FCI 017 – Answering your Common Questions about Italy

Blogging and social media. They are the new forms of “journalism” in this globally connected digital age. But unlike traditional journalism, this new style is designed to be bi-directional. It’s a conversation instead of a speech. The writer and the reader feed off each other, and the result is a greater depth of knowledge for both parties.

That’s why I enjoy writing about Italy so much. Every time my enthusiasm plateaus, somebody sends me an email with photos from their trip, or posts a big “Grazie!” on my Facebook Page for answering a difficult question that somehow made their vacation more memorable, or their expat transition a little more smooth. Really, it’s the best reward for a writer/blogger (which is a good thing, since there isn’t much financial reward).

So today on my podcast I’m answering some of the most common questions about Italy sent to me via email, voicemail, Twitter, or the search engines. I didn’t identify any of the questioners by name, but instead I lumped the inquiries into general topics that come up frequently.

Common Questions about Italy

Obviously, this could a very long blog post and podcast, but I cut myself off after just seven questions that touch on diverse areas of life in Italy, the expat experience, and tourism information. Perhaps in another episode I’ll take on another round. But for now, here they are the general areas of discussion addressed on this podcast episode, and the corresponding resources on my website to help you understand these topics.

Question 1: How to be an expat. I still get lots of “how to” questions about the practical steps for residing in Italy. At a certain point, I just couldn’t keep up with all the individual inquires anymore, so I composed a free downloadable guide to walk people through the process, complete with sarcastic jabs at the notorious Italian Bureaucracy. It’s all here:

The Definitive Guide to the Permesso di Soggiorno

Q2: Dating in Italy. This is now my most popular search engine keyword for some silly reason, and most of the results point to this article on my blog:

The Italian Dating Scene

In the podcast, I’ve also recruited the advice of the female perspective from my previous guest, Cinzia Giorgio, who is the author of the book, “The Erotic History of Italy.”

Q3: Buying and Restoring a Tuscan Villa. It takes about a week and a half of living in Italy to recognize that this is a colossal, life-altering mistake for 99% of the people who entertain this all-too-common fantasy. Why is it that every mid-level manager from Milwaukee wants to sell all his possessions, pick up a hammer, move to Tuscany, and become a carpenter? Listen, unless you already possess mad skills with a circular saw (not to mention the Italian language), keep the dream alive by renting, and leave headaches to the people who know how to deal with them.

Buying Property in Italy

Q4: The “Next Tuscany.” It’s a common thread to hear people claim that they “want to get off the beaten path and discover the ‘real’ Italy, away from those other annoying tourists.” Then often, these same folks are shocked when the “real Italy” doesn’t speak English, shuts down for the four hour afternoon pausa every day, and has never heard of a dish called Lobster Fra Diavolo.

Well my friends, I’ve been off the beaten path in Italy,