LA DOLCE VITA.... WELL MOST OF THE TIME!I have been in Rome for just over 2 years, from Arizona originally. I made the choice to completely change my life after my husband died at a young age. It was a good decision.Life is not as easy as everyone thinks, being an expat, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY WORTH IT! There are many things to learn, besides the language which is a big part. I was accustomed to luxury in the USA. Here are a few things that I have learned and have learned to love about life in Rome:1. You can buy a monthly pass for the bus or a yearly one for a lot less money than the daily pass.2. There is a bar on the bottom of the big trashcans that you can step on to lift the lid, so you don't have to touch it! I didn't know this for a while, and saw this beautifully dressed woman in high heels step on the bar and nicely put her trash in without getting dirty!3. I am living in a 500 square foot studio apartment not my 3500 square foot home. No yard, no swimming pool, no garage, no car, no materialistic possessions.4. The washing machines are very small, they hold about 3 bath towels at a time and you hang your clothes to dry, no dryers here! In the summer it is fine, but in the winter it can take up to 5 days for a pair of jeans to dry.5. The refrigerator is small in comparison to the American type (I had 3 full size refrigerators with freezers and a stand-alone full size freezer in the USA). Hoarding of food is not done here at all. Eating fresh is what it is all about. You eat the fruit and vegetables that are in season. You will go to the market nearly every day, walking 3 blocks or more, and get fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and other things you will need for that day's meals and maybe the next day. You only buy what you can carry home with your own 2 hands. No Costco here! You must buy a little cart with wheels to cart your water and heavy items home. It holds about the equivalent of 2 paper grocery sacks in the USA. Markets are very small in general. You will not have 100 types of cereal, shampoo, laundry detergent to choose from. Why do we need so many choices anyway?????6. Electricity is different here. For example, usually you can't run the oven, water heater, hair dryer, microwave, toaster oven, and air conditioning at the same time. Otherwise it will pop the circuit breaker and you will have to wait 15 minutes for it to come back on.7. Air conditioning is optional in most apartments. You will learn to use an oscillating fan, and open all the windows.8. Heating in the winter comes from metal heaters on the wall, usually in each room, but not always. If you are lucky you are able to control your own heat. But many apartments are controlled by the complex and are only on for a few hours a day.9. There is no storage in your apartment. The closet or armadio is the size of most American spare bedroom closets, no walk in closets here. You learn to live with very little space. If you are lucky you will also have a dresser and some other cabinets to store your suitcase in. They only have the clothes in season in the closet. You store the rest of them, as I do in my suitcase.10. Most places do not have a dishwasher, you hand wash your dishes. Microwaves are also not very common. Your American appliances will not last long here with the electricity, so don’t bother trying to bring anything.11. Basic television does not have anything on in English. You can get s subscription to SKY so you can get English if you want to.12. No contracts for your cell phone. You get your phone and SIM card and then you go to the Tabacci store and recharge it when the minutes are finished. I have a monthly plan and pay only 10 euro a month including internet. So much cheaper here than in the USA.13. Women: There are NO toilet seats or toilet paper in the restrooms out in public. You must learn to squat to pee, and always have tissue with you. You will learn which restrooms in public are nice and which of those aren’t. In every home there is a Bidet - need I say more.14. Rome is noisy. Most apartments are near busy streets, you will hear ambulances going by with sirens all hours of the day. If you are lucky you might find a quiet area. I have lived in 4 different areas in the past 2 years and have finally found a nice quiet area that I love.15. Lift or no lift. I would strongly suggest a lift (elevator). Trying to carry your groceries, suitcases and anything else up several flights of stairs, is not worth it. Many places do not have a lift, so check beforehand.16. Public transit system. Bus, tram, underground subway and trains. So far I have found the system to be good, but the Italians complain about it. They have obviously never lived anywhere that doesn't have a system (such as Arizona). Yes, there are strikes often, but you can live through it. You will learn to walk a lot! I have often thought I wanted a car, just to have some freedom, but the parking is terrible, and the drivers are worse! There is a car sharing system now, haven’t tried it but have heard good things about it. You learn to plan ahead when taking public transportation. There is no spur of the moment meeting a friend in the center in 10 minutes here!17. Yes, you can drink the water coming from the small fountains you see on the street. I am told that they pump underground spring water out of them so it is safe to drink. I have been drinking it and I am OK so far, it also tastes good and is cold!18. Beautiful fashions. I am jealous that these Italian women can dress so elegantly, with 6 inch heels, walk on the cobblestone streets without tripping, and then get on a scooter. Amazing to me. I wish I could do that. They wear beautiful scarves year round. You cannot be seen in public wearing sweats, pajama pants, slippers, short shorts or anything else that labels you as an American. Dress to impress.19. Wonderful wine, lots and lots of it. Drink wine instead of water, lol.20. Awesome food. Italians really know how to eat. A typical meal takes about 2-3 hours. Begin with an antipasto (appetizer) and some bread. Then 1st course is pasta or risotto of some sort, 2nd course is meat with a side (spinach, potatoes, vegie, etc... which is not on the same plate). Then salad if you want. Of course end with dolce (dessert). All the time drinking plenty of wine. End with Limon cello and espresso. Hours and hours of eating slowly, enjoying the sights and the company of good friends and family. No rush to get out of the restaurant. They do not bring your check to you until you ask for it and sometimes you have to ask several times. What a concept... I love it. All of the food isn't on the plate at the same time, and no need to rush.21. Wonderful Italian music played in the Piazza's in the evening and sometimes during the day. Artists with their paintings in the Piazza's.22. Night clubs and restaurants on the Tiber River during the summer. Open all night long.23. The beach is 30 minutes away by bus.24. The old buildings, monuments, museums, churches, art, old doors, fountains, lots to see every day, without seeing the same thing over and over. Such a beautiful city, I love it more and more each day.25. Everything is slow in Italy. If you want to accomplish mailing a package at the post office, plan on all day. Many places are closed for a few hours in the middle of the day, banks, markets, stores etc. You must plan accordingly. Also many stores are closed on Sunday. You can’t just go to one office to get any legal paperwork done and they may not be very helpful at all. Yes, this is very frustrating but keep going back. Don’t let them get the best of you. Sooner or later you will get it all accomplished.26. THE BEST PART:People are friendly and truly live like today is the last day. Laid back lifestyle. They talk about food, A LOT! Food is very important and eating a meal with friends and family is expected. The meal can take 3 hours to eat. Very slow, talking and enjoying each other's company. If eating in a restaurant, the bill never comes to the table. You must ask for the bill and many times more than once. Not because they are ignoring you, but there is no hurry to eat and no hurry to get you out of there. Enjoy life, enjoy the food and enjoy the company you are with. Dinner is usually not until after 8pm. I always hated it when the waiter brings the bill along with your food. How does he know that I don't want dessert or coffee after my meal? After dinner many people go for a walk and look at the amazing sights of the city. Leisurely stroll with family and friends. No need to hurry home, many people are out walking past midnight. Even people with small children sleeping in a stroller or buggy. Who cares where the child is sleeping? They are getting fresh air!!! Many Italians work 6 days a week, with only one day off, depending upon the job. When they leave work, they leave work. They don't discuss work outside of the "office". Also when you meet an Italian, the first question they ask you is not "what do you do for a living". They really don't care what you do (unlike the Americans who judge you by what kind of job you do and how much money you make). They want to know what you like to do, eat and talk about life in general. Not about work. They want to get to know the real person, not the job. So all in all I would say that I equate living in Rome to 1950's living. Definitely back to basics, not materialistic. I can live here very inexpensively, very comfortably on less than $2000 a month. That is $24,000 a year. Put that into perspective. I was making 180K in the USA and it was never enough. I could live here for what seven years on that kind of money? It just amazes me every day... Some of my American friends and family would look at the way I am living now and think I am living in poverty (which by American standards, I probably am) but all in all, what really counts is that I am happy. I love this country, the people, the history, everything…..! I made the right choice and I think I have adapted very well for only being here 2 years.If you really want a change in your life, then just do it. You must really want it in order to succeed. The first year is the most difficult, but you can do it. Stay connected with your friends and family through Skype, it makes it easier to see them. Splurge on a hamburger and French fries occasionally. Have someone send you a small care package. All of this helps.There are so many places to see, small little villages that have festivals year round, mountains, and the sea. I am always is awe of every place I have gone. I have many other places to explore, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!Good luck to you!
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LA DOLCE VITA.... WELL MOST OF THE TIME!I have been in Rome for just over 2 years, from Arizona originally. I made the choice to completely change my life after my husband died at a young age. It was a good decision.Life is not as easy as everyone thinks, being an expat, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY WORTH IT! There are many things to learn, besides the language which is a big part. I was accustomed to luxury in the USA. Here are a few things that I have learned and have learned to love about life in Rome:1. You can buy a monthly pass for the bus or a yearly one for a lot less money than the daily pass.2. There is a bar on the bottom of the big trashcans that you can step on to lift the lid, so you don't have to touch it! I didn't know this for a while, and saw this beautifully dressed woman in high heels step on the bar and nicely put her trash in without getting dirty!3. I am living in a 500 square foot studio apartment not my 3500 square foot home. No yard, no swimming pool, no garage, no car, no materialistic possessions.4. The washing machines are very small, they hold about 3 bath towels at a time and you hang your clothes to dry, no dryers here! In the summer it is fine, but in the winter it can take up to 5 days for a pair of jeans to dry.5. The refrigerator is small in comparison to the American type (I had 3 full size refrigerators with freezers and a stand-alone full size freezer in the USA). Hoarding of food is not done here at all. Eating fresh is what it is all about. You eat the fruit and vegetables that are in season. You will go to the market nearly every day, walking 3 blocks or more, and get fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and other things you will need for that day's meals and maybe the next day. You only buy what you can carry home with your own 2 hands. No Costco here! You must buy a little cart with wheels to cart your water and heavy items home. It holds about the equivalent of 2 paper grocery sacks in the USA. Markets are very small in general. You will not have 100 types of cereal, shampoo, laundry detergent to choose from. Why do we need so many choices anyway?????6. Electricity is different here. For example, usually you can't run the oven, water heater, hair dryer, microwave, toaster oven, and air conditioning at the same time. Otherwise it will pop the circuit breaker and you will have to wait 15 minutes for it to come back on.7. Air conditioning is optional in most apartments. You will learn to use an oscillating fan, and open all the windows.8. Heating in the winter comes from metal heaters on the wall, usually in each room, but not always. If you are lucky you are able to control your own heat. But many apartments are controlled by the complex and are only on for a few hours a day.9. There is no storage in your apartment. The closet or armadio is the size of most American spare bedroom closets, no walk in closets here. You learn to live with very little space. If you are lucky you will also have a dresser and some other cabinets to store your suitcase in. They only have the clothes in season in the closet. You store the rest of them, as I do in my suitcase.10. Most places do not have a dishwasher, you hand wash your dishes. Microwaves are also not very common. Your American appliances will not last long here with the electricity, so don’t bother trying to bring anything.11. Basic television does not have anything on in English. You can get s subscription to SKY so you can get English if you want to.12. No contracts for your cell phone. You get your phone and SIM card and then you go to the Tabacci store and recharge it when the minutes are finished. I have a monthly plan and pay only 10 euro a month including internet. So much cheaper here than in the USA.13. Women: There are NO toilet seats or toilet paper in the restrooms out in public. You must learn to squat to pee, and always have tissue with you. You will learn which restrooms in public are nice and which of those aren’t. In every home there is a Bidet - need I say more.14. Rome is noisy. Most apartments are near busy streets, you will hear ambulances going by with sirens all hours of the day. If you are lucky you might find a quiet area. I have lived in 4 different areas in the past 2 years and have finally found a nice quiet area that I love.15. Lift or no lift. I would strongly suggest a lift (elevator). Trying to carry your groceries, suitcases and anything else up several flights of stairs, is not worth it. Many places do not have a lift, so check beforehand.16. Public transit system. Bus, tram, underground subway and trains. So far I have found the system to be good, but the Italians complain about it. They have obviously never lived anywhere that doesn't have a system (such as Arizona). Yes, there are strikes often, but you can live through it. You will learn to walk a lot! I have often thought I wanted a car, just to have some freedom, but the parking is terrible, and the drivers are worse! There is a car sharing system now, haven’t tried it but have heard good things about it. You learn to plan ahead when taking public transportation. There is no spur of the moment meeting a friend in the center in 10 minutes here!17. Yes, you can drink the water coming from the small fountains you see on the street. I am told that they pump underground spring water out of them so it is safe to drink. I have been drinking it and I am OK so far, it also tastes good and is cold!18. Beautiful fashions. I am jealous that these Italian women can dress so elegantly, with 6 inch heels, walk on the cobblestone streets without tripping, and then get on a scooter. Amazing to me. I wish I could do that. They wear beautiful scarves year round. You cannot be seen in public wearing sweats, pajama pants, slippers, short shorts or anything else that labels you as an American. Dress to impress.19. Wonderful wine, lots and lots of it. Drink wine instead of water, lol.20. Awesome food. Italians really know how to eat. A typical meal takes about 2-3 hours. Begin with an antipasto (appetizer) and some bread. Then 1st course is pasta or risotto of some sort, 2nd course is meat with a side (spinach, potatoes, vegie, etc... which is not on the same plate). Then salad if you want. Of course end with dolce (dessert). All the time drinking plenty of wine. End with Limon cello and espresso. Hours and hours of eating slowly, enjoying the sights and the company of good friends and family. No rush to get out of the restaurant. They do not bring your check to you until you ask for it and sometimes you have to ask several times. What a concept... I love it. All of the food isn't on the plate at the same time, and no need to rush.21. Wonderful Italian music played in the Piazza's in the evening and sometimes during the day. Artists with their paintings in the Piazza's.22. Night clubs and restaurants on the Tiber River during the summer. Open all night long.23. The beach is 30 minutes away by bus.24. The old buildings, monuments, museums, churches, art, old doors, fountains, lots to see every day, without seeing the same thing over and over. Such a beautiful city, I love it more and more each day.25. Everything is slow in Italy. If you want to accomplish mailing a package at the post office, plan on all day. Many places are closed for a few hours in the middle of the day, banks, markets, stores etc. You must plan accordingly. Also many stores are closed on Sunday. You can’t just go to one office to get any legal paperwork done and they may not be very helpful at all. Yes, this is very frustrating but keep going back. Don’t let them get the best of you. Sooner or later you will get it all accomplished.26. THE BEST PART:People are friendly and truly live like today is the last day. Laid back lifestyle. They talk about food, A LOT! Food is very important and eating a meal with friends and family is expected. The meal can take 3 hours to eat. Very slow, talking and enjoying each other's company. If eating in a restaurant, the bill never comes to the table. You must ask for the bill and many times more than once. Not because they are ignoring you, but there is no hurry to eat and no hurry to get you out of there. Enjoy life, enjoy the food and enjoy the company you are with. Dinner is usually not until after 8pm. I always hated it when the waiter brings the bill along with your food. How does he know that I don't want dessert or coffee after my meal? After dinner many people go for a walk and look at the amazing sights of the city. Leisurely stroll with family and friends. No need to hurry home, many people are out walking past midnight. Even people with small children sleeping in a stroller or buggy. Who cares where the child is sleeping? They are getting fresh air!!! Many Italians work 6 days a week, with only one day off, depending upon the job. When they leave work, they leave work. They don't discuss work outside of the "office". Also when you meet an Italian, the first question they ask you is not "what do you do for a living". They really don't care what you do (unlike the Americans who judge you by what kind of job you do and how much money you make). They want to know what you like to do, eat and talk about life in general. Not about work. They want to get to know the real person, not the job. So all in all I would say that I equate living in Rome to 1950's living. Definitely back to basics, not materialistic. I can live here very inexpensively, very comfortably on less than $2000 a month. That is $24,000 a year. Put that into perspective. I was making 180K in the USA and it was never enough. I could live here for what seven years on that kind of money? It just amazes me every day... Some of my American friends and family would look at the way I am living now and think I am living in poverty (which by American standards, I probably am) but all in all, what really counts is that I am happy. I love this country, the people, the history, everything…..! I made the right choice and I think I have adapted very well for only being here 2 years.If you really want a change in your life, then just do it. You must really want it in order to succeed. The first year is the most difficult, but you can do it. Stay connected with your friends and family through Skype, it makes it easier to see them. Splurge on a hamburger and French fries occasionally. Have someone send you a small care package. All of this helps.There are so many places to see, small little villages that have festivals year round, mountains, and the sea. I am always is awe of every place I have gone. I have many other places to explore, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!Good luck to you!