Ciao Amy,I'm sorry that I did not see your reply sooner....I try to take a day now when I'm less connected to my phone, laptop...whenever possible but it's not easy! Apologies...I know how eager you are and it's important to collect information now! Thanks for sharing more details, it sounds like you're doing very well with planning for your flat and savings and your work...well done!I have some more resources to share but I want to comb through my files and gather them together, but for now here are a few quick ones that have always been interesting: transitionsabroad.com (in this one you'll find links/references to more) and ExpatExchange.com has a good Italy forum. What are you using to study Italian? I was lucky to learn Italian in school when I was quite young and in a method almost like learning English....starting with letters, numbers....everything so I learned from a grammatical approach plus how to read and write it, sing...everything! Loved it. Later on when I needed refreshing (as I need now!) I picked up Living Language products because they seemed to work best for me, they weren't as rigid or mechanical as the others which everyone seemed to give up on or bemoan. (No, I'm not connected to them...wish I were as I could use new products, my French needs help too and I think I might like to learn Portuguese now) but, of course if you're working with something that works, brilliant! I also keep a mini Berlitz guide on hand for languages that are too tough and a translator app on the phone.I'm going to look for the other links and then come back later to fully reply to your enthusiastic note! Just have a long list at present but I'm so very excited for you and your adventure. The additional info will help me to further assist in whatever way I'm able to. Andiamo!Buona sera,Colleen :)
Ciao Amy,It could be very exciting to spend some time in Italy! I was in Verona for a little while (it's an amazing place...a small enough city to not ever feel crowded but also has Lake Garda nearby and lovely little villages) but had to return to the USA sooner than expected though like you, that was always the plan. That made returning more difficult; I'd never had time to plan it so the first thing I'd suggest is...planning the return even though you've not even left yet. Why? Unless you can sublet your place or close it up for the time you leave and return to it, and your car and belongings (storage?) everything will need to be set and ready for when you get back. I didn't have anything set but again, I got thrown under the bus....it had NOTHING to do with Italy. The next thing: you said you've visited many times...what type of traveler are you? Very independent? Have you ever traveled alone? Do you always stay in hotels or some other type of lodging? Are you the kind to easily mix and meet with locals? I'm thinking yes or you'd likely not have fallen so in love with Italy as her people are part of what make it so wonderful. Of course being there beyond two weeks or more is so very different than a holiday and while the experience can be wonderful, it is different than a holiday. If you are the type with lots of patience and flexibility, well you're more apt to do well abroad and in a country like Italy. Also, away from main tourism centers (i.e. Centro Storico and other "epicenters") you will hear less english so be prepared to use more Italian...it doesn't have to be perfect and you can use translation apps or books, no one will become inpatient with you, but not many Italians study english unless there is an absolute reason for them to do so and so you likely will not encounter it much when you go grocery shopping and do other routine every day things but, hopefully this is what you are going there for!I think it might be best to focus on the work that comes with room and board since this will take away one of the biggest and most foreboding challenges anyone going to Italy for the short or long term faces: getting a flat! The way Italian property works, whether renting or buying...it can be quite difficult to get a place unless you have legal resident status in Italy - you won't have to be a citizen but becoming a resident can be just as difficult without the requisite visa clearing the way for you (work or student visa, usually) and also most rental contracts are for a very long time. Short term rentals are available but these tend to be mostly "vacation rentals" which usually are very expensive, or executive/corporate rentals, similarly very costly. Thus, taking a moderate paying job with room and board being the biggest piece of comp might be the greatest advantage. Whatever else you earn might be enough to support your touring and miscellaneous expenses. Teaching english in Italy might be possible but many schools want someone with either TESOL or TEFL certification (you can get that with a Groupon for about US$70 but it's about 160 hours although you have it forever) because unless you already are a teacher and familiar with modalities, to just offer lessons freelance (a possibility but these days, even private people prefer credentials) and to protect yourself, filter clients (more discriminating clients) will seek more skilled teachers and you can charge more, teach when you like privately and you'll know how to set up your lessons. Another option, I don't know if you are aware of it is WWOOFing....working on farms/agricultural settings in exchange for room/board. wwoof.org so take a look at them too. Remember, your health insurance will NOT generally cover you while overseas unless there is some sort of emergency (hope not!) and even then, it can be complicated...there are some travel insurance companies you can look into for coverage on major things but it won't cover things like doctor visits. Also, if you require OTC meds, try to figure out a way to bring what you can in your luggage (whatever legally allowed) because Italian pharmacies do not sell much of anything but some vitamins, small bottles of ibuprofen I think I bought...maybe. Tough to remember and it was only two years ago. If you think you'll need to send someone a birthday card while your away (or any sort of card) buy it and bring it with you....it's almost impossible to find cards for most things in Italy. They exist, but are different and not abundant. This just isn't a common practice in Italy. I had trouble finding scented candles too but it wasn't that important, the air smelled wonderful most of the time! Your mobile phone....all cell phones are GSM now but using it abroad is never a good idea. The best thing is to buy a SIM card from one of the major providers in Italy, pop it into your phone and just put more money on your card as needed...works great! You can use wifi wherever it is to use internet on your phone and to call back home, I'd just buy good old phone cards...they had an option for dialing from a mobile phone (with the Italian SIM in it) and then I got right through to home with lots of minutes. The SIM cards and phone cards are inexpensive but email is easiest though hearing someone's voice is nice, of course. Wifi is mostly OK and available but sometimes signals are weak, it just depended where I was but there aren't as many "free hotspots" as you might be used to where you live. Some will have it, others will not. Sit back, relax, enjoy your Spritz. (Not that great really, but everyone still drinks them!)There were very decent buses where I was....that was helpful and convenient! Better than where I am now back in the USA! Aside from that all you might want is a bike to use...perhaps you pick one up second hand and resell it when you leave....get a really good lock, though if you're in a more provinical town, it probably won't be that big of a deal. Here's the thing....if you don't go with say...WWOOF who might handle local authorities or any papers for you, the actual legal amount of time you can be in Italy is the length of your visa which is 90 days, the length of a tourist visa for most visitors. I have Irish citizenship (& USA) which gave me six months permission to stay but even I am not considered a legal resident beyond six months despite Ireland being an EU member country....people think it's wide open....it isn't. Some countries are completely CLOSED to all immigration including EU to EU countries. For me to stay beyond six months in Italy I'd have had to get a residence card. Italy is still "open" though with the current immigration crisis now in Sicily and elsewhere in the country, it's hard to know if that will change. Anyway, I won't be moving out of the USA soon. Does it matter for you? It might so I thought I'd mention it. You said between 2-4 months so I thought it might help to mention it so that you can factor it into your plans. On the off chance anything were to "come up" in the 4th month you're there and you're not there legitimately, well....you're not a dangerous person, what's the worst that could happen? Not much probably but....again, under the current circumstances with immigrations & police currently stressed beyond their limits and it generally not being a light topic anyway, well....they'd send you home but I'd not want them to trouble you beyond that. That's not what you're going to Italy for!Am I trying to rain on your parade? NO, NO, NO. I actually want it to be WONDERFUL so I want you to know what's on deck so that you can be prepared, go in with your eyes wide open and make the most of the incredible experience and all that Italy has to offer. It could even become a longer term thing for you, with legal permission, a home, a family....who knows? Anything is possible but, it's best to arrive with as much awareness and information as possible so that once there, all you really need to concern yourself with are things like, red or white, pasta or fish, a museum or the lake, mountains or seaside...hiking or a picnic, cooking great new dishes and making great new friends (and more!) So....after seeing all this, if you have more questions or concerns, look for me on Twitter or Facebook with this name....or just write me on here and I'll get it in an email. I did not work when I was there....I hadn't been feeling well but it was still a memorable experience!
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Ciao Amy,I'm sorry that I did not see your reply sooner....I try to take a day now when I'm less connected to my phone, laptop...whenever possible but it's not easy! Apologies...I know how eager you are and it's important to collect information now! Thanks for sharing more details, it sounds like you're doing very well with planning for your flat and savings and your work...well done!I have some more resources to share but I want to comb through my files and gather them together, but for now here are a few quick ones that have always been interesting: transitionsabroad.com (in this one you'll find links/references to more) and ExpatExchange.com has a good Italy forum. What are you using to study Italian? I was lucky to learn Italian in school when I was quite young and in a method almost like learning English....starting with letters, numbers....everything so I learned from a grammatical approach plus how to read and write it, sing...everything! Loved it. Later on when I needed refreshing (as I need now!) I picked up Living Language products because they seemed to work best for me, they weren't as rigid or mechanical as the others which everyone seemed to give up on or bemoan. (No, I'm not connected to them...wish I were as I could use new products, my French needs help too and I think I might like to learn Portuguese now) but, of course if you're working with something that works, brilliant! I also keep a mini Berlitz guide on hand for languages that are too tough and a translator app on the phone.I'm going to look for the other links and then come back later to fully reply to your enthusiastic note! Just have a long list at present but I'm so very excited for you and your adventure. The additional info will help me to further assist in whatever way I'm able to. Andiamo!Buona sera,Colleen :)
Ciao Amy,It could be very exciting to spend some time in Italy! I was in Verona for a little while (it's an amazing place...a small enough city to not ever feel crowded but also has Lake Garda nearby and lovely little villages) but had to return to the USA sooner than expected though like you, that was always the plan. That made returning more difficult; I'd never had time to plan it so the first thing I'd suggest is...planning the return even though you've not even left yet. Why? Unless you can sublet your place or close it up for the time you leave and return to it, and your car and belongings (storage?) everything will need to be set and ready for when you get back. I didn't have anything set but again, I got thrown under the bus....it had NOTHING to do with Italy. The next thing: you said you've visited many times...what type of traveler are you? Very independent? Have you ever traveled alone? Do you always stay in hotels or some other type of lodging? Are you the kind to easily mix and meet with locals? I'm thinking yes or you'd likely not have fallen so in love with Italy as her people are part of what make it so wonderful. Of course being there beyond two weeks or more is so very different than a holiday and while the experience can be wonderful, it is different than a holiday. If you are the type with lots of patience and flexibility, well you're more apt to do well abroad and in a country like Italy. Also, away from main tourism centers (i.e. Centro Storico and other "epicenters") you will hear less english so be prepared to use more Italian...it doesn't have to be perfect and you can use translation apps or books, no one will become inpatient with you, but not many Italians study english unless there is an absolute reason for them to do so and so you likely will not encounter it much when you go grocery shopping and do other routine every day things but, hopefully this is what you are going there for!I think it might be best to focus on the work that comes with room and board since this will take away one of the biggest and most foreboding challenges anyone going to Italy for the short or long term faces: getting a flat! The way Italian property works, whether renting or buying...it can be quite difficult to get a place unless you have legal resident status in Italy - you won't have to be a citizen but becoming a resident can be just as difficult without the requisite visa clearing the way for you (work or student visa, usually) and also most rental contracts are for a very long time. Short term rentals are available but these tend to be mostly "vacation rentals" which usually are very expensive, or executive/corporate rentals, similarly very costly. Thus, taking a moderate paying job with room and board being the biggest piece of comp might be the greatest advantage. Whatever else you earn might be enough to support your touring and miscellaneous expenses. Teaching english in Italy might be possible but many schools want someone with either TESOL or TEFL certification (you can get that with a Groupon for about US$70 but it's about 160 hours although you have it forever) because unless you already are a teacher and familiar with modalities, to just offer lessons freelance (a possibility but these days, even private people prefer credentials) and to protect yourself, filter clients (more discriminating clients) will seek more skilled teachers and you can charge more, teach when you like privately and you'll know how to set up your lessons. Another option, I don't know if you are aware of it is WWOOFing....working on farms/agricultural settings in exchange for room/board. wwoof.org so take a look at them too. Remember, your health insurance will NOT generally cover you while overseas unless there is some sort of emergency (hope not!) and even then, it can be complicated...there are some travel insurance companies you can look into for coverage on major things but it won't cover things like doctor visits. Also, if you require OTC meds, try to figure out a way to bring what you can in your luggage (whatever legally allowed) because Italian pharmacies do not sell much of anything but some vitamins, small bottles of ibuprofen I think I bought...maybe. Tough to remember and it was only two years ago. If you think you'll need to send someone a birthday card while your away (or any sort of card) buy it and bring it with you....it's almost impossible to find cards for most things in Italy. They exist, but are different and not abundant. This just isn't a common practice in Italy. I had trouble finding scented candles too but it wasn't that important, the air smelled wonderful most of the time! Your mobile phone....all cell phones are GSM now but using it abroad is never a good idea. The best thing is to buy a SIM card from one of the major providers in Italy, pop it into your phone and just put more money on your card as needed...works great! You can use wifi wherever it is to use internet on your phone and to call back home, I'd just buy good old phone cards...they had an option for dialing from a mobile phone (with the Italian SIM in it) and then I got right through to home with lots of minutes. The SIM cards and phone cards are inexpensive but email is easiest though hearing someone's voice is nice, of course. Wifi is mostly OK and available but sometimes signals are weak, it just depended where I was but there aren't as many "free hotspots" as you might be used to where you live. Some will have it, others will not. Sit back, relax, enjoy your Spritz. (Not that great really, but everyone still drinks them!)There were very decent buses where I was....that was helpful and convenient! Better than where I am now back in the USA! Aside from that all you might want is a bike to use...perhaps you pick one up second hand and resell it when you leave....get a really good lock, though if you're in a more provinical town, it probably won't be that big of a deal. Here's the thing....if you don't go with say...WWOOF who might handle local authorities or any papers for you, the actual legal amount of time you can be in Italy is the length of your visa which is 90 days, the length of a tourist visa for most visitors. I have Irish citizenship (& USA) which gave me six months permission to stay but even I am not considered a legal resident beyond six months despite Ireland being an EU member country....people think it's wide open....it isn't. Some countries are completely CLOSED to all immigration including EU to EU countries. For me to stay beyond six months in Italy I'd have had to get a residence card. Italy is still "open" though with the current immigration crisis now in Sicily and elsewhere in the country, it's hard to know if that will change. Anyway, I won't be moving out of the USA soon. Does it matter for you? It might so I thought I'd mention it. You said between 2-4 months so I thought it might help to mention it so that you can factor it into your plans. On the off chance anything were to "come up" in the 4th month you're there and you're not there legitimately, well....you're not a dangerous person, what's the worst that could happen? Not much probably but....again, under the current circumstances with immigrations & police currently stressed beyond their limits and it generally not being a light topic anyway, well....they'd send you home but I'd not want them to trouble you beyond that. That's not what you're going to Italy for!Am I trying to rain on your parade? NO, NO, NO. I actually want it to be WONDERFUL so I want you to know what's on deck so that you can be prepared, go in with your eyes wide open and make the most of the incredible experience and all that Italy has to offer. It could even become a longer term thing for you, with legal permission, a home, a family....who knows? Anything is possible but, it's best to arrive with as much awareness and information as possible so that once there, all you really need to concern yourself with are things like, red or white, pasta or fish, a museum or the lake, mountains or seaside...hiking or a picnic, cooking great new dishes and making great new friends (and more!) So....after seeing all this, if you have more questions or concerns, look for me on Twitter or Facebook with this name....or just write me on here and I'll get it in an email. I did not work when I was there....I hadn't been feeling well but it was still a memorable experience!