I don’t understand and I cannot get to adjust to not having anywhere to buy iced coffee. In greece you can buy it on every corner also in my home country, but here it’s not in the culture.. coffee sucks here lol.
Hi! I’m an American (26F) studying in Milan, doing my triennale in psychology. I’ve been in Italy for almost 4 years now, I have a B2 in Italian, have an Italian boyfriend, and I’m enjoying myself here.
I’ve been in Milan for almost 3 years, but to be real, it’s not my place — as is the case for a lot of people. It’s just too much of a city for me, but now I’m happy.
I’m a bit unsure which path I want to take in psychology, but I’ve been working with kids for years and I know I work very well with them — I genuinely love kids. I was checking the stats of psychologists in Italy, and the majority of them are in Lombardy, but there’s a need for child psychologists in the south. I’ve been thinking for quite a while about doing my master’s in Italian in the south for “psicologia dello sviluppo” (child development, basically) and working to become a child psychologist in the south (maybe a school psychologist, but we shall see).
But here are my doubts:
I have a southern Italian boyfriend (Campania), and he’s told me a pretty sad story about meeting a child psychologist in the south who lied to all the clients’ parents and told them their children had problems just to make more money. What’s wild to me is that this psychologist admitted this to my boyfriend 💀
His mom is a teacher at a primary school, and she’s told me all the shitty things the psychologists do there (basically the same as the other psychologist I mentioned before).
Here’s my biggest doubt: the fucking phones. Oh my god. The amount of children in the south who look under the age of 5 and have their faces in a phone for MINUTES just makes me BURN inside. We’ll be out at 11 at night, kids with their parents’ phones at the table… minchia raga. This isn’t just a few; this is genuinely everywhere. I see this in Campania and also Puglia (I’m here right now). So I know these kids are a bit screwed here compared to kids in the north (I work/worked for many northern Italian families, and they’re very strict about screen time and also eating habits — meno male).
My fear about the future is that in the south, I’ll probably run into so many limitations when it comes to caring for children: parents not caring and not being more strict because it genuinely seems like they don’t care, other psychologists being unprofessional and basically scammers, and the biggest one — taking on the burden of the problems of so many kids but genuinely not being able to help them because the culture is just not up to date on things (it seems to me).
Here’s a positive:
Kids know how to talk. I’ve met so many cute kids who crack jokes (even if I don’t understand because they speak dialect), but they have a confidence that I’ve never seen before in kids in Italy. This is something I really love because, with how social southerners are, kids really can talk to just about everyone. Obviously, not all, but a lot of kids are very chatty down here.
I know there could be some generalizations, and it’s probably not as black and white as I’m making it seem, but from my observations and the stories I’ve been told… maybe the south isn’t for me in terms of my future in psychology.
I come to Campania frequently and stay for weeks each time I come, so I’m very familiar with the culture and norms. I hope I don’t offend anyone, but after many years of visits, befriending southern Italians, and understanding the difficulties they face culturally and socially, I understand the limits but also the beauty of the culture. I do love it down here! Southerners are such spontaneous and lively-spirited folks! With their problems, of course, but I really love the south so much.
It would be wonderful to hear your thoughts!
Hi everyone, my fiancé and I are doing our civil marriage ceremony August 21st 2026 at the commune di Corvara in Badia and we need someone to translate the Italian to English! Our translator backed out last minute and now they are about to cancel it all if we can’t find one. If anyone is available and can help or knows anyone I could reach out to, all help is so greatly appreciated!
We bought an apartment as that needs a remodel a few years ago, with plans to eventually move over full time, until very recently that has all been on hold.
We contacted family and we will be meeting them for the first time! They were nice enough to go to the comune and get family records for us!
We want to bring a gift pack as a thank you. The only thing they mentioned wanting from the US was maple syrup. I'm thinking a Trader Joe's bag too since they're so popular? What else?
TLDR: do any of you have suggestions for things to put in a gift pack from the US? Things your Italian friends or family request?
I’m moving to the Lazio region in a year to accompany my daughter who’s attending college there next fall and we plan to stay at least 3 years but likely longer. As I sit and brainstorm the million things circling my brain to get ready for a huge move, one question I keep asking myself is- what should I bring from the US and how do I bring it? I plan to sell all my furniture, car, large belongings and store a few meaningful pieces in the US. Obviously my clothes and personal items will come, but what about less obvious things like tools, linens, books? It seems likely that we will pack a bunch of big suitcases and take our belongings on the plane, and we will rent a mostly furnished apartment. How did you all navigate this? And if you brought bigger/heavier items, how did you send them to Italy? Thanks in advance!
Been to Italy many times. Wife and I are planning a three-month stay in 2027, where we would rent an apartment. Small town, not sure where, probably in the south but that's under consideration. Anyway we'd like to bring our dogs this time. I'm nervous about flying the dogs over though. It's pretty awful to be a human stuck in a seat for 12 hours; how awful is it for a dog? Do the carriers provide a special long-trip crate that allows the dog to pee without getting itself wet or dirty? Do you have to buy your own crate and if so what do you do with it afterwards? Do you have a particular carrier to recommend?
p.s. We're flying from Texas to Italy (and eventually, back).
Hey everyone! I’m taking my small dog (8 lbs) to Italy for ~1month and want to confirm I have the process right, and also ask about the export certificate I keep reading about.
To enter Italy from the U.S., sounds like I just need to get an EU Health Certificate within 10 days before departure, then have it USDA-endorsed. (Microchip and rabies vaccine are good to go.)
I am reading that Italy may require a Pet Export Certificate from ASL when leaving the country? Is this required even if we’re just returning to the U.S. after our stay in Italy? Do you have to get this every time you leave Italy (whether for the U.S. or another country)?
Would love to hear from anyone with experience. Thanks!
Hi,
I will be living in Italy temporarily (at least 3 months) in the fall/winter, and I'm wondering what the process to bring my dog is like. I have researched a lot but there's conflicting information out there. I know that Italy is very dog friendly, and I know the basic requirements regarding vaccines etc., but I'm still uncertain about some things. Do I just need to get a vet checkup before I go, or will I need to do one once I arrive in Italy too? Are Canadian pet passports valid in Italy? Are EU pet passports valid in Canada? What are the costs like? I have seen everything from $200 to several thousand (both for cargo) so I don't know what to believe. My dog is still a puppy but she should mature at around 60 lbs, so I imagine she would have to travel cargo. She's a high-content lab (75%) labradoodle. Speaking of flying cargo, any tips for ensuring safety? I've heard horror stories about dogs in cargo but also lots of examples of it being just fine and the dogs being well cared for, so I want to do everything I can to ensure the latter outcome.
I know a lot of people will think its unreasonable to bring the dog with me. I can leave her with my mom if I absolutely have to, but she's an emotional support animal (officially documented and deemed important to have by medical professionals) so I really want/would benefit from having her with me. There's also a chance I might immigrate to Italy permanently in the future, so even if she doesn't come for this stay I would still like to have the information on hand.
Please don't post about why I should not take her; I will make that decision at a later date, and I promise to do so carefully. Right now I'm just looking for facts and technicalities.
Thank you.
hi everyone
I’m hoping to get some help navigating the process of relocating to italy with my psychiatric service dog.
I’ve trained my dog myself (mainly for Deep Pressure Therapy) and I’m now looking to get him certified/documented properly as a PSD for air travel. We’re flying United Airlines to Rome. He’s small (\~22 lbs), well-behaved, and has already flown as a pet before without any issues.
I’ve looked into several companies but I’m not sure which ones are truly recognized for international travel, especially to Europe/Italy. I know I’ll need the DOT forms, but I’m wondering:
* Has anyone successfully used one of these companies to fly internationally with a PSD (especially to the EU)?
* Did United Airlines accept your paperwork?
* What additional documents did you need for entry into Italy? (Health certificates? Rabies proof? Something else?)
Any firsthand experiences or advice would be really appreciated!
Hi there! I am planning to travel to the states from Florence (I am a resident here) with my cat. I got all of his vaccines up to date and microchip at the vet, but they told me I need to get the pet passport elsewhere. They were really unclear and I can’t seem to find any information online. Any advice please!? 🙏🙏
Looking to move to Italy.
Hello everyone, for a while now me and my wife have been looking to move to Italy and wanted to hear from the locals about the country. Outside, Italy is very well viewed but I know that as a tourist, every country is beautiful while living there is a whole different thing.
How are taxes first of all? Where I live it's around 46% tax.
How is the IT domain there? Is it hard to find a job as a 10 years of experience software engineer?
What area do you recommend? We don't look for crowded places, but want to be close to civilization too. For example we live in a small village next to the capital in our country right now and we got train to get there to any social event in 20 mins.
How are rent prices for a 3 room apartment? Or maybe better to rent a house in a similar area?
Feel free to give extra info that you think I should consider looking into.
Thank you
In a few weeks I’m taking off for Italy with my 29kg dog. I hear Italy is incredibly dog friendly, I’ll be taking her with me everywhere I’m allowed to take her. She has extensive training and is exceptional in public.
Ive got the obedience and training mastered but aside from that I don’t want to unintentionally cross any lines or be disrespectful in any way. I’m familiar with leash laws, travel regulations, muzzles, etc… I’m more interested in “unwritten rules” that I can’t find googling :) For example - are dogs usually only on outside patios of restaurants or is it ok to ask to bring my dog into a restaurant on a rainy day? That kind of thing.
This will be my 6th trip to Italy but the first time with my dog. I‘ll be scouting out places I’d want to live, TBD, so I’m traveling to multiple regions . THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!!
Edited: I deleted the sentence about her being a service dog in the US since it’s irrelevant once we get to the EU. She’ll be a pet there :) There are different certifications that she does not have. I just mentioned the service dog part to emphasize how well trained she is ☺️
Hey everyone,
I thought I’d give this a try. I’m a 45-year-old Swiss guy who recently moved to a small coastal town on the north coast of Sicily, at the foot of the Nebrodi mountains. I absolutely love it here, but I work from home as a digital artist, so meeting new people isn’t exactly easy.
I’m a digital artist and a somewhat failed filmmaker (who hasn’t completely given up yet 😄).
I’m into art, cinema, philosophy, science, history, good food and wine, and long conversations about pretty much anything. Lately I’ve been going down the rabbit hole of consciousness and existential philosophy, but I’m just as happy chatting about everyday life.
I’m also learning Italian, but I’m still nowhere near being able to have deep conversations, so English would definitely be appreciated.
I’m happily married, so this isn’t a dating post, just looking to meet interesting people in Sicily. Italians, expats, locals, tourists, whatever. If you’re somewhere around the north coast and fancy a coffee, a beer, or a walk, feel free to send me a message!
Just wondering where you are finding the best mix between arts and entertainment, restaurants, some nightlife, and ability to plug in socially and make real friends.
Job availability and employment is a plus, as well as strong LGBTQ communities.
I have been searching for an apartment to stay in since I am starting my studies in Turin next month and a lot of properties only offer 12 month transitional with the option to renew without residency.
Is it possible to stay for three years without residency? I am not quite sure how the system works since in Finland I was able to apply for temporary residency under the same structure of a 1 year transitional contract
For context I am an EU citizen( italian passport holder )
Why are you people even in Italy if everything apparently is shit and you all give shitty, negative advice to people?
Italy is amazing for people in mid career with a home office contract like me. Since I live in Italy I am drowning in luxury. Milano salary, countryside living. That's why you come to Italy for
And now I am leaving this group. Enjoy giving crap advice to people who consider moving to Italy. This country needs people to pay for your saggy naggy asses after you'll retire
Prime apartment in a major city, concierge health care, 8 weeks of skiing in the alps, 8 week traveling Europe/sailing the med? Can it be done on 500k? With that spend, what does life look like?
My partner and I both work remote in IT and are planning to relocate to Southern Italy. We haven not decided yet what we want to buy, just started looking around.
One thing I keep hearing is that the final cost isnt just the property price, there are extra fees that add up on top. Would love to know what that actually looked like for people who have done it.
Also curious how negotiating went for you, was it easy to talk the price down, or is that not really a thing there?
We started a small community, r/ItalyRealEstate, to keep track of what we are learning and swap experiences with others doing the same. Would be great to hear your story here or there.
Like what are some careers (and the degrees required for such) that can give me a stable life in Italy?
Hi. Me and my wife are doing research on different coutries for possible move to europe (from georgia). So far italy has come up as one of the better variants due to price/service ratio.
I would like to hear your experience living in north center or north west parts of italy. The town of Empoli or its surrounding towns, region of umbria or Marche. How are the prices? The weather, the people? I researched some of this but first hand feedback is always appreciated. I would also like to know what are the schools/preschools like?
We are not particularly rich, im a IT contractor so i do ok, so i hope we wont be hated as the foreigners who drive up the price. If we move there, we plan to learn the language and try to integrate as much as possible.