You live in Italy? That's AMAZING!!!



When I decided to start blogging less than a week ago I was torn with what type of blog I would write. Personally I read for the most part travel blogs ( for my perpetual wanderlust) and twisted funny blogs ( because I like laughing) and I read a lot of expat blogs about people ( usually Americans) living in a host of different places. I decided I wanted my blog to be a mixture of all those things, mainly for friends and family but also anyone else wanting to pop by.

In less than a week and a long list of subjects I want to post about but I find myself a bit unnerved. Here's the thing I ask myself, will honesty come across as a Debbie Downer, will posting about fantastic places I visit come across as bragging, will the humor I find in some aspects of everyday life come across as poking fun at Italy? It's a hard balance to strike, for me at least.

I've always been a straight shooter, opinionated and honest to a fault. It's something else beside my coloring that have in common with the Italians. They have no problem with directness, blatantly staring or asking how old you are ( something Americans are taught that you do not ask a woman) or telling you your ass looks big in those jeans. So I'm going to take my cue from the Italians.


So back to the title of the post , "You live in Italy? That's AMAZING!!!"

I hear that alot, especially in my travels. People ask where I'm from and I answer New York but I live in Italy now. Every time ,without fail I hear some version of ," WOW! That's amazing, I love Italy, I wish I lived there." It's weird but for some reason that response always makes me a little uncomfortable and at first I wasn't sure why. Now I am.

So many people visit Italy and love it ( for good reason) so many people read about Italy and living here, for there are many people  who dream of living here maybe imagining everyday is like the last scene in " Under the Tuscan Sun." I may have done that if my decision hadn't been so rushed. They read about the wonderful food and the scenery and etc. it all seems so perfect, all the time, and I have to admit yes, there are days like that, but not everyday.

Living here for an extended period of time, it's not like a movie, it's not like visiting or even like being here for a few months and not every day is the "good life" It just is not, not for anyone here or anywhere for that matter, because life doesn't work that way. Nobody's life is perfect filled with only aperitivo, love and good wine. Nobody's life only has ups and we all know that, no one is immune to the peaks and valleys of life. I 'm not sure if many people either don't realize that or they choose to just not think of it.

I am so fortunate to have seen the things and places in this world that I have. I am so fortunate to have the experience of living abroad and a family back in the US that supports that decision. I am so fortunate to be able to work for myself and live where I choose. I never forget this.

 In this moment in my life I choose to live in Florence, and for the most part I AM happy here. The honeymoon phase has passed for sure but it finally feels right when I call it home. I finally feel more comfortable than not. As an artist it feeds my thirst for the aesthetic, the sights and the sounds inspire me. That said, no ones life is a bowl of cherries everyday and living in Italy doesn't make it that way.

I have happy days and I have sad days

I have inspiring days and uninspiring ones

I have days where I feel brave for living alone in a foreign country and I have day when I think wtf am I doing here

I have days when I feel complete and days when I feel lonely

I have days that are full and days that are boring

I have days that are fun and days that are frustrating

I certainly don't want to be buzz kill to people who read blogs for the escapism but I think it's really important to me, for me, to be honest, at the very least to myself. I just wanted to get this out of the way, even if only for my own comfort in future postings.

I have all sorts of days, the same sort of days that anyone, living anywhere has because in the end life is the same wherever you live, only the backdrop is different.