Thank you for the advice. It's great that content creators like you try to give the realities of life abroad. There are way too many expat/travel channels focusing on rainbows and fairytales!

@MsBritaly

18 күн бұрын

Thank you so much - I’m really happy that you appreciate it!

A lot of maturity and depth in this video. As a single older woman I really appreciated it xo. I really like hearing about the negatives you encountered and how you dealt with it. Different to most of these “I moved to x country” videos. I wish you the best, and all success, but it looks like you have the tenacity to make difficult situations work 🙂

@MsBritaly

3 күн бұрын

Thank you so much!

I grew up in Italy and TOTALLY AGREE life is the same the world around!!! You are wise and adaptable, the best qualities for happiness in life. great video. ❤

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Thank you!

Thanks for the video, we are looking at South Italy to possibly live. I agree with you about not being bothered with other peoples opinion or remarks. We both have the same opinion that we just don't care what others "think" and will not put too much effort in these online expat sites. Look forward to more of your videos, gives us a lot of insight. We don't need jobs as my wife and I are retired. We are trying to find a slow paced town with good food to cook and eat out. We really like Lecce. We have lived in Sicily for a short term and love it there as well. Ciao

Your channel's content continually gets better and better. I believe this is a tangible reflection on your commitment for self growth. This is inspiring to see and look forward to your future videos.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

I really liked the comment on temperature. I live in Saskatchewan, Canada, with winter temperatures in the -30C to -40C range. A few weeks ago, I spent two weeks in Calabria, with temperatures of 5C to 12C. I was freezing cold and chilled to the bone there. It was crazy. The leather jacket that I wear down to -5C was useless at +8C. Here at +5C, students at the university run around in shorts and sandals. The difference between a dry cold and a damp cold.

@Nomad_783

4 ай бұрын

how on earth? I live in italy and 10-15C is perfect weather to me. Yes it is damp cold and feels colder yet it is still warmer to me than -5C in germany or scandinavia. I would never change this weather in italy to any other climate.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Yes - the humidity makes a big difference!

I retired to Sicily in January 2018. Despite being fluent in Italian, I faced major challenges. How about, you cannot make a valid contract (to buy or rent property) without a codice fiscale (like a National Insurance Number). But to get a codice fiscale, you must demonstrate that you have a residential address. Catch 22 ahahaha 😂

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Yes - there are many things here that feel like a riddle. That said though, I didn't have any problems getting my Codice Fiscale - in fact it was one of the fastest bits of bureaucracy I completed - I wonder why 🤣

Brava! Well said, and great reflections. All very true and thought provoking. Thank you. I agree wholeheartedly and have been here for around the same amount of time, in Calabria. Different circumstances brought me here, but I can thoroughly relate.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

La prima cosa che suggerisco a chiunque si voglia trasferire in Italia, è di imparare l'italiano! Tutto il resto è secondario rispetto a questo fatto davvero essenziale.

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Si. È importante

Thanks for your point of view, which is always helpful. Is there any chance you can do a video on utilities monthly costs and any other costs that people considering a move should be aware of. Thank you 😊

@ibenglish

4 ай бұрын

Also interested in this and thank you

@Nomad_783

4 ай бұрын

really depends where right? South tends to be cheaper than North, yet also depends you wanna live in a city or you are happy in a small town/village. What is your work situation? If you can work from home as i do, you can live anywhere. Smaller towns are much nicer and cheaper but definitely you need to have a car. To me best thing worked that moved to a smaller town but 40min drive to a major city. Life is beautiful/peaceful here yet can go to the city if I need something or just wanna do some city stuff (museums, opera, entertainment..)

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Great suggestion - I’ll add it to the list of future videos!

Thank you for this video! I love your accent and the way you express yourself. You always make it so clear and understandable. These are the issues we often think but rarely discuss, in my opinion.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

I just watched your video, ""What nobody tells you about living in Italy" and was really hoping you were still making content. So glad to see you are. I'm from the states and have never spent time in Italy but my grandmother's father was Italian (born in Italy) and I've always felt some kind of distant connection and have wanted to visit. I'm turning 38 this month and figure now is as good a time as any. Your video really gave me some perspective that I will keep in mind along my journey. Thank you for making real and genuine content!

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you and I hope you get to visit!

I think everyone should leave their home country for a while… amplifying perspectives.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Yes!

"Life is the same here" Well, It might be different for someone like me who is looking to retire, not work much accept for online, and who has been a loner for so long that friendships aren't a high priority. I don't see myself struggling with either of these. The language, on the other hand....

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Ahaha yes the language….that will be a continual journey

@mariecurie7491

2 ай бұрын

I retired to Sicily in January 2018. Yes, learning the language is an absolute priority - the locals like to address you in English, but it is very basic schoolchild English

Once again , very well said ; oddly enough I do live in the wild west of canada , which in many ways sounds alot like living in southern italy. Maybe that's why i prefer central italy , where people are normal , happy and the streets are paved with pasta !

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Ahahha maybe!

Thanks for sharing.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

You’re welcome!

Great advice. Hopefully others will listen to you and take on board your lessons learnt and save themselves going through them themselves. I am an Australian born retiree who is fortunate to have Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis). I was partially raised in the north, Veneto region, as a child but am now in Puglia and have been here for 3 month and can attest to your comment about the huge differences between the north and south. And yes, they may as well be different countries with neither being better than the other.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you. I hope I can help people to understand these differences because it’s not easy sometimes to recognize this, until you start living here.

I came from Portugal to Central Italy and I thought it would be an easy transition because the cultures are not so different, but it was still a challenge! Italy is a complicated country and there is so much to learn and understand!

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Yes - indeed!

i dont think you made a wrong choice moving to the south. It depends on your goals and purpose of course but the south is so much better. 1. where is the "south"? Rome? Napoli? Calabria? Puglia? Sicily? huge difference in all those regions all considered "south". 2. Language is a problem in the south for sure but it pushes you to learn and adjust quicker than in the north where you will be comfortable enough to keep english but still struggle because main things really dont work in english. 3. if you wanna rely your income based on italy then north is better. But if you can do your business/work/income outside of italy then south is better. You dont move to italy to WORK, you move to italy to LIVE. I feel lot of your frustration comes from working in italy and dealing with italians at work which is understandable. Italians stress a lot and they work a lot for small money. They are angry and they arent motivated (no wonder). On top of that of course they are not famous of being punctual or precise i.e.many qualities - we value north/west europe. It is all understood but surely cant be surprising. There are movies and stereotypes around it all over (real ones). As i say to anyone moveing to italy. "You dont live in italy because things work great, you live in italy despite of it..."-with other words, yeah system sucks but life is so great here, you bear it so you can be here. Great video though. I agree on everything. Dinner time is still 6-8Pm to me unless i need to eat out, but even then i do it latest by 7-8pm. I dont wanna eat late just because locals do. Problems and life is the same as anywhere else just as you said however, it makes a huge difference that i can take a walk in a beautiful beach in february or early march taking sun, watching the sunset and hearing the waves. Sure you can do it in Ireland too but makes a difference that it is cold, rainy most time of the year...and i can get in my car and see mountains within 30minutes if i want to, or a beautiful city with museums and enjoying great quality food. Not many countries can offer this besides Italy.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Some very true reflections!

Great video !

@MsBritaly

2 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Personally if I meet a foreigner who want help I will help him/her: using my little english, using Italian, using gestures. I dont care how, but I will help at last! (Excuse my english)

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

That’s a beautiful thing!

@gennyshark

4 ай бұрын

@@MsBritaly 😊

Well done video. Thanks for all the insights. You definitely have to have thick skin for folks who don't understand your dreams. Sadly, many are family or close friends. Everyone needs to have a more open mind to others perspectives and desires. Again, thanks for sharing.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Good asvice...font stress about the opinions of others...very Stoic😊( control what you can control, the rest, just leave)

@MsBritaly

2 ай бұрын

Absolutely!

You are a deep thinking person. I can definitely relate and thank you for the good content. I never knew that different parts of Italy were so much different from each other. Do you have an opinion on Puglia verses Umbria? There seems to be quite a few expats in Puglia. You have a great day and smile! 👍🏻

@lauraswihart4816

4 ай бұрын

I think she has 1 of the most greatest channels! Honesty, info galore, & is a lovely lady! 🍓💝

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you! Unfortunately I don’t have any experience of those regions so I can’t really say! That said though, I’m sure there are other KZreadrs who live in those regions who can shed light on this for you.

As an expat, I have a similar experience (not ITA): LANGUAGE is most imporant thing, without this even as a pensioner you would feel like an alien all the time! Also, things are DIFFERENT, not "better" or "worse" and people have basically the same struggles everywhere. Within Europe, the contrast is even less, of course. Q: Claire, @MsBritaly, I think it's a taboo, but even with good language use and decent experience, one is likely to get rejected on the job market because he/she is simply not Italian... did you ever cover this topic before?

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

It’s a good topic and one I haven’t covered before- I’ll add it to the list of future videos

Assuming you can be objective about yourself (I know it's difficult for people in general to do so), what are some (non-intrusive) ways you think you have changed, whether positively or negatively? For myself, even just living there for 6 months, I found I have become less tolerant of my fellow Americans (a negative trait), but I am far more understanding of the difficulties immigrants might face coming to the U.S. (a positive trait). I don't mean for the first part of that to seem like a dig. It isn't meant that way. I like your channel and always try to watch your content.

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

It’s a good question - I think for a future video.

What were your expectations and what was your reality after living in Italy?

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

A great question - a future video for sure!

I love that you don't sugar-coat the life in Italy. 💚

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Ah thank you!

Beautiful accent you have! 💝

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Thank you!

I met an English lady in Florence married to an Italian for 30 years. She doesn’t speak ITALIAN 😊

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Wow - suddenly I don’t feel so bad about my progress 🤣

@Over50andMe

4 ай бұрын

Actually she’s not very expectedly fluent. Her level is very very low. Her accent is still very British 🇬🇧. I believe everyone’s journey is different. I am learning Italian too. One day I feel like I have made progress the next day every word has flown through the window and I start all over 😆😆🥹🤔.

Hi there! My name is Domenico and I'm from the South of Italy. I really enjoy your videos. I have a channel as well where I talk about my life in Dublin. I would love to interview an expat living in Italy just like you! Would you be interested?

@MsBritaly

4 ай бұрын

Sure. Send me an email and we can talk about it. ciao@msbritaly.com

I really WANT to like your channel as I will move to Italy but YOU OFTEN SEEM RATHER NEGATIVE about Italy....just a comment I'm a KZreadr too 29k subs and your channel would grow faster if you did talk more about the positives of Italy- as that is what folks MOSTLY want to watch. Think about it- who watches videos about Italy?? Folks who love it, or are fascinated by the country. Also a bit more b-roll meaning images, clips of the country not just you talking to us. Please don't take this as being mean. Just my personal feeling and being a KZreadr too....I see what folks like in popular channels.

@MsBritaly

Ай бұрын

Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts and opinions. I’m happy with the growth and direction of my channel because I’m real about life here - the good and the bad - and my audience appreciate this. Just to say not everyone is interested in the sugar coated image of Italy - some of my most popular videos have been when I’ve been sharing the other side to life here. Point to note - 7 reasons not to visit Sicily far out-performed 7 reasons to visit Sicily. I will grow in the time right for me - KZread is a marathon not a sprint. Love and light ❤️