How to move from dreaming about living in Italy to actually doing it

PART 152: It might be interesting to share how we pulled off living in Italy for part of the year. I will post some steps and what we are learning along the way.

We love every minute of it, and what was once a dream is our life!

We live in Tuscany in the Fall, then back again in the Spring, and in California for the rest of the time (in a previous blog, I explained why we live in Italy only part of the year).

Step 1: As we explore areas in Italy, we discover some gems worth sharing. Some are well-known tourist magnets, and others are lesser-known but always amazing. 

This week, let's explore how I can change my dream of moving to Italy into a reality.

Step 2: What I learned from my students

I learned a lot from my students during my 25 years of teaching social studies in Los Angeles. I favored project-based learning over test-driven methods, and my students often enjoyed the sense of accomplishment that came from completing a poster about World War II, a booklet on the history of Rome, or a class presentation on the French Revolution.

However, at the beginning of my teaching career, I faced some challenges. Many students would say, "Mr. T, this is too hard! It's too much. I can't do it!" For a 16-year-old, creating a booklet or an extensive informative poster can seem like a monumental task, leading some to give up before they even started.

I found myself wondering, "What am I doing wrong?"

Eventually, I realized I needed to break projects into smaller, manageable steps so that students could feel a sense of mastery by tackling them bit by bit.

Thus, I introduced the concept of "chunking" into my classroom.

Instead of announcing at the beginning of class, "Today you will work on your informative poster on the history of Rome!" I switched to a more structured approach: "Today you will use your notes to write six sentences about the beginnings of Rome, including the legend of Romulus and Remus."

This particular poster had six written components and three artistic ones. By working on it in the classroom over seven days, my students were able to complete it successfully.

Chunking.

Establishing a life in Italy can seem impossible, daunting, or confusing. However, if we "chunk" the process into smaller steps, it becomes entirely doable.

We navigated these steps on our journey to Italy, sometimes out of order and occasionally backtracking. Here, I will lay them out logically.

Step 3: Non-committal first steps

The initial steps are exploratory. This means I am conducting research from home, and this phase starts not with Italy, but with self-reflection.

Step 4: What am I looking for?

The very first step is to reflect on myself and my interests. We initially skipped this step when we moved to Italy, thinking that simply being in the country was enough. However, we later realized we needed to reassess our direction.

Let me explain.

We initially moved to Puglia, where our friends lived, as it seemed like a logical starting point. We rented an apartment from a friend and stayed there—first for two weeks, then for a summer, and eventually we leased for a year, returning twice a year for 2-3 months each time.

While in Puglia, we hadn't really focused on what we were looking for in Italy. Puglia felt comfortable for us since its beach lifestyle was similar to life in Southern California, where we are from. However, it started to feel like we were replicating our California life instead of embarking on something new.

A local friend in Puglia pointed this out to us: "I see you guys as more interested in cultural and historical sites than in beach life. I think you should consider moving further north, perhaps to Tuscany, which is closer to the things you are interested in."

This comment resonated with us because it was true. We found ourselves more attracted to the hilltop towns of Tuscany and cities like Florence, Siena, Assisi, and Pienza rather than spending our days lounging on the beach. We realized it was essential to take a moment to ask ourselves, "What are we really looking for?"

The first step in planning a life in Italy is to determine what I am looking for. This will guide my choices of destinations.

Am I interested in culture and history, or do I prefer nature and mountains? Do I enjoy beautiful beaches or vibrant cities? Clarifying my preferences will help me identify the areas in Italy that would suit me best.

My interests may evolve and change throughout this journey. After living in Rome for eight years as a student, I desired a city bustling with street life. However, I soon realized that vibrant street life was primarily found in larger cities, which were beyond our budget. Consequently, my desire for bustling streets diminished in importance as other priorities took precedence.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to live in a town where I could walk to get coffee or a meal, but some of our friends preferred places outside of town, in the countryside, because that aligns with their lifestyle. Determining whether I want to live in a town or city versus the countryside is also an important consideration in this process.

Step 5: Renting or buying?

When we began our experience of living in Italy, we chose to rent a place from a friend. This decision turned out to be fortunate, as we eventually decided to leave Puglia and settle in Tuscany. If we had purchased a property in Puglia, the transition would have been much more complicated.

However, we have known others who took the plunge and bought homes in Italy rather than renting.

There is no right or wrong choice here. Reflecting on whether to rent or buy a property in Italy is an important, non-committal second step in the process.

I spent a significant amount of time exploring real estate websites, looking at both properties for sale and rental listings. After living in Italy and gaining insight into how the market operates, I've realized that connecting with a local, trusted real estate agent makes navigating the rental and home buying process much more manageable. A good agent often has knowledge of rental options that are not widely advertised and is more familiar with the intricacies of the real estate market.

If you're uncertain about whether to rent or buy, that's completely fine. We had similar doubts when we first visited Tuscany. We kept both options on the table and maintained an open mindset about what our experience there would reveal.

Perhaps keeping both options—renting or buying—open, is a wise next step.

Step 6: Limitations

If I haven't addressed this before, now is the time to reflect on my limitations.

Do I want to live in Italy full-time or part-time? What obstacles might I face with either option? If I choose to live part-time, am I familiar with the regulations of the Schengen zone? If I opt for full-time residency, have I researched the requirements for obtaining residency?

This is the moment to do my homework.

Initially, we believed we would live in Italy full-time and conducted extensive research on how to make it work. However, we faced numerous obstacles due to our commitments here in California that we couldn't escape.

Eventually, we realized that it didn't have to be an all-or-nothing scenario. We could follow the Schengen zone rules while retaining our residency in California, allowing us to stay in Italy for up to 90 days within 180 days.

Step 7: Budget

To save time, the next step is to create a budget.

Whether I am renting or buying, establishing a budget at this stage can be very beneficial.

For renting, I need to determine how much I can afford to pay each month. I should also consider the cost of utilities. A trustworthy local realtor can provide valuable information on this.

For buying, I need to identify my price range and consider whether I could make an all-cash purchase.

Having a budget in mind will help me avoid wasting time exploring cities or areas that are beyond my financial means and may highlight other potential locations that I hadn't previously considered.

So, the task is to come up with a budget for what I can afford for housing in Italy.

Step 8: Areas or towns that fit my criteria

This step is still part of my homework, and I can begin it now, even before visiting Italy. Once I have clarified my interests and worked out a budget, the next step is to identify which areas meet those two criteria.

I will come up with three towns or areas to consider. To start, I can explore real estate websites to see which locations fit both my budget and interests. There are several sites available, but I prefer https://www.casa.it/ . Since there isn't an MLS in Italy, I will need to contact individual realtors for properties I am interested in.

At this stage, reaching out to individual realtors for more information can provide insight into the real estate market in my chosen areas and help me find a reputable realtor to work with.

It's important to remember that a town that seems perfect on paper may not be the right fit for me in reality, so it's essential to keep an open mind.

There was a town in Tuscany that I felt confident about: it met our budget, was located in our desired geographical area, and had all the necessary amenities. However, when we visited, we sensed a "vibe" that didn't feel right, and we noticed some shabby areas that I hadn't anticipated. As a result, we decided to remove it from our list. Nevertheless, I'm glad we explored this town because it helped clarify what we were looking for.

Step 9: Expat forums

This step involves connecting with real people who live in the area I'm interested in to learn about their experiences.

By learning from others' experiences, I can save time. Joining expat forums for the town or area is a beneficial next step. Through these forums, I can gain insights into the local amenities, the mindset of the residents, the expat community, local festivals, hiking or sports activities, cultural sites, and more.

Step 10: Time to visit!

This non-committal micro-step involves planning a vacation of one or two weeks in an area of interest.

It's important to select a base town and be open to visiting at least three surrounding towns for comparison.

The purpose of this visit is to gain a sense of the town, its people, and the quality of life, as well as to explore the housing options available (both for buying and renting).

This step also includes reaching out to real estate agents in advance to schedule visits to properties that are for sale or rent. Even if I am not ready to make a decision yet, gathering information is beneficial.

What if I really love a town that fits my budget, but the housing options are subpar? In that case, I can save time and emotional energy by letting go of that option early.

Becoming familiar with the town, meeting locals and expats, visiting housing options, and getting a feel for the vibe of the area are all essential parts of this step.

Step 11: Start over: re-evaluate

After visiting the town or area I am interested in, it's time to start over with a re-evaluation.

Experience is the best teacher—this is a lesson I learned from my students.

When we approached the social studies unit on the Renaissance, my students seemed disinterested in events that happened so long ago. We took turns reading from their history books, but it was boring for them—and honestly, it was boring for me too.

Using a series called "History Alive!", I created a virtual tour of Florence for my classroom. We developed 7-8 stations that small groups of students could visit to complete tasks or gather information.

One station focused on "Brunelleschi's Dome," where students stood in a circle, supporting one another to form a dome. This hands-on activity helped them understand the engineering principles behind the dome's construction.

At another station, students watched a two-minute video about Michelangelo's Statue of David, followed by a quick drawing activity in their notebooks based on what they had seen.

Another station showcased some of the art found in the Uffizi Gallery.

By the end of the class period, students had virtually visited the main sites of Florence, and in the days that followed, their interest in the subject grew. History had truly come alive for them.

This engaging approach is similar to the process one might experience when discerning the idea of living in Italy.

Do I still want to live in Italy full-time, part-time, or has my perspective changed? After experiencing a few towns or areas, has my focus shifted, or do I still want to concentrate on the same location? Has my budget changed? Has my idea of the type of house I am looking for evolved? Am I considering a free-standing home, a condo, a historical property, or a modern one? What other needs have emerged?

These are all questions worth considering now that I have some experience, which will provide me with a clearer idea of what I am looking for.

Step 12: Stay in my chosen area for 1-3 months

I am ready to take a bigger step, which will feel natural after I have gone through the previous stages.

Once I identify an area that might suit me, I plan to visit and stay there for 1 to 3 months. During this time, I will make an effort to get to know the locals and become familiar with the day-to-day aspects of living there over a more extended period.

The dynamics of living in a town are entirely different from vacationing there. Staying for an extended period will clarify whether the amenities of the town will work for me. For example, since we go to the gym every day, we want to ensure that our home is no more than 15 minutes away from a gym. When we travel, we often skip the gym, don't cook, and don't consider access to medical care, supermarkets, or long-term parking. All these factors come to the surface when one stays in one place for at least a month.

Will this town work for me? Could it feel like home? Does it have what I am looking for? Only the experience of living there for 1 to 3 months will provide the answers to these questions.

Step 13: Ready for the next step

If I have clarity about where I want to live, and it aligns with my interests and budget, then it's time to take the next step.

I will find a trustworthy realtor and discuss options for renting a place for 12 months or purchasing a property. Even if I am a non-resident and can only stay in Italy for 3 months at a time, having a stable place for an extended period allows me to start establishing a life there. I'll be able to bring items over and leave them in Italy, allowing me to immerse myself in the daily life I have longed for.

This will be a natural progression rather than a leap, as it is merely the result of the steps and experiences I have had up to this point.

Will I always be a part-time resident, or will I eventually live in Italy full-time? It's okay not to know the answer to that question. The experience will reveal the path.

Step 13: Trusting my experience

No one can dictate the kind of life, town, or house that I should prefer in Italy. While others, especially expats, may offer suggestions and advice, I need to find a situation that aligns with who I am and what I desire.

Breaking down the decision to live in Italy into "chunks" makes it manageable and builds on my personal experiences.

Trusting my own experiences is how I know I am making the right decision.

Step 14: Summary

Let's summarize the steps to this journey towards a life in Italy:

1. Discernment: What am I looking for?

2. Deciding whether to rent or buy (or being open to both)

3. Limitations: Live in Italy full or part-time?

4. My budget?

5. Which towns fit my criteria?

6. Expat forums

7. Short visit

8. Re-evaluate my criteria

9. More extended visit: 1-3 months

10. Sign a 12-month lease or buy

More next time.

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