CONVERSATIONS IN FLORENCE: The Reality of Moving to Italy
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- This episode I chat with my dear friend, writer, expat and tour guide, Lauren. We talk quite candidly about the highs and lows of following a dream to move to Italy and what it took us to both make a life in Rome and Florence, as creatives, optimists and romantics. Our conversation about expat life touches on all the struggles of living in this beautiful country - finding an apartment, getting a job, getting a visa to live in Italy, learning Italian, dating Italians, making friends, adapting culturally and staying motivated to make the dream a reality. You can find Lauren's site here www.unlockitaly... where she writes a weekly blog on her life in Italy and also shares her tips for a vacation in Tuscany, Rome and other parts of Italia. If you would like more specific advice on how to move to Italy, you should check out this playlist that includes some of the videos on this topic I've made in the past:
• Q&A: How to Change You...
Making these episodes alone is very time consuming and expensive and if you would like to support my work, you can find my Patreon page here:
/ kylieflavell
Don't forget to follow me over on Instagram for daily inspiration from Italy and around the world to make you dream, learn a language, cook, travel, move to a foreign country, film, edit or pursue your passion:
/ kylieflavell
You can also find blog posts and information about my work on my site
www.kylieflave...
#Italy #learnItalian #Florence
Italy is like a painting which only reveals itself if you are willing to take in its hidden beauty. It is a slow culture, nothing moves faster than it needs to - if you really want to enjoy Italy, the trick is to slow down and do what Italians do best: think. Some of the greatest minds, artists, engineers, architects, designers, writers and more came from Italy purely because they were born in a place that allowed them to think. The Duomo in Firenze, took over 140 years to be completed. So give yourself time, slow down, enjoy Italy. Source: I'm Italian.
Beautifully said!
Viva L'Italia
Thank you. That's indeed helpful.
@Chiara Brunelli This is bullshit. You must be of Salvini supporters. He invests in such ignorant minds.
If Italy is ever dead, it would be dead. Not killed by anyone.
@Chiara Brunelli We need less people like you in Italy!!
I really enjoyed this video. I moved here from California in 2013. I am retired now so part of my plan was to buy a cheap house, get permanent residency and live off of my social security, which isn't much. I did all that and I'm managing just fine. I was 64 when I moved here. I have one adult son in California and he never liked this idea of me living in Italy. Now I have a daughter-in-law, two grandsons and I visit them all twice a year. Not this year though. Hopefully Christmas. Every time I visit, at some point, my son will ask me if I'm ready to move "back home" again. I think they want me to babysit haha. But the bottom line is that Italy IS my home, even with all its frustrations and challenges. And I have never regretted it. But I have no idea how to get my son to understand how "home" for me is here. I'm 72 this summer btw, and still healthy and happy, and grateful for it. Thank you Italy.
Hi! Just wanted to say I am really glad you've found your place here, it is nice to see people from foreign countries choosing your country to spend their lives in. I am still searching for my place in the world but this somehow gives me hope, enjoy Italy and I hope you can spend Christmas with your family. Thank you, Celeste.
It's never too late to follow your heart!
@@miriammoriarty8588 Seguire semmai il cuore del figlio.
thank you for this comment. i am 64 and planning to soon move to northern italy if the dang virus would just stop. i think this is just a "thing" that is not understood. like an adult's love of going to disneyworld (guilty as charged).
@@sherikennedy4117 I hope you cling to this plan. Nothing really good in life is easy, but always worth the effort. I am with my son and family now in the US but will be returning home to Italy in 3 weeks. This "season" we are in is a huge challenge. Nonetheless, you must persevere. Life is a joy only when we follow our dreams. Wishing you every blessing.
In Italy "no matter what you're doing in your day you are feeling like you're really living" Amen!
I mean it depends where you live
I live in a city near Milan and I can't wait to go away from here, it's boring af, every day there a horrible smell of pollution and there are no mountains, hills or sea
@@mr.g812 io vivo nella provincia di ferrara in pianura padana e qui è solo campagna e stabilimenti industriali.
La vita di periferia è insostenibile. Mi trasferirò presto fortunatamente
@@fran791 Sono nella tua stessa situazione, il problema è io non mi trasferirò presto
@@mr.g812 io fossi in te inizierei a progettare cercando su internet un piano di fuga 😂. Soprattutto se sei giovane. E anche se non lo sei, non ne vale la pena di vivere in luoghi o secondo modalità che non ci piacciono.
Le risposte su come fare sono tutte online, da come trovare casa a come trovare i soldi. Ti auguro di trovare la strada per arrivare a vivere la vita che desideri 🙌🏻
Italy teaches you how to live. Not tomorrow but now.
That is so sorely needed by SO many people now! :●}
That's Buddha
Nonsense. It’s a mess. Disorganisation reigns
are you sure ? what do you mean exactly ?
So pretentious
Can I tell you a secret? The loneliness and struggles you felt there is not just Italy but it's the experience of being a foreigner. I know this because I had your exact opposite story: I moved all by myself from Rome to Los Angeles at 26. I had MANY lonely days and nights. The culture was so shockingly different that initially it made me grow up all at once. I tried hard and eventually I made it work, but it has always been a struggle. 15 years have gone by quickly. I am married to the love of my life, I have two children and I have reinvented myself at least twice from a career standpoint. We moved from state to state to find a "home" but it finally dawned on me that I will never feel completely home until I go back to Italy....
I was studying Italian in Florence back in 1984. I remember finishing classes and walking back to my apartment. After crossing the Arno and entering the piazza del Duomo, the heavens opened, and it began to pour! I quickly ducked into the Duomo to wait out the cloud burst. Outside I saw tour groups following their guides, and I reflected on how fortunate I was. Many people save up for their entire lives to be able to come to Italy for a week or two, and I was able to live in this incredible city. I got to stay for a year, leaving with memories for a lifetime. Now I'm back in Italy and enjoying my time here. So many nice memories from the '80s; having to walk to the centro to make an international phone call, pay phones and the gettoni telefonici, and being able to buy pizza by the gram while walking on the street.
Kylie, you are an artist! Absolutely love your aesthetic, you make the audience feel as if they were a part of the conversation. Intimacy is the word I would use for your style of filmmaking
Ariel Viera Emotional intimacy and sincerity is always my aim so it makes me super happy to know you feel this way. 🥰🥰🥰
The intelligence and personalities of these two women is quite refreshing. Thanks for this video.
"I'm all alone so I'll just write a short story" omg that made me lol so hard. I can totally relate to this as a solo female traveller. And then there comes a time where you enjoy your own company SO MUCH that people can't help but be attracted to you and you just can't seem to get a private coffee or lunch to yourself. Random people asking to join you left right and centre hahahah! Ahhh I love being an expat. Love this convo ladies xx
This just reinstated even more why I want to move to Italy, life is about taking risks, chances of the unknown. Preparation is key though, thank you for inspiring.
italy is the best country in the world,there are thousands of towns and cities and beaches and villages and things to see ,from major cities to small villages and all offer something different, take it from an italian from new york who has roots there
Agree...one of the best...been several times and will be there this coming summer as well!
@@joemoschetta1541 Yep, it's "the best" until you meet the bureaucracy and massive incompetence in the public administration. Working for 1000€ a month with ignorant peasants from South Italy.
God luck finding a job
TranceElevation true but there is no reason to offend people from the south... there plenty of ignorant people in the north too. Like everywhere in the world
I visited Italy in October and I can’t stop thinking about it ♥️.
Hi, I found out where I want to live it is Heceg Novi, Igalo, Montenegro. Do not have to know the language most everyone speaks English. By the way I am from California also. I know exactly what you mean I have traveled to over 30 countries I was in Florence, Italy in 1998 for 3 months. Loved the experience. Still have an Australian friend and her Italian husband that are living in Florence. I have immigrated Israel, Mexico and now Montenegro also lived in countries as an expat and a tourist for 1 month to 3 months. In August I will be 77 years old healthy, and still living my life, and still traveling. My son also a traveler is teaching English to the Chinese young students with his family live in Varna, Bulgaria his wife is Ukrainian. My 2 grandchildren speak 3 languages. I love meeting new people and always experiencing a new challenges life. I just had a job offer to work in Real Estate. I am having a unit built. Love life and stay healthy
When I studied abroad for several months in Rome I was able to pick up work as an English tutor for a family. They paid me 20/hour and the little boy went to international school and spoke English really well. It was definitely ideal, good pocket change as a student and a great way to practice Italian with the family!
When she started saying how living in Italy feels like falling in love I started tearing up. That whole part made me emotional. I’m 21 almost 22 living in Texas, USA, I want that exact feeling. I’ve wanted to visit even live in Italy since I was 14. Now that I’m older and know that’s still what I want I’m a step closer.
Dream can come true. Just work at it and never give up. My dream came true at 62. Yipeee.
Ciao! If you are seeking more specific tips, you might prefer the three-part series I made called 'How To Change Your Life and Move To Italy', which you can find in this playlist here: ua-cam.com/video/dQvVf8ehp-M/v-deo.html OR this blog post I wrote, which goes into much greater detail to help you with your move: www.kylieflavell.com/index.php/2016/02/03/how-to-move-to-italy/ Thank you for coming back to watch another episode. This is a very honest chat so you can get a feel for the emotional highs and lows of the experience of making a life in Italy. It's what I was craving back when I was dreaming of a move to Italy. If you would like to check out Lauren's work, you can find it here: www.unlockitaly.com/ THANK YOU. AND GOOD LUCK!! Love Kylie
Kylie , I hope you are doing great and getting better. I hope in your personal life you are staying positive and not giving in to negativity. I know sometimes your UA-cam persona might not always show the reality of your life so I wrote this message for you. discovered your channel today morning and I am hooked. Your struggle inspires me too.
I’ve been an expat for two years living in Tokyo and I loved watching this. Thank you for making this video. It really helped me remember why I love being an expat and that I’m not alone in feeling all the feelings I do. Living in Japan is amazing but not easy in any way. This video was a really nice reminder that, even though life is not easy, we do it because we love it! So... thank you so much for that reminder!
I adored watching this, sitting down with my cup of tea, wrapped in a blanket on my couch as the rain and wind pounded outside. It actually was so reassuring to me ( I live in the Middle East as an expat) that the ups and downs are normal and persevering is the key. Much love!
Thank you... your videos are artistic and beautifully filmed while still containing enough truths and honesty to make them thought evoking. I watched this with special interest. My wife of forty five years and I are preparing to submit apps for our Elective VISAs. We “fell in love” with Italy thirty years ago and promised each other we’d retire there. Because you and your friend are much younger you might think that we’d find much of this video irrelevant; not so. Life never stops challenging those fortunate to grow old. We have each other and no longer need to work yet we still worry about what we’ve yet to experience. Just learning the skills that will help us grow old gracefully in Italy will be a challenge we’re looking forward too . I appreciate effort and humility it took to make this video 😊
This video is a kind of support I’ve been waiting since years...I moved to Italy in 2013 just for a one year photography course in Florence. In 2014, I wasn’t ready to leave it, so I abandoned my dream to be a pro photographer and continued a master degree in English who knows for what:)) no extra money, no job, no hopes to get a job, super difficult to find an apartment, extremely difficult to get visa, no Italian language...Being graduated I knocked every possible doors, struggled with depression, anxiety, even enrolled myself in Servizio Civile!
I’m still here and I finally do photography 😁 this sounds strange but italy is my big life lesson. If not this experience of huge failure I would end up somewhere in office doing a job that I would probably hate:)
Loved listening to this conversation! I think it really opened my eyes on how I need to approach fullfilling my dream of living in Italy. Thank you for giving me this inspiration (once again)! :)
Great video! Love that phrase "I've been infected by Italy!" So true and I was just there for 10 days. Thanks for sharing.
I´ve moved to different cities by myself and I can totally relate...Lately, I´ve considered looking into moving to Italy, and this video was super informative. Thank u!!
You will regret it, Italy is the last EU country you want to move in. If you're an artist in Germany you'd find more success, less competition, more civilized people and better country in every aspect. Be smart and don't play with your life, make the safe choice. The safe choice is Germany.
@@TranceElevation Mi sa che sei proprio in trance dalla nascita tu! 😂😂😂
Your 'Conversations' videos are why I followed you, then I discovered your cinematic skills, artistic style and genuine empathy for everyone , every place and every experience you have. It is so rare to find authenticity in a TV host/presenter, that is why these videos are so great and why I am pleased when the monthly Patreon receipt arrives in my inbox.
Michael Garlick Thank you Michael. I love the Conversations series because I much prefer going deeper on a subject and covering things thoroughly. So glad you appreciate it.
This video is so beautifully made and I love this sit down and chat video style! 💖
Mirjana Valentin I’m so happy you liked it. Thank you for your encouragement. 😘😘😘
The video is absolutely spot on and veeeeeery well done (makes me homesick!), but I feel like it could be named "the reality of moving in another Country". As a (Italian) person living abroad for the past 10+ years what you describe is literally the everyday struggles anyone might experience when moving out of their comfort zone
Exactly. Esattamente, bravissimo ❤
This video came on my newsfeeds. Great perspectives by you two that is so hilarious in a way but glad you can laugh about it now. I've been blessed to have met an Italian in my country, he swept off my feet, took me to Milan, married, travelled, living in different countries after as he was assigned to these other countries as an Engineer and Milan was our home base. Restaurants, shopping, jewellery was his love to give me. He was faithful to a tee. I'm beyond grateful but I lost him after many years together. Wonderful but also culture shock when I came to live in Italy. Now back in my country, living in the Balinese villa he purchased for us, and I could return to Italy any time. However, I think my chapter is done. Visiting yes, but living, I don't know. Never say never. Beautiful video and beautiful backdrop. Complimenti!!
I love what you do! Such excellent work. As an Italian expat in the US, I have to say your story, work and beautiful photography painfully remind me so very much of my country and its atmospheres. You really are an Italian - well deserved, Kylie! And thanks Lauren for sharing your story of struggle and courage, I relate a lot, as I am sure do all the expats watching this video.
I just love the honest spirit of this conversation. Thanks Kylie for quality content!
Actually it is interesting for me as an IRANIAN girl from the city 'Shiraz' that you had visited and now live in Florence ,to see this episode. It is a strange feeling that in both episodes I am searching all the places I know, both in my hometown and here that I am already living, and I am all ears also !!!!like a person who miss lots of things...
Good luck and keep going😉
vici tradinnovation i
OMG! I am so glad I found your channel! I have been living in Italy for 5 years. I have felt so isolated because I have not met anyone with similar experiences and emotions.
Thank you for sharing so candidly.
Ara Noguera 😘😘😘😘
2013 I tried to live in Florence, shit that was so hard. People I had to deal for school tried to screw me over and with money alot of money.I had to pay for every single thing, a question, paying more for what ever I needed then the local Florentino .... My ONLY friend I made were men the girls of the group avoided me😂. Housing struggle, no heating 14C° in winter and super expensive.
But it was so beautiful,Italy is mesmerizing. I will still go back but only for travel.
I can't focus on the bigger picture and create a life and art if I have everyday struggles hindering me every day...
Florentines invented the banks... Everything has a cost. Try whit South Italy, maybe Apulia or Sicily. You will see will be a different experience.
But also north...Try Turin in Piedmont!!!
Maya, I absolutely agree with you. I can't understand how this country works where nothing works........even the migrants don't want
to remain in Italy........what a shame!!!!!!!!!! Today's Italians inherited from the ancient Fathers a huge artistic heritage and excellence in every field, it seems that they are unable to manage them, let alone improve them ...The sad reality...........
Girls just starting have an easier time because there's always guys willing to pick them up or pay their bills guys don't get thay luxury.
Florence it's expensive
It’s when you can’t find people with personality and dreams like yours, and you just find them on the internet...🙏🏽 What a blessing, life truly gives you what resonates with your energy, and the way doesn’t even matter. Thank you Kylie, you always give us faith and encouragement to follow our dreams❤️
Daniella Petranics Ohhh you’re so sweet! Thank you!!! ♥️♥️♥️
I've never watched a video this long on UA-cam before!! Alllllll of this was so relatable. I moved to Florence in September 2018 for a study abroad exchange and was supposed to leave in July 2019. I stayed until September when I *had* to come back to the UK to finish my final year of uni. I graduate in June and I'm moving back to Florence. Need to do it all legally this time because of brexit so not sure how it will go (I was supposed to have the permesso di soggiorno last time but I had an affitto nero so couldn't really do anything without a house contract). You live and you learn! Now that I speak Italian and have worked and studied in Italy I would hope that I'm in a better position to start things off more properly this time, however both of you are right when you say you need to chuck all plans out the window because it neverrrrr happens how you want it to go (especially with Italian bureaucracy). No idea how I'm going to get a job or a house contract or anything else I need, but the struggle is worth it for the feeling that Firenze gives me. Speriamo che tutto vada bene!!!!
@Riccardo Venturino grazie Riccardo!! It is frustrating, especially now with the coronavirus I'm not sure how it will work as I don't expect I can go to the questura to announce my presence in Italy nei primi 8 giorni. But I will be returning in around 3 weeks if all goes to plan so I'm really excited regardless :)
@Riccardo Venturino yes I have been to the anagrafe before and queued for a good few hours. It's not a good situation, and I mean in terms of how awfully difficult it is for anyone to get residency or anything. I really feel for people who are not from Europe trying to make a life here, it is almost impossible. And really not looking forward to being part of the queue thanks to some very ignorant people in my country (JUST over half!) and a feckless government who removed everyone else's rights. However, you're right in what you said about making people leave (hopefully). I was in Italy for a whole year without residency (which is technically not allowed) and no one cared. The only issue is when I do actually need documentation for jobs etc but hopefully it can be done before the transition period for brexit ends at the end of the year :)
I like this video because it gives me a new perspective on my own country and "forces" me to think about some things in a completely different way than I've always done. I hope to see more like this in the future.
Kylie, I just recently came across your UA-cam Channel and I am obsessed. I was searching for information on how to move to Italy and WALA I got you. Your videos are so instrumental and love your work. Keep it going !!!!!
Bravo! This is real philosophy on the street level, boots on the ground. Well done.
As a tourist I see that I get a rose colored glass polyanna viewpoint of Europe. I have a bubble of comfort around me as I explore. I had money saved up to travel, coffee and meals are easy. We float and look at things and sit and have a pastry. Tourism has huge blind spots difficult to escape. What about living in Europe, anywhere? I always wonder.
You are practicing anthropology, sociology, linguistics, psychology, cultural studies, courage, fears, the whole range of the human condition, in this talk. Very inspiring.
Your interview here is about the heart and the mind. You went way beyond living in Italy. You are talking about, among various rich topics, the Good Life, and asking what is that? Not simply answering it and being done with it. The real wisdom is asking every day What is a Good Life? The question is far more important than the current answer. People think they know and find out years later it was empty, that what they sought in fact was not the Good Life. Go write that book you always wanted to write. Most of us live lives of quiet desperation. I find it fruitful to ask what a Good Life is every day and reaffirm asking the question and pondering an answer that may change. Thank you for bringing such intelligence - and soul- to a brilliant topic: The reality of moving to Italy.
I enjoyed hearing about what it is like to live there with the thrill of learning every day, but alongside lonliness, not being able to be "in" with the host country's citizens enough to get to know them, and the difficulty in making money there, as well as the overly optimistic view we on the fence take of UA-cam income and other blog incomes as a possible sustainable solution to living in a foreign land. It was good to hear about the difficulties. Knowing about the difficulties ahead of time can reduce a lot of suffering.
Gratitude! Subscribed. PS your cinematic footage is a work of art.
"It forces you to live more in the present..." The best part of travel and living in a unfamiliar surroundings. Well worth the trials and tribulations.
Site incredibilmente sincere. Veramante brave. As an Italian who migrated to Australia I exeperienced similar situations
EVERYTHING that you have said is SO TRUE !!! this is the first time that i don't feel CRAZY about my experience in Italy.People don't understand how VERY VERY HARD it is to live in Italy and blend in. I tried to find ways to stay for 2 years , and like you said , you get rejected and i had to go back home sadly.
you were on point about everything , i was nodding the whole video !! haha .... missing Florence so damn much
This one of the best videos. So many recollections. I've watched it several times and cannot stop laughing.
THIS VIDEO JUST SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO ME! I almost couldn't believe that I've been through every exact thing that you guys mentioned. It was much needed to know what I feel is completely normal.. thank you!
Noor Hanieh 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I like this conversation/story so much. This is sweet, real, down to earth, and not too bourgeoise. She is lovely and funny and fun - just like you Kylie! Wonderful!
I can totally relate to some of the things you say about being an expat. It is something that people who have never tried anything similar would never ever understand. Italians who criticise you for your contents have no idea of what you have gone through to get where you are nor understand the feelings you have for a foreign Country when you fall in love with it. I had the very same experiences and emotions that you describe but I moved from Italy to Sydney. I lived there for 5 years and I can’t say that settling in Australia was as difficult as it is in Italy (despite the Visa). I live in London now but I’m still dreaming to go back to Oz. Sometimes I wish I had the same drive to live a dream life in Italy as you do. Keep up the good work.
Im in love with your personality and content so spectacular ❤
bella rivera Thank you, beautiful. ♥️♥️♥️
I am currently living in Italy and I have to say you are spot on! It is a constant struggle but also a blessing! There is not structure or specific way to do things but thats the character of the country! I have never related to a video more and I love the way you explain things so raw it is needed! I constantly have people asking me how I did it and I could not have explained it any other way than you have here! Brava!!
I am obsessed with these videos. I really LOVE your channel! 💕 Something about it is so...special.
UA-camr Named Morgan ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Kylie, you're such an inspiration ! And Lauren was so much fun to watch ! I felt the positive energy that you both have!! Thank you for another great video that makes us smile and feel inspired to live the life we dream about and enjoy it with all its ups and downs.
Alexandra Georgieva True,ciao Lauren
The interview is so relatable, it’s good to know you’re not the only one going through those issue of an expat. I’ve been living in Genova for almost a year now and I’m on that stage when I have to decide shall I stay or shall I go back to Russia. Kylie, thank you for reminding me why I am here! ❤️
Stay!
Lauren is absolutely adorable and makes me laugh sooo much. Also you have a gift of asking all the right questions. Excellent.
When I went to Italy I was surprised by how many Italians spoke Spanish! I had even taken Italian lessons but really didn't need it as many spoke Spanish...however many does not read everybody. But honestly, it just made me love Italia even more. My plan/fantasy is to go to Florence for 2 months...I have been there but it was only for 2 weeks. And after a while go to Rome for 2 months. I love Rome so two months there would be perfect...not to much and not to little! Love this channel!
Mallory Graf
Spanish and Italian are easy to cross reference. They have the same root.
I was there for a few years it was great lots of fun and friends work. When I moved back to Ireland my life was over I just fell into a depression I had to go on medication. I still go back for holidays and attract Italy men all the time. It's such a great place
Michelle Doyle the Irish are beautiful people to . I am an Irish citizen and I think depression is in our DNA . It’s hard to be us . We love the beautiful things of life but find it hard to find joy . I hope you ok now Andre
@@andreflavell2689 ya I am much better still miss Florence
Michelle Doyle imagine what it’s like living in nz . I do live in the bay of Islands on a beautiful yacht. But the society is very narrow .
Despite moving to Italy with an Italian passport, I faced many of the challenges you describe in this video. The loss of personality in a foreign language is one of the worst. Comunque, it's a pleasure to watch your videos. Ciao.
What a great video Kylie! It was fun and interesting to hear about both your experiences. You should definitely do more videos like this! More tips and tricks too! Thank you for being an inspiration to many of us ❤️✌️
The 2 of you are hilarious !!! I can soooo feel and relate to the topics you are discussing. I came to Germany 25 years ago - I was a ballet dancer - now a Ballet master .... it's been a rocky road. Yet I wouldn't change a thing with all the traveling in the world I've done and the expansion of being I've experienced every day. Thanks for sharing... it made me remember my earlier years here! (I've worked and traveled a lot in Italia as well... and agree... I'd live there in a heartbeat!). xo
Watching you two discuss the challenges of moving abroad was truly enlightening. You ladies are living life to the fullest. Not being able to speak the language or barely make sense of a utility bill although hilarious, makes for a truly humbling experience. So glad I found your channel. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, ladies. Open, frank and authentic discussion about the true challenges of an intercontinental move to a foreign country. Your discussion about challenges, la dolce vita and the “struggle” that truly is real is thorough and thought provoking, hopefully, by anyone considering an Italian experience next on their to do list. It looked like morning, and yet, I was still disappointed you weren’t drinking a nice carafe of Italian wine. Sigh. It is our image of Italy that paves the way to an idealistic view of la dolce vita lifestyle. The fantasy is what we love about Italy. It is kissed by the summer sun and magical like nothing we could really imagine within our reach. That’s why we all love the idea of living in Italy. I confess, it is on my Top 10 Travel list, but only for a year, uh huh! in the meantime, I had already decided to spend an extended stay each year for a few years (long term plan to ease my left brain need). The soul yearns for it...again, is it fantasy or is it Memorex? Italy calls to some of us...it can’t be explained, nor does it need to. We know who we are. You, ladies, are part of that tribe (or perhaps it can feel like a curse at tough moments), yet, listening to you, it’s all worth it.....it fills our soul! It’s intoxicating...like an amazing Italian recipe. For the sake of espresso, gelato and an Italian lover (which I have had), it can’t be explained...and anyone who gets it counts, the rest fall to the wayside...only Dorothy from Oz can appreciate what it is in terms you might begin to understand. We have been sold a bill of goods OR we have been gifted with the adoration of a people who love life with abandon, passion and a pasta beyond comparison. If you have enjoyed a walk-Up expresso bar where Creme de Menthe is on the breakfast menu and heard catcalls and pinched activity walking down the street, you already feel a bit Italian. I support you ladies following your heart, you’ll never regret those experiences and you’ll have wonderful stories to share with those you love the rest of your lives. Is there anything more wondrous in life to actually enjoy than wonderful moments to remember?
To the people of Italy, we wish you heartfelt good wishes that this situation heals quickly and that you can return to enjoying even more of Italy once agin. Ciao!
Such a useful and beautifully shot piece and certainly brightened my day in a wet, grey and cold UK.
With Brexit looming it was very interesting to hear about the experiences you and Lauren had in terms of getting a visa, especially as so many people in the UK will be affected by changes to Freedom of Movement (I am lucky that I also have an Irish passport, courtesy of my late father). Educational, engaging and your laughter is so infectious, I couldn't stop smiling! Thank you Kylie and Lauren.
Ann Brosnan Thank you, Ann. Yes, it’s such an important topic in my opinion - where we feel at home and what we’re prepared to do to belong somewhere if we’re lucky enough to find a place that resonates with our soul. It feels quite pertinent, as you say, with Brexit, but also with this new freedom many of us have to decide where we call home. Whether you look at privileged people like myself and Lauren, who would like to work to become a part of another culture, or extreme cases, such as refugees fleeing dangerous situations and seeking safety.
This video really has spoken to me on so many different levels and I thank you ladies from the bottom of my heart for staying so true and so authentic to your experiences of moving to Italy!!!! For the longest time I’ve always had this deep connection to Italian culture. My heritage is partial Italian so I think I have a little bit of Italian culture instilled in my heart. Everything you’ve said I’ve completely resonated with. Being an American I have always been groomed to make my career the most important aspect of my life. I’ve always felt some sort of disconnection to America because of that. I have so many hobbies that I just enjoy on a daily basis. These are the things that fulfill my soul!!! Things like singing, painting, cooking, pottery, eating delicious food (I could go on). As I get older, I start to realize how much I admire Italians for their passion for life and deep appreciation for all things beautiful and fulfilling. I had a tear falling down my cheek at one point because it is so inspiring to watch foreigners who have this deep fascination with Italian culture, and actually made a choice to make it happen! I hope I will do the same one day. Bravissimo & Grazie Mille!!!!!!🤍
Hi Kylie and Lauren. It was a great video and watching you two made me smile throughout the whole video. I really would love to meet and make friends with two lovely beautiful and kind persons like you. Kylie i am still waiting to see you making some videos in Caserta and naples where i was born and spent my childhood playing football and other game with my childhood friends in reggia di Caserta. Hopefully you always be given the opportunity to live in this country as long as you feel at home. Ciao take care
I'm grateful to those people like you two who have chosen to live in Italy.
Especially creative persons like you.
Italian population has been decreasing and it desperately needs adequate creative and passionate replacements like you.
Things cannot be bad forever maybe soon it will get better.
🎶...I can't tell how and when, but one fine day it will change 🎶
🎶...Non so dirti come e quando, ma un bel giorno cambierà 🎶
True. Things cannot be bad forever, maybe soon it will get even worse.
This is a wonderful dialogue... for anyone that has ever moved from their home country to another one as a free choice. I love you girls, you’re so intelligent, funny, insightful, human and real. I am so happy I found your channel. I will be sharing it with lots of ppl so you can grow and continue doing more content. Just please don’t lose touch with real because so many vlogers do after a while and become sterile and marketers. Loved loved your video!
Loved the video! I came to Italy here and I thought I was crazy but it is worthy ❤ I felt so related to the conversation! Thank you so much!!
I came here expecting some insights, but I did not expect to enjoy a sincere, entertaining, and wholesome conversation. Thank you for this!
I could relate so well to your conversation! I am living in Italy now for already 10 month and as I came here for love and work, I have no intention to leave! The sensation of learning everyday and experiencing a culture in all its shapes makes me feel very alive and fortunated. I agree completely, have savings, take opportunities as they come and do not expect it to be easy. It pays off, as in my experience so far, Italy has this magic of fueling your blood with a lot of motivation and energy! (maybe also the wine and food helps with that ;))! Come to visit me in the vineyards in Barbaresco :)
What a wonderful, candid account of the highs and lows of this brave endeavour. Very relatable even from my studies abroad whilst I contemplate future ambitions, particularly re. languages. Love the laughing with traces of tears at certain circumstances, but undying conviction that this is the life for you. Italy eh. I admire your courage immensely. Screw rationality - keep on following your dreams, because after all the most important thing is happiness :)
Joe Cleary Thank you so much, Joe.
Thanks again for the videos and allowing people to dream of a foreign country.
This was FANTASTIC! More please, sisters!
Enjoy watching your videos. I had the pleasure of meeting Lauren and using her services. She has been one of the best guides I have used.
I admire you two ladies so much! It takes so much courage to do what you both did and you both seem so strong and intelligent from taking risks and just living life to the fullest. :)
Omg...funny conversation. Was in Florence (Antella) 93-94 on a Fulbright and it's not much different...remember standing in the line at the Questura. Anyway, best experience ever. The charm, the, art, the history, the culture is so enticing. My wife and I now do short trips every couple of years...try to dip back into Italy, but also want to see new places too.
This is so interesting, I identify with many of your experiences. In my case I did the opposite moving from an alive, passionate and vibrant country with a romantic language (Spanish) to Canada to study and to live the culture and I ended out staying, but I do miss many things and I am planning to soon retire in Europe. Congratulations to both of you for your journey, for me been resilient still a learning curve.
Good luck 😉
This is so natural and honest ...all the shared stories are relatable in a way that made me laugh and tear up , lucky women
wow, this is all so true for foreigners in Florence
Thank you for being honest with your productions. They are also well done and beautifully filmed. Bravo!
No need to watch before giving a thumbs up! I know I’m going to love this!
Art Vandelay Ahhhh you’re super kind - thank you!!
So nice to hear both your stories about living there. I was in Milan and Como two years ago. I stayed all around Lake Como and I fell in love with Italy. I felt at peace there. I have been doing a lot of homework with the purpose of moving there. As a traditional painter and 3d artist my goal is to retire there when I have enough to live on without working unless its remotely or doing freelance gigs. Thank you again for the perspective. It was very helpful.
Lovely 😊 just lovely ... I had a blast watching... felt like I was there
I love everything Italian. I live on a classic Italian yacht with my dog in nz . Just love an Italian woman 45 to 50 . Thanks for your beautiful videos Andre Flavell
Thank you guys for sharing all this beautiful insight while having fun and laughing the whole time!!!
What a sweet video🙏 you are both really generous with my Country🇮🇹💚 Bless you both and thanks a million!
I so relate to the "losing" your personality in Italian! I grew up speaking Italian and I am Tuscan, so we tend to be very witty and humorous. However, I still needed to learn how joke around with teens my age. I am an actress and everyone in America knows I am EXTREMELY eccentric and loud and funny. But in Italy up until last summer I was a mute! Then after 2 months in Italy with my cousins I finally reclaimed my humor! I had my cousins and aunts and uncles peeing at the dinner table with my jokes and impersonations in Italian! It was so empowering. Gotta love the stages of learning a language
Jaw-droppingly beautiful stories you’re telling. I can’t believe I finally found this channel. You are an amazing storyteller and I can only dream of someday telling stories and creating videos this beautiful. Ciao :-)
As a fairly uncultured man in his thirties I really enjoyed this conversation, and has sparked my interest in venturing out of the Midwest USA and opening my self up to other cultures and other peoples.
Brian Auman
Start by going to the coasts (NY/la), then switch to Europe or South America. YOU WONT TEGRET IT!
The million dollar question is why?
Because that’s the very reason why you ended up living life as a human!
You came to experience life!
Great video...wonderful banter on the reality of living against the desire to be part of something that fills our soul...
Hi, from Padova! This made feel so happy. 💖 and gosh... how many tears in govt buildings, le piazze, and bars (coffee bars) 😁
Just living this after leaving Canada and loved your comment on how nothing goes the way it is planned!
Kylie thank you so much for this video! I am so happy that I have found your channel. Already love it so much! I am thinking about moving to Italy and this video helps me to be prepared that nothing is gonna be as I expect)
First time I have watched your vlog. I hope one day I will get to travel to Italy. Food, scenery, culture and style is wonderful. This was a nice relaxing easy watch. Made me rearrange all my candles on the table! Also love your hair colour!
I love this, congratulations on your perseverance and making your dreams come true.⭐️
As soon as you move out of the cities,into small towns or villages you will be welcomed with open arms. Cities are the same world over ,you are just a number !!!
Spent summer 2001 in Firenze.
Just got to work there again sooner rather than later.
Many similar challenges when I moved to Hawaii. I have since moved back to the Mainland due to costs and ease of having several dogs.
I feel as if you need a good solid month to truly enjoy everything Italy has to offer. I've never been, but it is a beautifully dynamic place. Falling in love with Italy seems to be an easy thing to do!
Wow as an Italian guy who always lived here in Italy, It's so fascinating hearing you speak about my country! I hope i can meet you one day! One think i believe about building relationships in Italy is not because they're not friendly but it's because they're too lazy to learn an extra language like English so it could become difficult to merge into other cultures, they're too stuck in their world i believe. I say "them" because i am not lazy like them i love English as a language i learned it with my American friends! :)
I hope Matteo Salvini gets re-elected
Silvano Calabrese That is the best way to learn a language. To speak with friends or family, at the dinner table, buying things in a store or restaurant. When I grew up in New York my father spoke Italian around his family because my grandparents spoke little to no English. Everyone spoke Italian so they could understand. They were from Naples so they spoke the dialect , my aunt was from Calabria she spoke that dialect but they all understood. I regret that he did not teach me when I was a child. It’s so much easier when you are a child. Many people spend years in high school and college learning a language but never really speak it fluently because they are not using it everyday. Now my grandparents are gone and my father passed at age 97, he never forgot his language and I wish he had taught me so I would still have a piece of my heritage.
@@nancyparmelee4161 i totally agree with you, i don't think you need school to learn a language, you can easily learn it bout your self! If i can suggest you a tip ; Listen Italian everyday even if you don't understand it! Listening is the first step to memorise it, actually we do this when we're kids so it's a pretty natural way to get involved into it :)
Italian is not easy, especially with all the dialects we have! it's pretty messed up, don't focus on that but do focus on clean Italian. Good luck! :)
navid soleimani we all hope so
A very honest conversation. I love it very realistic. I moved from the Netherlands to Belgium just 3 kilometers from the border but a complete different culture.....
I love how they picked up on the hand gestures as 🤗
Haha.. 👍I loved this frank & funny conversation & can identify with some of your shared feelings about good intentions on moving & about the big differences between holidaying in a foreign country & actually staying! 😃 Really beneficial for anyone considering moving, that's for sure! 😉
Okay it's dinner time here and I am going to enjoy this beautiful video with delicious Indian food😊😊😊
Smit Kalkani I love knowing this. 🙏🙏
Love it. Just listened like a podcast. Thank you for “keeping it real”.
Thank you so much for this video! I've been thinking of moving to Australia; I know it's not Italy but I think that many topics you discussed in the video can help anyone who wants to move to a foreign country. I still Don't know if I want to go to Australia forever but I Don't want to think to much about it and prefer to follow my heart instead of overthinking. Continue doing what you do because it's beautiful! Thank you so much for your light