruited three fabulous judges to assist us in the reading and judging of the contest entries.  And who better to judge a blogging contest than fellow bloggers?

With that in mind, I would like to introduce you to our first judge.

Michelle Fabio of Bleeding Espresso is an American freelance writer and attorney who has lived in her ancestors’ village overlooking the Ionian Sea in Calabria since 2003. She has penned a column for Italy Magazine, contributes frequently to LegalZoom.com, and is the About.com Guide to Law School.

Michelle is one of my favorite bloggers out there – someone I admire for having carved out a freelance life for herself in this beautiful country.

I asked Michelle to share a few of her favorite posts from her own blog:

• Why Would I Want to Live *There* – in which she explains the reason behind her living in Italy
• You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello – in Michelle’s words, “my decision to move here was actually quite easy”
• Conquering Evil (One Plastic Red Horn at a Time) – all about malocchio

We look forward to having her input as we select finalists!

Be sure to click here to submit material. There may be some chocolate in it for you!

By: Cherrye Moore

Earlier this week we announced Blogging from the Boot: The Best of 2009, the blogging contest that is open to any and all expat bloggers who lived in Italy in 2009. We’ve received a great response in the first few days and have been asked a few questions that could be helpful to other expats.

Blogging From the Boot: The Best of 2009 FAQs

Q: How many posts can I submit?

A: There is no limit to the number of posts you can submit in any category. The categories are listed here.

Q: Do I submit my own posts or can I submit posts written by other expats in Italy?

A: You can nominate any post that was written by an expat in Italy and published in 2009. So, if your best blogging friend is a stellar writer with heaps of interesting posts on her blog-go ahead and nominate them. You will use the same entry form to nominate as you would to submit your own posts.

Q: Does the post I submit have to have been published on my blog?

A: It has to have been published on a blog, not necessarily yours. If you wrote a guest post on another blog that fits in one of the categories, feel free to submit it, as well.

Q: Are there prizes for the winners?

A: Oh yea … the first place winner in each category will receive local Perugian chocolate and a banner to display on their websites.

Q: How is the contest being judged?

A: Affordable Calling Cards has secured five Expat in Italy judges who will choose finalists for each category. On February 1 the finalists will be announced on this website.

Between Monday, February 1-Friday, February 5 (at 5:00 PM, Italy time) visitors to this site will vote for their favorite entry in each category. Winners will be announced on Monday, February 8, 2010.

If you have any other questions regarding Blogging From the Boot: The Best of 2009, you can send us an email at bloggingfromtheboot@gmail.com.

We look forward to reading your entries!

by Tina Ferrari

The slow life: a relaxing stroll in Tuscany

Those of us who choose to move to Italy – or even just visit – do so in part because there are so many aspects of Italian life that we find so endearing and special.  The way families actually take time to eat together, the different shops you go to in order to buy various foods, the way people are naturally more affectionate with each other than Americans.

Once you settle into life in the bel paese, however, a lot of things that were once cute either become a part of your routine that you barely notice, or they become the opposite of cute. For me, two things come to mind:

- The long lunches.  On one hand, it’s really impressive to me how at least here in Umbria, a lot of people close up shop and go home to eat lunch with their families.  Since I’ve been using my boyfriend’s office for his internet while I wait for mine, I’ve been partaking in this.  We leave the office a little after 1, and come back just after 3:30.  It’s enjoyable because lunch is always balanced, and the day is broken up by some rest and time spent with loved ones.  In general, I think this is a good habit.

However, it’s aggravating when you need to run an errand and the only time you have to do so is on your lunch break.  Everyone else in town is at lunch, hence everything is closed!  The break also feels a bit too long when you have clients waiting to hear from you or if you have a tight deadline.

- The slow life.  Things take time here.  There’s no need to rush.  You learn to slow your pace down to match that of the land around you.  You go about your personal life and make your way to where you need to be, and you get to things when you have time to.  It’s really quite refreshing just to slow down and not rush yourself or be in too much of a hurry.

Unfortunately, the phone company has the same attitude.  If you need a fixed phone line, be prepared to wait at least a month, if not more.  Be prepared to get transferred to various computer-generated voices when you call, only to be hung up on when you finally do reach a person.  Be prepared not to reach anybody during the holidays.  And get a cell phone in the meantime.  When I complain to friends here about the runaround I’m getting from a certain telephone company, they all say, “Welcome to Italy!”

It all comes down to this: when you choose to live in a country, you’re choosing both the good and the bad. And I think for most of us expats, even when we complain, the positives still outweigh the negatives.  I wonder what’s for lunch tomorrow…

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

Think Christmas is over? Think again. For the children of Italy, January 6 marks the day when La Befana*, the cherished Christmas witch delivers stockings and presents to all of the good little ragazzi. In true Italian style, the legend of La Befana is filled with mystery, intrigue and drama and dates back to Jesus’ birth, when the Three Wise Men were searching for his manger.

According to the legend, The Three Wise men met La Befana as they were looking for the manger, asked her for directions, and invited her to come along. She refused their invitation because she was too busy cleaning her house.

Later that night, she saw a great light rising into the sky and decided to join the Three Wise Men in search for the infant King. She ran after them, still carrying her broom, but got lost and never made it to the manger. Somehow her broom magically began to fly, but she still could not find the Wise Men or the baby.

Each year she continues her search on the night before the Epiphany and fills stockings with candy to the good children-or coal to the bad ones- throughout the country.

And this is quite the holiday.

Photo: Trevino on Flickr

Children in Calabria adore La Befana and anticipate her arrival much in the same way as children in the US look forward to Santa. In fact, it is only the last 30 years or so that Santa increased his popularity in southern Italy and many of my older Italian friends remember the Feast of the Epiphany with the same childlike wistfulness as we remember our childhood Christmas mornings.

For more information on La Befana, you can read an article I wrote last year about the feast of La Befana or you can read about the Epiphany here.

Cherrye Moore is a freelance writer and B&B owner living in Calabria, Italy. In addition to Affordable Calling Cards, she writes about living and traveling in Calabria at her website, My Bella Vita.

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*According to The Florentine, the name “Befana” derives from the word “Epifania,” the name of the holiday that ends the 12 days of Christmas and is celebrated on January 6.

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By: Cherrye Moore

Photo: Mr. Tea on Flickr

Do you want to relocate to Italy, the land of Roman emperors, shining seas and never-ending pasta, pizza and prosciutto? Then read on. Here is a list of the best sites on the web to help would-be expats plan the move of a lifetime.

1. Expats in Italy

This website single-handedly changed my life. I moved to southern Italy with little or no advanced research on the notion that my true love would see me through. (Yes, I am that naive.)

A few months into my bella vita, I stumbled upon this website and ta daaa … I was not alone. Although I no longer frequent the site on a regular basis, the forum introduced me to many of my closest expat-in-Italy friends and blogging colleagues and for that I’ll always love them.

2. Moving2Italy2

Since September 2007, Ben and his wife, Martha have been living the dream in Monte San Savino. This site is chock-full, and when I say chock-full, I mean overflowing, with helpful links and resources for people wishing to relocate to Italy. Thinking about trying out that life in Italy before you make the plunge? Why not visit Martha and Ben at their guest house – and while you are there, pick their brains. They know a lot!

3. Blog from Italy

While Blog from Italy, written by British English teacher and Milan-based expat, Alex, isn’t tailored to future expats, he does feature apartment rentals and offer feature articles on buying an apartment in Italy. He also offers some of the most extensive news coverage in English and I often find myself “lost” on his site for hours, unwilling-or unable-to pull myself away.

4. Burnt by the Tuscan Sun

Think everything in Italy is peaches and cream-flavored gelato? If so, head over to Francesca’s blog and read up on how that marvelous Tuscan sun sometimes overheats and  leaves Italy’s inhabitants feeling, well, burned. This site offers an interesting contrast from other expat in Italy-based blogs and is a must-read for people considering a move to Italy.

5. Ms. Adventures in Italy

In addition to her award-winning photography, recipes and articles, Sara has an impressive list of other expats in Italy, listed along with their blog URL and location within the country to help you select a blogger in your preferred section of the bel paese.

This is by no means an exclusive list of sites that can help you with your move to Italy. What are your favorite sites and why?

Cherrye Moore is a freelance writer and southern Italy travel consultant living in Calabria, Italy. In addition to Affordable Calling Cards, she writes about living and traveling in Calabria at her website, My Bella Vita.

By: Cherrye Moore

The world-or at least Italy and America-has been talking a lot about Amanda Knox, the American college student who was accused and recently convicted of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.

The story has all of the ingredients any Lifetime Movie could dream of – Sex, Murder, Lies and Betrayal.

Only, this is no fairytale.

A young expat is dead;

another sentenced to 26 years in a foreign prison;

and the world debating a judicial system that may-or may not be-equal to what Americans consider minimum standard, but that is, nevertheless, the governing system where Amanda Knox committed her crime.

In addition to the glowering “Don’t Murder Your Roommate Abroad” advice, there are lessons here for all of us.

Whether or not you believe Amanda Knox is guilty, expats around the world can all learn from her mistakes.

1. Expats don’t have to be gone long to understand there are major differences between their new home and the one they left behind. Remembering these differences and knowing that the judicial system will likely be very different from what you are used to might help you if you find yourself in legal trouble.

2. Speaking of differences, Americans are accustomed to having certain rights as they pertain to police questioning. These rights are not universal … another difficult difference if you find yourself in trouble abroad.

3. Language difficulties no doubt played an important role in the primary questioning of this case. If it’s not easy to go to the store and buy Q tips in a foreign language, it won’t be easy being interrogated by police who are searching for a murderer.

4. Many people-myself included-have a hard time understanding some of Amanda’s actions following the murder. While they may have felt justified in her mind, cartwheels and lingerie shopping aren’t considered appropriate grieving behavior by many people. Perhaps she was stressed or letting off steam, as some have suggested, but remembering one’s manners in a foreign city and international police station, are in your best interest.

So what do you say? What other lessons can expats learn from Amanda?

Cherrye Moore is a freelance writer and southern Italy travel consultant living in Calabria, Italy. She and her Calabrese husband own Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast in Catanzaro. Comments are welcome on both sites.

by Tina Ferrari

One of the best parts of living in a new country is getting to know the people and the little things they do that are unique to their culture.  Cherrye has discussed this a few times on her blog, and now that I’ve been back in Italy a couple of months, I’ve been reminded of a few of my favorite little things Italians say and do.

1.  Ciao – times 10.  If you’ve spent any time in Italy at all, you’ve heard it.  “Ciao, ciao-ciao, ciao-ciao-ciao, ciao-ciao.  Ciao, ciao-ciao. Ciao…ciao.”  This is a common way to say goodbye when ending a cell phone conversation.  “Ciao” is said about 10 times, before AND after disconnecting the call.  That’s right, after.  Next time you have a chance to listen in on a phone conversation in Italy (but don’t tell them I told you to), pay attention.  There is plenty of “ciao” to be said after the call is done and the phone is shut off.  It’s almost like a superstition.

2.  L’influenza.  There’s a flu that Italians always seem to get – nobody else catches it that I know of.  It’s an Italian phenomenon that usually lasts two days.  Last time I heard someone say they were “influenzato”, down with the flu, the person followed their statement with “I think it’s because I had eaten a big lunch and went outside right after.”

3.  Kindness.  On a less humorous and more humble note, the kindness of the people around me in my beautiful new home country has really touched me.  I don’t have a car and sometimes need a lift home from tango.  I didn’t know where to start when I wanted to look for an apartment and needed help.  Though I speak Italian, I didn’t understand the fast-talking lady at the phone company very well and needed someone to call for me and explain to me a little more slowly.  Every time I have said, “Thank you,” the response I’ve gotten each time has been, “Are you kidding?  It’s a pleasure, I enjoy helping you.”  And when this is said in Italian it’s oh so sweet.

Tina Ferrari is an Italian-American translator, tango dancer and part-time writer based in Umbria, Italy.  In addition to AffordableCallingCards.net, Tina can also be found at her blog, Tina Tangos.  Comments are welcome!