by Tina Ferrari

I get into discussions with people in the US, once in a while, that surround the quality of life here in Italy.  It’s a topic I love delving into, as everyone always has a different opinion.  One recent discussion got me thinking about the things that I have learned to live without on my expat adventures.

A car. Being the nomad I am, a car would be pretty useless to me.  I stopped driving 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back since.  All the money I would have spent on insurance and car repairs, I instead spent on plane ticket and life experiences in new cultures.  While sometimes it is a pain to go without a car in Italy, I still live well – I live where I can walk almost everywhere, there is public transportation and I have recently discovered two local services, SalentoinBus and the Ferrovie del Sud Est, which are a bus and train service, respectively, and they go all over my dear little Salento.  In Buenos Aires it would have been crazy to have a car. With their amazing and reliable bus system, plus the subway (Subte) system, I got everywhere I needed to go with no problems.

A dryer. I know very few people in Italy who have a clothes dryer.  We all hang our clothes up to dry on a clothes line or a laundry rack, and when it’s sunny, things dry pretty quickly.  (In the winter this is no fun and it takes forever).  I think it has something to do with the voltage here, though I’m not sure.  But no dryers.  This was easy for me to get used to since I’m so picky about how my clothes are handled and never use a dryer anyway, but towels and sheets can be a bit of a nightmare.  Nonetheless, it’s really not that big of a deal.  I know people who say ‘I would never live where I can’t have a dryer’, and I say, is it really THAT important?  I ask myself, has my psychological or physical health worsened without a clothes dryer?  No.  Okay, then.

A giant salary. Ok, it would be great to make a  large salary and if one comes along I will definitely consider it, but all in all, I’m happy with how I live.  After having been through a crisis of sorts, my priorities have changed a lot in terms of money and now that I am making enough to live on again without freaking out, I feel pretty relaxed.  The average Italian salary is pretty low, regardless of what you do, and it’s important to consider that if you are looking to live here.  I personally do fine.  I am grateful that I can pay the rent, feed myself, and take tiny little trips around southern Italy.  I like to think that I live extremely well.  I don’t need extra gadgets or new clothes all the time.  Living with this kind of salary teaches you to look at things in a different way, and to save creatively.

What are the things you have learned to live without in your new home?

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

By: Cherrye Moore

I’ve written a bit, both here at ACC and at my website, My Bella Vita about my summer adventures with my nine year old nephew and my friend’s 14 year old son. While I expected them to fall in love with the “hot Italian chics”-their words, not mine, a few of their favorite things about southern Italy took me by surprise.

Here are the top three things (these) kids loved about southern Italy.

1. Calzones

Maybe it should have been obvious, but I was seriously shocked by how much my nephew loved fried calzones.

Just last night, he asked for a repeat dinner-of the previous night’s calzones-gobbled the goods before we drove the one kilometer home, and asked us to go back for seconds.

Luckily for us here in Catanzaro, there is a great little pizzeria that sells these babies, fresh from the grease, for just €1.00 each, so he can have an “all you can eat” without breaking the bank.

2. Castles

It is important to know that southern Italy’s castles are not like the fairy tale castles of England, Germany or France.

Oh no, these castles have suffered invasions, attacks, earthquakes and years of abandonment, so oftentimes you are left with a shell of the castle’s former glory.

So, I was surprised by how much the boys enjoyed them. The castle they most enjoyed (seen above) is Murat Castle, located just off of the main piazza in Pizzo, Calabria. I’m not sure if it is the castle’s imposing presence on the Tyrrhenian, the mock soldiers inside or the idea of tough men fighting tougher wars, but they loved it.

3. Beaches

Ok, so I really kinda figured the boys would love the beaches, but I was still surprised at just. how. much.

Seriously, they couldn’t get enough of the creamy tan sand, frothy waves and blue-green waters of Calabria’s coastline.

In fact, they couldn’t settle on just one beach and instead urged me to take them on day trips so they could check out the beaches in other cities around the area. Their favorite-if not for the warm Tyrrhenian waters, then for the topless sunbather-was the beach (pictured above) just beneath the Murat Castle in Pizzo.

Cherrye Moore is an American freelance writer and Calabria tour consultant living in southern Italy. You can read more about her adventures in Calabria at her site, My Bella Vita or visit her in person at her B&B in Catanzaro.

Photos: iskcon.net, Cherrye at My Bella Vita

by Tina Ferrari

Will I ever run out of things to love about Italy?  I doubt it.  Here are my latest three favorite things…

Going out to buy wine. Everywhere else I have lived, purchasing wine has naturally involved buying a bottle at a time.  In Italy, you will certainly be able to do that, and good wine does not cost very much.  It’s an essential food here, and therefore accessible.  Something I have noticed a lot, particularly here in the Salento, is the act of going to a wine producer’s outlet and having them fill a jug several liters full of the elixir.  Prices are around 1 or 2 Euros a liter and if you know where to go, the quality is good.  I have found my place, where I am able to get three liters of wine for around 4 Euros or less.  If you consider that a bottle of wine is less than a liter, then you have an idea of what a good deal that is.  Once you get home, you simply transfer the wine from the large jug to more manageable bottles, and you’ve got enough wine for the week.

Gelato, even for the slim and trim. I love that gelato is not frowned upon as a diet-killer.  Here, particularly in the summer, it’s perfectly acceptable and normal to consume it on a very regular basis.  I have it almost every day (and no weight gain!).  I remember once commenting that gelato must be fattening, and a rather svelte Italian friend said, “Ha! You silly. Gelato doesn’t count!”   Of course not.   And it can make you so happy!  When I need a pick-me-up, I simply hop over to Natale, the nearby gelateria, and get a cone with two wonderful flavors such as pistachio and pine nut, and then I walk over to the Roman amphitheater in Piazza Sant’Oronzo and stare at it as I indulge in my nice cold treat.

The produce. Things look like they’ve just been picked here.  The zucchini still has the flowers attached.  Tomatoes are all kinds of different shapes and they actually taste like tomatoes.  Greens need to be washed really well because they still have dirt on the roots. Things are available in season and it doesn’t cost a lot to buy vegetables.  It’s amazing how high your quality of life feels when you don’t have to worry about being able to afford to eat healthy.  And with so much flavor, who can complain?

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

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The old town in Waldshut, Germany is great for shopping.

by Chantal Panozzo

No matter how long I live in Switzerland, I always feel a rush when I cross a border, even if it’s just for the day. Grocery shopping in Germany, hiking in Lichtenstein, dining in France, part of the fun of living in a country that borders five others is being able to country-hop. Below are four suggestions to make the most of your next border crossing.

Waldshut, Germany: An adorable, postcard perfect town just 40 minutes by train from Zurich. Geraniums spill from windows in the car-free old town where shopping deals can be found on clothes, bakeries offer tempting things like Nusszopf (nut bread), and ice cream cones are only 1 Euro. 1 Euro. Yes. We are not in Switzerland anymore. And right near the train tracks, take your pick, there are three huge grocery stores just waiting to temp you with their huge selection and reasonable prices.

Lake Como, Italy: Less than 30 minutes by train from Lugano, Como and its small resort towns cluster around Lake Como. You can visit a new one each time you cross the border: George Clooney can be found in Bellagio, the Vezio castle is yours to climb in Varenna, and the cathedral awaits in Como. And if you’re feeling fashionable, Milan is just another short 30-minute train ride away.

Vaduz, Lichtenstein: Why go to Lichtenstein? To say you went, of course. While you’re in Vaduz, be sure to buy a few stamps before you embark on a 2.5 hour round-trip hike, beginning and ending at the Rheinpark Stadium.

Eguisheim, France: Not far from Basel, Eguisheim, France is one of the most charming towns in the Alsace. Brightly colored houses all seem to compete for a gardening award, bakeries serve dome-shaped cakes called kougelhopfs, and a walk in the vineyards is just steps away.

Where do you like to border-hop?

Chantal Panozzo is a writer in Switzerland. She’s the author of One Big Yodel, a blog about life in Switzerland and moving abroad, and also discusses living abroad as a freelancer at Writer Abroad.

By: Cherrye Moore

I just wrapped up a five-week trip to my native Texas and as always, I returned to bella Calabria with a load of American goodies, but this time I had a couple of new additions to my pack … two real-life all-American adolescent boys!

Yep … that’s right.

I came back with not one, but two tag-alongs-my nine-year-old nephew, Cole and my friend’s 14-year-old son, Jake. The idea was born more than a year ago, when Jake’s mom asked if he could visit us for part of a summer to “work at our B&B and practice Italian.”

Now, to be perfectly fair, I believe his mother did, indeed, plan for him to help at the B&B and pick up new Italian phrases, however, even then, I knew “work at our B&B and practice Italian” was 14-year-old kid talk for “go to the beach and check out hot Italian chicks.”

And that he has done.

Happily.

Still, it took us about a week to find our groove and settle into a routine. For other expats who are considering hosting their friends’ children in their adopted countries, here are three tips to help you ease into a routine.

1. Establish Realistic Expectations

My husband and I own a B&B and I’m a full-time freelance writer and travel consultant-so we are a busy work-from-home couple. Other expats have time-consuming jobs or even work more than one job. Many American kids might not be used to this and won’t fully understand the demands of your expat job.

Talk honestly about the amount of free time you’ll have to entertain them BEFORE they come, so you will all be on the same page about day trips, excursions and free time.

2. Set Boundaries

For the most part, homes in southern Italy, and throughout Europe, are much smaller than homes we are accustomed to in the states. Tell the kids who are visiting you if any part of the property is off-limits-such as don’t go the B&B without shoes on!-and be sure they know your house rules, such as “rinse off at the beach before you come home,” or “help yourself to as much gelato as you can handle from the freezer.”

3. Get a Schedule

Depending on how much time your tiny tenants will be with you, you might be tempted to postpone certain events or trips with the thought “there’s plenty of time.”

Time, my friend, has a way of getting away.

Print a calendar of the time you’ll have with the kids and schedule important events in advance. This will also help you look at the days, weeks or months and plan when you can work or take care of important personal errands that can’t wait. It will help you feel less stress about taking time off to be with them and will give them something fun to anticipate.

Have you hosted friends’ or family’s children at your expat home? What other suggestions would you add to help get everyone prepared for an awesome summer vacation the kids will never forget?

Cherrye Moore is an American freelance writer and Calabria travel consultant living in Catanzaro, Italy. She writes about expat life on Affordable Calling Cards and about traveling in Calabria on her site, My Bella Vita. You can also visit her at her bed and breakfast in Catanzaro, Il Cedro B&B … and by all means, ignore any and all children you see shoe-less.

by Tina Ferrari

One wonderful thing about exploring your adopted city (or any city, really) is discovering its artistic life.  Lecce in particular is booming with creativity around every corner.  Since I set foot in this city, I’ve been surrounded by dancers like myself, singers, musicians, painters, sculptors… though Lecce has a population of less than a hundred thousand, it feels as big as Buenos Aires (14 million people) with all its cultural activity.  There is always something to see, something to do.

Avanzi exhibition

Walk down Via Palmieri in the historical center of Lecce and you will find a deconsecrated church that now hosts art exhibitions, such as the recent exhibition of Avanzi, a truly original furniture/home décor line designed by Lecce local Alessandra Bray.  Her eco-friendly pieces, made of the surprising elements of cardboard and leather, were on display for a week at the church of San Giovanni di Dio, and tourists and locals alike were able to stop in and chat with Ms. Bray about her creations – and even touch their soft leather.  Since the best way to get to know a city is by conversing with its people, I used the opportunity to chat with her and learn more about Avanzi and what inspired the birth of such a line.

Why cardboard and leather?

“I’ve always loved leather and appreciate the delicate beauty of cardboard,” says Bray, “particularly how something as durable as leather protects the fragile cardboard.”  She hadn’t originally considered giving her pieces an eco-friendly aim, but in essence, that’s what it is.  She continues to say that she was inspired by the thought of “creating – building – with the materials that are available nearby.”  To me, this is truly eco-friendly.  Nothing specially ordered and shipped by plane from across the world; Bray uses material that she gets locally.

Salento, the creative land

"Ra" lamp

As I’ve said before, I find this city to be absolutely rich with creativity.  I asked Ms. Bray why this area in particular is so full of artists.  “We are children of the taranta,” is her answer.  What is the taranta?  It is a spider from this region with a particularly venomous bite.  When bitten, its venom practically possesses you to the point of causing you to hallucinate and shake.  The local folk dance, the pizzica, was born of this legend. Bray goes on to explain that the people here basically tremble with creativity – they’ve been “bitten”, and the act of constantly expressing and creating is the antidote for the venom.  Don’t worry though, you probably won’t meet such a spider here in the city of Lecce –  historically its victims have been those who work in the fields.

"Open" shelf

Are there traces of this incredible land in Bray’s work?  “Absolutely.  The land can be found within the lines of each piece I create.”  She explains that this region is flat and if you look at the architecture, particularly the famous Leccese Baroque buildings, it’s an example of  a need to fill in the lines. “It’s horror vacui, which is Latin for the fear of empty spaces,” she explains.  While I find this land far from empty, I think it’s true what she says – there is constant creation – art, architecture, music, dance – and perhaps part of the inspiration is in the flat land which serves as a blank slate.  There is no empty space in Bray’s work;  it is rich and full.

Lecce, the creative city for foreigners

I’m not from here, yet I too feel constantly inspired to create.  I asked Bray if people from the outside find that it’s easy to live a creative life here.  “Yes,” she says, “this is a city that envelops you, and once you truly discover it, it doesn’t let you go.”

She is right.  This city has taken a hold of me and is not letting me go.

If you would like to learn more about Alessandra Bray and Avanzi, you can visit her website at www.avanzi.mobi.  If you can read Italian, her recent exhibition has also been featured in a local online magazine, Lecce Prima.

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

by Tina Ferrari

This area of Italy is so colorful all year round it seems.  Lecce is particularly nice for its Leccese stone that glows in the sunlight.  Then there’s Palermo which is a very earthy shade of gold, it seems.  And living between two seas, you can imagine I get lots of blue.   Now that it’s summer the colors are that much more brilliant.  I’m having more and more of those “Oh my goodness, I live here!” moments.  The scenery is my second favorite part about being an expat in Italy (food being the first thing).   Instead of trying to describe everything, why don’t I show you what I mean?

Here are some of my favorite colors in Southern Italy:

The green of prickly pears against the blue of the Mediterranean Sea.

The white rocks that jut out of the earth.  I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere but here.  It’s like magic:

The red soil against dark green olive trees.

What colors stand out the most where you live?

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

By: Cherrye Moore

I’ve written a lot over the last few weeks about the things expats miss about home. As an expat in Italy, I always stock up on my American supplies … Velveeta, Ziploc bags, Big Red gum. But I’d know I’d miss Italy if I wasn’t here.

In fact, just last week I wrote about the things my husband and I would miss most about the bel paese if we left. But we’d also stock up.

Here are the top things we’d pack in our bags and take back with us if we lived in the US instead of Italy.

Divella Pasta

Yes, yes, yes … they sell pasta in America, but once you’ve tasted the real deal, and by that I don’t mean homemade pasta, but the dry pasta they sell in Italy, you wouldn’t settle for less, either.

Lately, we have been addicted to Divella pasta, a Pugliese brand pasta that keeps its al dente texture and tastes great with a variety of sauces.

We’d most definitely pack a bag full of assorted shapes and sizes to use in the US and to share with our American friends.

Aiello Coffee

We test-drove every Italian coffee imaginable when we opened our B&B, from Lavazza to Illy to Catanzaro’s own Guglielmo, but the winner was Cosenza-made (Calabrese) Aiello.

There is just something about that bright red bag and strong, robust flavor that keeps us coming back for more … and more … and more … .

And we’d definitely pack it up and take it with us if we ever left.

Kinder Surprise Eggs

While I could certainly live without the Kinder Sorpresa eggs that leave crying kids all over Italian supermarkets, my nine year old nephew couldn’t, so we’d have to pack a few boxes to hold him over until our next trip to Italy.

In fact, it is the one thing he requests each time we visit.

Hey, expats, what would you take back with you to the US if you no longer lived in your adopted country?

Cherrye Moore is a freelance writer and travel consultant living in Calabria, Italy. She can organize a group Calabria tour or help you plan a custom itinerary for your family from her website, My Bella Vita.

Photo: Continental Food UK, Wikipedia Commons and Sweets 2 UK

by Tina Ferrari

Almost lunchtime in southern Italy

I have had several American visitors over the past couple of months and have had a chance to hear firsthand what impressions people have when they visit – particularly when it comes to food.  I was lucky enough to grow up with a more Mediterranean eating style, but having others visit who are not used to it has opened my eyes to three things that are very important here in the culture, but perhaps strange for other people:

The importance of eating. If one thing is true about Italians, eating is very important for them.  Any time I go anywhere with a group to any sort of occasion, it either surrounds food, or by lunchtime (1 pm) or dinnertime (about 9 or 10 pm here in Puglia) we look at our watches, drop what we’re doing and dedicate ourselves to the meal – and if we’re at home this includes using a table cloth and setting the table properly.  This shocks (and pleases) my American visitors every time – in the American culture, sometimes you either grab something quick to eat at the computer while you’re working, or you are so busy you forget your mealtimes.  I can’t imagine most people I know here forgetting a mealtime, ever.  And considering how good the food is, I can’t blame them!

The importance of courses. The main observation my friends make when they visit is, “Gosh, they really eat a lot here!  It’s too much food!”  I had to think about this, because it sounded rather strange.  Here in southern Italy I find the portions are perfectly reasonable compared to those in the U.S.  But I think people who visit may feel so full after a meal because they are not used to taking their time and eating one course at a time.  It’s really not *that* much food, it’s just separated into courses and one thing is eaten at a time. That does tend to fill you up faster.  I also tend to believe that the ingredients are so whole and unadulterated down here that food seems a lot more filling, so even though you’re eating less, you’re filling yourself up with all kinds of great nutrients, instead of eating a lot of empty calories.  Just a thought.  Have no fear though – if lunch is big, dinner is small, and vice versa.

The importance of generosity. Of course, if you are a guest in a Mediterranean home, the whole “moderation” thing goes out the window. The people here love to host and love to be generous with what they have.  It’s a favorite thing of mine about living here – people have no problem being generous, be it food or a ride or the washing machine (yes, I borrow friends’ washing machines at the moment).  My secret, in case you plan to visit and are a guest in someone’s home, is eat slowly and understand that nobody is trying to wreck your diet, they just want to embrace you and make you feel welcome.  And no, we don’t eat like that every day, only when we have special guests.  It’s all about you.  It’s overwhelming if you’re not accustomed to such meals that can last quite a while, but that’s what grappa and espresso are for at the end of the meal.   Buon appetito!

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

By: Cherrye Moore

Last week I wrote about the things I always carry with me from the US when I return to Italy. But truth be told, there are some pretty great things I’d miss from Italy, if we lived in the US. In fact, my husband and I talk about this pretty often, especially at times like this when I’m stocking up on American deodorant and taco sauce.

Here are the top things we’d miss about Italy if we moved to the US.

Pizza
I love American pizza, really, I do, but no matter what marketing ploy Pizza Hut might employ, Italian-style pizza they’ll never be.

Meat, Cheese, Fruit and Veggies
Yes, this is a big category, but we would really miss the meat, cheese, fresh fruit and veggies we have here in southern Italy. (In all honesty, the “meat” part was added by my husband, because he can’t imagine a life without soppressata, homemade sausage or any of the delicious cold cuts he grew up with.)

Gelato
Lest you think we are overly healthy, we’d also miss the homemade gelato we have here in Calabria. Ice cream is one thing, gelato is another and while I do love me some Blue Bell, I’d really miss Marrons Glaces here in Catanzaro.

Passeggiata
There is no Italian habit I love more than the evening passeggiata and even though I know we could do this if we lived outside Italy, I’m not sure we would. And really, part of the fun of the passeggiata is bumping into your neighbors and friends and if they’re not outside for their evening stroll, would it really be the same?

Come back next week to see the top things we’d pack and carry with us, customs-permitting, if we lived outside of Italy.

Are you an expat in Italy? What would you miss if you had to leave?

Cherrye Moore is a freelance writer and travel consultant living in Calabria, Italy. She can organize a group Calabria tour or help you plan a custom itinerary for your family from her website, My Bella Vita.

Photo: Cherrye Moore, My Bella Vita