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Why move to Italy?
Why move to Italy from the US? Honestly….why not move to Italy?! The food is amazing. The people are so sweet (once you get to know them.) The scenery is exquisite. It is a safe country.
Do I need to give you any more reasons? I had no intentions of ever moving to Italy but then, I fell in love.
In a matter of a week, I was planning my new life in Italy and I knew NOTHING. I’ve created this blog to help anyone who needs the deets on what to do when moving to Italy and what to do when you arrive.
Finding a job
If you are moving to Italy because you have accepted a job offer already, yay you!! You don’t have to do this step.
If you want to move to Italy and need a job to support yourself, read my new post on finding a job abroad.
Moving to Italy? Book your airline tickets!
When you move to Italy from the US. The first thing you have to do is book your airline tickets.
Believe it or not, this sounds like an easy task that you wouldn’t need an explanation on right? Wrong!
I was so used to just using Expedia, but the prices were pretty high, and for a low paid teacher like me, every penny counts!
My husband told me about a site he uses in Europe, Skyscanner, that had much lower options and I had never heard about. It saved me hundreds of dollars.
Also, if you aren’t someone who has to fly direct, I found Norwegian Airlines to have excellent prices. The service was great too!
There were many inexpensive flights to travel from Orlando direct to London for around $250+ and then you can take a cheap flight on airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air to smaller airports in Italy.
Usually, with these budget friendly airlines, we can find prices from London to Italy for as little as 8 euros. Keep in mind, the airlines will nickel and dime you for the luggage on these cheap flights but I still found it to be worth it.
Packing your bags
When moving to Italy from the US, you have to pack your bags.
As simple as this sounds, it was quite the task! I was leaving my life in America behind for the unforeseeable future. Trying to fit your life into 3 suitcases is a difficult task.
It’s exactly why I created a blog post with tips on how to pack your bags. Spoiler alert- It’s going to be a lot cheaper to start over than to lug over.
Do your best to sell and donate your things and be prepared to purchase new things when you arrive. You will have a minimalist vibe. For me, the change was refreshing!!
Learn the Language
After moving to Italy from the US, you will absolutely want to know the language when you get here.
I started learning some basics by downloading the free app Duolingo and then I paid for a few months on Babbel.
I prefer Babble as it taught me things I could actually see myself using in Italy.
While I’m grateful for the free help that Duolingo offered, it didn’t seem very productive to learn things like “The elephant eats bread.”
If you use my link for Babbel You will get 50% off of a 6-month subscription.
I also purchased this 15-minute Italian book, which has been very helpful to me. I love how it has lots of pictures and a flap to cover the answers so I can quiz myself. It’s also the perfect size to fit in my handbags so I can pull it out to learn if I am at the hair salon or sitting on a train.
Everyone learns differently so you know what is best and will be most helpful to you. Doing this will allow you to learn some of the basics like greetings so that when you arrive, you will feel a bit accomplished.
Of course, immersing yourself into the culture and language when you get here will be the best tool for learning.
PS- my favorite line I’ve used the most so far “Mi dispiace, non parlo Italiano.” (“I’m sorry, I don’t speak Italian.”) You say it like this °Me dee-spee-ach-a, non par-low e-tal-e-an-o.” Or for heaven’s sake, just listen to it in google translate. LOL! It’s sure to help you out in your first few months!
What to do when you arrive
First things first….RELAX.
After that gruesome flight, you will need it. Hopefully, you have a few days off work (if you already have a job) because jet lag is a real thing!
Enjoy sleeping in, unpacking, finding a home for your things brought over, and doing some laundry for the next few days.
Despite your inner urge to want to see all of the beauty Italy has to offer right away, I encourage you….don’t!
Believe me, you will need some time to settle in!! After you check off your laundry list, hop over to my blog post on what to do after you move to Italy.
You can also check out my article on the most important things you need to do in order to stay in Italy.
It’s my goal to help make your life easier when moving abroad to Italy from the US. Hopefully, this is a good start for you!
XOXOXO
What a great blog! I live in Florida too, and I LOVE Italy, Venice is currently my favorite city, I say current, because I know there is so much more to see! I think the two of you will offer a unique perspective with one of you being an Italian and the other an American transplant. Looking forward to going on this adventure with you. Ciao!
Thanks so much! Venice is my favorite city so far too. We hope you keep enjoying our articles and that they will be useful to you on your next journey to Italy! Ciao for now!