Posts Tagged ‘Italy’

by Tina Ferrari

I recently spent just over a week in Puglia; Lecce, to be exact, on the Salento peninsula.  Looking at a map of Italy, you’ll find it near the bottom of the “stiletto heel”.

A friend brought me to the ancient town of Gallipoli one morning.  Located about 45 minutes from Lecce on the Ionian Sea, Gallipoli in February is sleepy and warm.  After a cold and gray winter in Perugia, it felt good to walk along the water without a jacket, breathing in the salty air.

While my friend was at an appointment, I took the opportunity to walk around the town a little bit and peek into stores. I came across a shop selling things like local olive oil and wine.  I decided to go in, and the man running the shop offered me tastes of very green olive oil and a glass of wine.  We chatted about grapes and olives (two of my favorite things) as I sipped my negroamaro.

Afterwards, with a newly purchased bottle of wine in my bag, I found my friend again and she said, “Tina, you have to taste ricci!”  I wasn’t quite sure what she was talking about until we came upon a group of fishermen who had laid out a nice-sized pile of very fresh spiny sea urchins on a table.  She asked if I could taste one since I had never had them before.  One of the men obliged and with a swift move and a “crack!”, a sea urchin was cut in half to reveal it’s red and orange roe, and offered to me with a spoon.

It was quite a delight to taste and smell the salty sea in such a way.  “Do you like them?” they asked me.  I nodded my head happily and we bought a big container of them.

We found an open supermarket and brought some bread and water, and sat at a table overlooking one of the beaches.  The sun warmed our backs as we contentedly scooped out the ricci with bread, without a care in the world.  The ricci were a pleasant surprise, and perhaps my favorite culinary discovery on this trip.

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!

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.

The three finalists from each category are listed below, along with links to their respective blogs and posts. Take your time, read through the posts and click the “VOTE” link below each section to cast your vote for that category.

So grab a glass of wine, sit back, relax and read the Blogging From the Boot … for these are the best of 2009 … .

Mamma Mia: Parenting Stories

1. Merry-Go-Not

Published on Lost in Sicilia by Karen

Light-flashing, pop music-blasting merry-go-rounds with none of the charm of the ‘traditional’ rides I remember fondly from my childhood can be found all over the Catania area, conveniently placed in just the spot where your little one will be sure to not miss it. Well, my negative take on these eye sores has slowly developed into tolerant acceptance, but I have never purposely sought one out to this day. Post continues here.

2. Eggs and So Much More

Published on Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish by Lucia

The day after my post about searching for an Italian preschool I did what I should have done at the start of my search. I finally went to visit the Sicilian family that Karen, Kari, and Coleen told me about before we even arrived in Sicily. As we drove down the country lane to their house we were transported to an Italian oasis of fig, olive, and orange trees and warmly welcomed with hugs and kisses by a pair of Sicilian grandparents. Post continues here.

3. Breastfeeding in Italy

Published on Kataroma by Kataroma

OK I admit it I’ve spent much of my maternity leave becoming addicted to reality TV. As I wrote a few weeks ago I’ve become a huge Trinny and Susannah fan (from What Not to Wear) but having a kid and all I’ve also watched a bit of Supernanny – both the American and Italian (SOS Tata) versions. The American and Italian versions of Supernanny are pretty similar. Post continues here.

Mamma Mia: Cast Your Vote Here

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That’s Amore: Love and Romance

1. Thoughts on Love

Published on Spaghetti al Pomodoro by Amare Divino

A small lifetime has happened in the span of this month. I celebrated my 26th birthday among friends, meeting new people and basking in the glory of sushi and books during the day. I have been immersed in contented happiness and occasional fearful sadness. The passage of time, the inability to change the course of nature. Longing to express myself, and fear of where that will take me. Post continues here.

2. Wedding Reception

Published on American and Italian, Family Living in Italy, With Children by John

After 15 years together they decided to get married so it was not a conventional wedding or reception, but great fun and food at an agriturismo. Post continues here.

3. The Motorcycle Diary

Published on Driving Like a Maniac by Katja

Strangely, with George gone, things begin to get better. Alex comes out of his shell, and we discover that we have a shared sense of humour. I am still homesick, but it’s not quite so overwhelming. Sadness does have a season, and mine, at this point, begins to pass. Post continues here.

That’s Amore: Cast Your Vote Here

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Paparazzi: Expat Photography

1. Pathway of the Gods

Published on Bell’Avventura by Scintilla

Click here to view photo(s).

2. The Valley of the Temples

Published on Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish by Lucia

Click here to view photo(s).

3. Catania Fish Market

Published on Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish by Lucia

Click here to view photo(s).

Paparazzi: Cast Your Vote Here

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Eccomi: Arrivals in 2009

1. Christmas Chaos

Published on The IT Man Cometh by Sam

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! (corny I know, but it had to be done).

One problem with living abroad is that you cannot easily avoid travelling at one of the worst times of the year – Christmas (that is if you want to spend it with your family). Not only is it busy, but the weather (in northern Europe) is often a problem and it’s ridiculously expensive to boot! Post continues here.

2. Except for This

Published on Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish by Lucia

So here’s a little addendum to my glowing post earlier this morning about loving country life…except for: the infestation of bugs in my house. I grew up in the country. I don’t have any fears of bugs (despite my history of being bitten by a brown recluse spider and an allergy to bees). Post continues here.

3. On Banking and Stalkers

Published on Driving Like a Maniac by Katja

It is a little over a month after my arrival in Italy. I am in my classroom, planning three lessons for later in the day. I’m not getting all that far, as I keep being interrupted by my special needs stalker, Francesco. He latched onto me a few days previously, as I went into reception to photocopy materials, and hasn’t left me alone since. Post continues here.

Eccomi: Cast Your Vote Here

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Mangia: Food and Recipes

1. Fine Feathered Friends: Thanksgiving in Italy

Published on Burnt by the Tuscan Sun by Francesca

Spending time in the USA during my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, well, makes me think about all those wonderful Thanksgiving Days celebrated by all us ‘expats’ in our adopted country. In much the same way that Italy (and Europe, for that matter) have adopted Halloween as their own, well, in industrious Milan, even the store owners readied when Thanksgiving was around the corner; stocking their shelves with many items that ordinary Italians would probably have fed to their pigs if they had them. Post continues here.

2. Ten Reasons Why Italians are Thinner

Published on When In Rome Tours by Danielle

Some of the most common remarks I hear from tourists visiting Rome are “You never see any fat Italians! How come Italians are so thin when all they eat is pasta and pizza? Though it may seem as though the Italian diet is a carbaholic’s dream, there really is much more to it than that. Here are ten reasons why the Italian diet is among the healthiest in the world. First things first: Breakfast. Post continues here.

3. Woman Cannot Live on Pasta Alone

Published on Driving Like a Maniac by Katja

When I told people that I was moving to southern Italy, usually the response was something along the lines of, ‘oh, the food’s WONDERFUL there!’ This would closely be followed by something about endless sunshine. The sunshine bit is holding up pretty well today – it’s nearly 4pm on a late-November afternoon and my flatmates and I all have clothes hung out on the balcony to dry, and most of the doors and windows are open. On the food front, however, I’m a little disappointed. Post continues here.

Mangia: Cast Your Vote Here

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Buon Viaggio: Living and Traveling in Italy

1. My Big Fat Italian Honeymoon

Published on When In Rome Tours by Danielle

Like most weddings, ours took a lot of planning. We were both expats living in Italy, so no matter where we got married there was bound to be some traveling involved for our guests. We decided to keep our wedding on the small side and invited about 50 people to an intimate ceremony just outside Rome on the Lago Albano. A wedding right in Rome would have been wonderful, but the thought of 50 of our friends and relatives let loose in this city was a bit more than I could bear. If no one was robbed, lost, or involved in some other kind of disaster while sightseeing in Rome, it would have been a miracle. Post continues here.

2. Roman Holiday

Published on Driving Like a Maniac by Katja

Total spend of somewhere around 300 euros, seriously aching, blistered feet, nearly 20 hours on long distance coaches, and some really dreadful photographs. So was my trip to Rome worth it? Hell, yeah! My weekend starts in a dark, rainy coach park. The coach is scheduled to arrive at 8.20pm, which it duly does. It doesn’t say Roma on the front, though, which confuses me. Post continues here.

3. Every Sunday Evening

Published on Ciao Amalfi! by Laura

Every Sunday evening during the warm weather months, of which there are many, the old men near where I live play bocce. This game is played all over Italy, but here it is a local ritual that takes place only on Sunday evenings. The familiar clicking sound of the balls and the voices from afar have become a weekly ritual all its own for me. These sounds reach me at a different moment every Sunday, sometimes watering the garden, sometimes reading, sometimes preparing dinner. But no matter what I’m doing it marks a passage of time, that another week is coming to an end and a new one is about to begin. Post continues here.

Buon Viaggio: Cast Your Vote Here

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Italianissimo: Only in Italy

1. Going Postal

Published on An Expatriate in Rapallo by Fern

Our postman was kind of grumpy and never returned our greetings. BOO! We have a new postman! YAY! He won’t bring us any mail. BOO! It does seem that Italy is conspiring to give us every frustrating experience we’ve ever read or heard about. Crummy mail service? Oh come on, that news is so old it’s no longer true. Italian mail service has improved considerably, even in the few years we’ve been here. Post continues here.

2. Well It Was Bound to Come Up at Some Point

Published on Driving Like a Maniac by Katja

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach a group of five 15- to 18-year-olds. They may know the language of grammar (auxiliary/modal/state verbs, adjectives, subject/object/pronoun etc), but putting the rules into practice is an entirely different matter. They’re a really entertaining group of kids, and I enjoy the lessons. However, they are experts at diverting onto subjects that they want to talk about, rather than the things that I think we should cover. Let me take you back to last night’s lesson … Post continues here.

3. Italians and the Dreaded Colpo d’Aria

Published on When In Rome Tours by Danielle

Living in Italy for the last 10 years or so, I have had the chance to observe and ponder on many of the cultural curiosities that set it apart from much of the rest of the world. Having grown up in an Italian family, I was often warned of the perhaps fatal consequences of certain practices such as drinking anything with ice, going out with wet hair, or being given the “malocchio” (evil eye) to name a few. All these superstitions I would take with a grain of salt, as I found them harmless and would for the most part simply ignore them. Post continues here.

Only in Italy: Cast Your Vote Here

Voting will be open through Friday, February 5 at 5:00 PM, Italy time. Winners will be announced here on Monday, February 8, 2010.

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!

Calling all expats in Italy …

All expats in Italy, please step forward.

Oh, hi there.

It’s Cherrye and Tina here and we’ve teamed up with Affordable Calling Cards to bring you the first annual Blogging from the Boot awards.

If you lived in the Bel Paese in 2009 and wrote about your expat experiences-even once-then this contest is for you. Did you write funny posts? Heartwarming stories? Love letters???

Perfect.

Here are the details.

The Blogging from the Boot awards were created as a Blog Carnival to highlight the best expat in Italy writing from 2009.

The following categories are open for submissions:

- Mangia! Food and Recipe Posts
In this category, expats in Italy will share their experiences with Italy’s other national pass time-eating!

- That’s Amore: Romance and Love
The Bel Paese is all about love and romance and any post that discusses an expat’s love affair with Italy-or her inhabitants-should be submitted to this category.

- Italianissimo: “Only in Italy” Tales from the Bel Paese
All expats have at least one “Only in Italy” story … whether funny, poignant or educational-submit those posts here.

- Mamma Mia: Parenting Stories
Rearing children in Italy is a topic near and dear to the heart of every expat parent. Posts that focus on this theme should be submitted here.

- Buon Viaggio: Living and Traveling Around the Boot
Many Italy-based expats enjoy sharing stories of their adopted hometowns, destination highlights or tips and tricks from their favorite Italian vacation spots. Any and all travel-based posts should be submitted to this category.

- Paparazzi! Expat Photography
Given the unmatched beauty of the boot, it is no surprise expats in Italy fill the Blogosphere with photos of the Bel Paese. Photo entries should be submitted here.

- Eccomi: Arrivals in 2009
New expats often have a different perspective from those who are settled into their adopted lives. This category is dedicated to expats who moved to Italy in 2009.

Rules and Deadlines:

1. To be eligible, the author must have lived in Italy at some point during 2009.

2. Submitted entries must have been published in 2009.

3. Entries must be received by 5:00 PM-Italy time on Friday, January 29, 2010.

4. There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit in any category.

Click here to submit material.

Judging will take place on January 30-31 and finalists will be announced right here on AffordableCallingCards.net on February 1.

Winners in each category will receive local Perugian chocolate-straight from the source-and a fancy new banner to showcase on their blogs, courtesy of AffordableCallingCards.net.

For more information, email bloggingfromtheboot@gmail.com.

In bocca al lupo!

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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.

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

by Tina Ferrari

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.

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.