8670 who is staying?

[quote=Nielo;81363]I love my life here in Italy......[/quote]

We do too. The people, the pace of life, the beauty, so much to do and see. Sometimes when I open the Blue Guide to Tuscany I think to myself, "wish I could live forever". As it's going to take me forever to get around to seeing everything there is to see here. I love the fact that everything is so old and solid and confident. I love the way the Italians I know live. Their priorities. I love going for my daily passeggiata in the afternoon, strolling around, talking to neighbours, shopkeepers. The other day, for the first time ever, I actually stood in our village piazza on a sunny day and did nothing. I just stood there, as so many other Italians do, and stared in to space, watched everyone go by. Can you imagine ever being that relaxed in England or the States? No, impossible. And last summer joining the village ladies on the wall gossiping as the tourists wandered by some commenting that it was an odd thing to do, others staring. (It's a fact: tourists stare at local people as if they're animals in a zoo or exhibits in a museum.) I love wandering around my house looking at all the original features. I run my hands over the uneven walls and think mine, all mine. But it's not really, I'm just a guardian. For it's stood for 500 years and will probably stand another 500 years. So I think who was here before and who'll come after me. Opening my shutters in the morning and looking out at that view and thinking, "gosh Italy". For sometimes in your sleep you forget where you are and when you wake up it's so wonderful to be reminded. Going away and coming back. I just love, love, love checking in for a flight back to Rome in some far flung place. Finding your way to the gate by the noise, the clothes (it's always so good to see men in rust coloured trousers again and everyone wearing sunglasses, even though it's 2 in the morning) and really feeling part of the crowd. Everyone clapping when you land as if it's some sort of miracle. Pulling out of the carpark at Fiumcino and seeing the sign FIRENZE and thinking HOME. Oh, wonderful. And you wonder why you ever went away.

Cowabunga you guys....what lovely reading...brings a Ready Brek glow right from the middle of me all the way outwards....makes me want to live in Italy more than ever.....

ooooooops....I do.......

superyipeeyahoo :o)

We are staying for all the above reasons, its beautiful here, we have made good friends, we have land for the first time and space, I never expected to live in another country and have surprised myself, I continue to be surprised and sometimes amazed that this finally feels like I have come home. Perhaps I was Italian in a previous life? or perhaps it just suits me so well.

I am now getting excited by our next venture, a small thing, but life here is made up of simple pleasures, we are going to keep a few chickens (not turkeys for those who remember) and enjoy our own eggs, we probably wont keep them in the same way as Mario next door, but no doubt he will soon make his views clear, and we wont be eating them when they stop laying. So I can soon bore you all with chicken stories.
A

[quote=Nielo;81363]
I didn’t buy as an investment or as a holiday home but as a life change. I don't regret it.............
The people who were not committed in the first place will move on and we that are left will enjoy our lives here.[/quote]
We didn't buy as an investment or holiday home either, and we were also absolutely committed,,,but after 5 years, and losing almost 50% of our money each month, we have to acknowledge reality! For us, returning to the U.S. will allow our money to go further, and to give us a more reasonable cost of living. You're lucky that the pound does so well against the euro, as opposed to the dollar :no:

Best of luck!

[quote=umbria lover;81372]We didn't buy as an investment or holiday home either, and we were also absolutely committed,,,but after 5 years, and losing almost 50% of our money each month, we have to acknowledge reality! For us, returning to the U.S. will allow our money to go further, and to give us a more reasonable cost of living. You're lucky that the pound does so well against the euro, as opposed to the dollar :no:

Best of luck![/quote]

Do you think that the Dollar's weakness against the Euro is likely to be a long-term problem? It would be a terrible shame if you made big changes and the exchange rate was just a short-term blip.

I have enjoyed reading other people's reasons for staying in Italy; it really is nice to see some positive posts.

Angie and Rob
Thats eggsellent news! (soz)
Look forward to hearing all your chicken stories - I fancy trying that when we get there full time but I fear foxes getting to them and how awful it would be to find a coop of murdered chickens.. how deep do you have to dig wire in - do you know?
Good luck with it.
M x

Hi Marina

We went to visit some friends who downloaded the coup design from the internet, its basically a box raised above the ground with wheels on two corners, apart from the sliding door its accessed by a lift up roof,so once the chickens are in for the night its fox and polecat proof. During the day they free range and so far have been OK, perhaps I need an ostrich to guard mine during the day!!, as am not sure when the preditors are out and about, probably from dusk to dawn, when the chicks would be tucked up in bed?.Will need to do more research, or ask the all knowing Mario next door.
A

[quote=Nielo;81389]Do you think that the Dollar's weakness against the Euro is likely to be a long-term problem? It would be a terrible shame if you made big changes and the exchange rate was just a short-term blip.[/quote] Unfortunately we've been fighting the bad exchange rate for the last 4 years and don't expect any improvement in the forseeable future. :madd:

Very sorry to hear about your experience, Umbria Lover, but these things are beyond anyone's control. I do wish an improvement, though, and that you may stay.

Yes we are staying--for all the reasons listed.

We moved to our house near Appignano last summer and love the local towns and the people, just the other day one local asked for my phone number, i had only met him for about ten mins before this, i wondered why he wanted my number but gave it anyway.The next day i had a call inviting me and my family to dinner at his house,he just wanted to welcome us to his town!! we had a great meal and were made really welcome, could be a start of a new friendship.

[quote=Michael O;81426]Yes we are staying--for all the reasons listed.

We moved to our house near Appignano last summer and love the local towns and the people, just the other day one local asked for my phone number, i had only met him for about ten mins before this, i wondered why he wanted my number but gave it anyway.The next day i had a call inviting me and my family to dinner at his house,he just wanted to welcome us to his town!! we had a great meal and were made really welcome, could be a start of a new friendship.[/quote]

This continues to happen to us. Some of our best friends in the village are people who invited us round for a drink, over for dinner whatever based merely on a ten acquaintance and accidental meeting such as them sitting on the next table in the cafe or being introduced to us by mutual friends. Late December I was buying ham, meat, ragu in a butchers I had never set foot in before in my life and I only went in on this occasion because it was a Sunday morning, I was passing and it happened to be open. After twenty minutes of sampling the owner's home cured lombo, peccorino, olive oil, etc. she invited us over for lunch on New Year's Day!!!! We couldn't make it that day but agreed later in the week. As a friend from London who was with us remarked, you can live in London for twenty years and not even know the names of your neighbours. Yet people here are just so hospitable. V

Have been here 2 and a half years- the first 18 months were, as someone once said "the best of times, the worst of times" due to trusting the wrong people. At least once a week I said "I just want to go home". We went home Christmas 2006 to work for 3 months & mentally regroup, but were determined to come back after that. Since then things have settled down (fingers crossed) and we are now well & truly settled. There are times we are not sure where the next cent will come from but when you can buy wine for €1 per litre you don't need much money & we get to spend more time with each other- there is no 3 hour commute each day,no mortgage & some of the best friends I have ever had. Christmas 2007 we went to England for 2 weeks & spent the whole time saying "this is fun, but I couldn't live here"- I swear I saw more cars & people in one day than I have done here all year. Anyway the short version of this is- life in Italy isn't always paradise, but it's pretty damn near!