An episode I have been waiting so long to share. This week I invited on Gabriela Encina, a psychologist helping specifically expat couples navigate the challenges of multicultural relationships. In my time in Italy I have met so many foreigners who moved to Italy for love (or stayed for love), but sometimes, things in these relationships aren’t all grande amore. There’s a huge challenge of balancing between cutural differences. Lack of language, or stability can make us feel at times that...

This week, I am revisiting our talk about the mafia in Italy with a better look at the Camorra - who are they? When did they begin? And what role do they play today? A quick episode to give you an overview of this Italian organized crime group. Some resources I mention: Gomorra -Roberto Saviano (Book & Movie, not the series)§ *Robinu Naples in the Time of Cholera* by Frank M. Snowden *History of the Mafia* and *The Two Mafias* by Salvatore Lupo Mafia Republic, by John Dickie *See Naples...

When Aperitivo comes around, many of us reach for a Spritz or Wine. But what about a Craft Beer? Beer is not something we often consider associated with Italy, but it’s a popular drink of choice, and in recent years the craft beer scene has really been growing. Tana Schwarz is here to tell us more about craft beer in italy. What counts as a craft beer? What are some to look for? And where can you explore more of Italy’s beer scene? Have a listen and find out. Here's some of Tana's work she'd...

Italy is one thing when you are single. It’s another when you couple up. But when you have kids in Italy? That’s when things really start to look different. And as hard as it is to admit, having kids in Italy is sometimes the wake up call to see what The Real Life in Italy actually is… and it can push you to leave Italy. In this episode Rachel (TheItalianista) and I chat about our reasons for leaving Italy, what made that decision hard, and the cases in which we’d come back. I promise this...

How much do you really know about Italian Wine? Truly there is way too much to cover in just a podcast episode (why I took the entire 2 courses to become an Italian Wine Scholar!) But I love wine, and I love telling people about how amazing Italian wine traditions are, so here’s my introduction for you on wine in Italy. If you’re an expat in Italy, wine probably has become a part of your daily life, even if you aren’t a drinker, you’ll hear about it everywhere, and you’ll need to gift it...

How many times have you walked into an Italian’s home and seen the TV playing during dinner, or just nonstop? Have any of you really figured out what the deal is with Temptation Island? I had so many questions so I asked Rosa (you know her as Diary of A Dual Citizen) to come on and tell me. This episode takes a look at the role TV plays in Italian culture, history, and regional identity. Rosa shares her take on Italian TV shows, including reality shows, game shows, and political talk shows....

After a classic Agosto ferie, The Real Life in Italy is back.This episode Evelyn is going solo to chat about why she had to step away in August, that being the childcare situation in Italy. We’re covering childcare in Italy from 3 months old to 4 years, what solutions you have for daycare, and what schooling looks like from then on out. A common thread I had to point out in this overview podcast: summer vacation in Italy. Did you know essentially from July to August parents are fottuti?...

As highly requested, we are getting into the topic of pregnancy in Italy. This solo episode, I explore what you should expect from the healthcare in Italy when you are pregnant, what exams will they have you do, how are your doctors going to care for (or judge, honestly) you, and what choices do you have about giving birth in Italy. There’s PLENTY more to cover on this topic, but here’s some information to get you started. Have more questions? If you are on Spotify you can comment here, if...

In this episode of The Real Life in Italy, we’re taking a quick look at dating in Italy. And while I (that’s Evelyn, your host) have been out of the dating scene awhile, my good friend Sylvia is coming on to share experiences and thoughts, and tell me what all the kids are up to these days. We chat cultural differences, personal dating experiences, stereotypes about dating Italian men, and the reality behind common myths. The episode covers in cultural dating habits, and practical advice for...

In this episode of 'Real Life in Italy,' we’re taking a better look at Italy's healthcare system—an essential topic for expats in Italy. The episode explores the details of Italy's public healthcare system, and the Tessera Sanitaria: what’s included, how you can access it as a foreigner in Italy, and what’s it good for. The episode includes an insightful interview with Nadia Neytcheva, CEO of Doctors in Italy, who shares her expertise on the differences between public and private healthcare,...

In this episode of The Real Life in Italy we’re exploring the process of getting an Italian driver's license as a foreigner. We’ll cover an in-depth guide on when and why expats in Italy might need to get this license and how to get it done, with essential tips to prepare for the theory and practical exams. Later, I’m joined by fellow American in Italy, Elizabeth Thacker Jones to discuss their shared experiences, challenges, and insights into driving in Italy. For those living in Italy or...

In this episode of 'The Real Life in Italy,' we're following up our Understanding the Italian Mafia episode to specifically focus on Cosa Nostra.   Now, there's a LOT. This podcast episode is just giving you a basic understanding to put into context of your life as an expat in Italy. We'll cover a bit about  Cosa Nostra's history, organizational structure, and how it has managed to adapt and survive over the years.   Key historical events, such as the Maxi Trials in the 1980s and 1990s, are...

In our first episode of the monthly series “The Expat Files” here on The Real Life in Italy, Evelyn interviews Damien O'Farrell, an expert on global mobility who has lived in Italy for over 36 years. Damien shares his journey from moving to Italy to assist a friend, to running a teaching business, and eventually starting a global mobility agency. We also get into just how important it is to show Italy not only as a place to retire but as a place to create a life and work. Damien also offers...

In this episode of 'The Real Life in Italy,' I’m taking you for another technical, bureaucratic journey to understand maternity leave in Italy, but not only. I’ll also cover paternity leave, and the options for parental leave in Italy. Italy has both “obligatory” leave for parents, and optional extended maternity and paternity that can still be paid leave. As expats in Italy, I think it is so important to understand the benefits we have access to under our Italian social security, and it’s...

In this episode of The Real Life in Italy, host Evelyn Hill chats with Jasmine Mah of QuestaDolceVita , explore the experience of being a mom in Italy as a foreigner. We look at the things we love, and the things we are not crazy about being a mom here in Italy. We talk about cultural differences, challenges, and joys of raising children in Italy. Topics covered include what we really think of our pediatrician, or what they think of us; the dynamics of raising a bilingual kid, and the Italian...

This week the Real Life in Italy explores the misconceptions and realities of Northern Italy vs Southern Italy. Your host, Evelyn is an american in Italy, located in Piedmont, Northern Italy, and this week I’m joined by Claire, a British expat living in Sicily. We each chose to share 5 stereotypes we hear about North Italy and South Italy, and share our own experiences with them. Is it true Southern Italy has a lot of crime? Is it true that “everything works” in the North? Ehh, well time to...

This week on The Real Life in Italy we are back again talking about freelancing in Italy, featuring a discussion with your host Evelyn, and Claudia. We’re sharing our journeys with the partita IVA in Italy, covering key topics like managing taxes, finding clients, and the choice between online platforms and traditional accounting. While our experiences may look different from yours, we hope we can provide other expats in Italy an overview of the challenges and opportunities faced by...

Ready for another, more practical, episode of The Real Life in Italy? We’re talking about the Partita IVA, what it is, when you need it, and how it all works. If you as a foreigner living in Italy, ever had hopes of opening a small business or going freelance in Italy, then you’ll need to get real familiar with this code. The Partita IVA is your tax code that lets you do business in Italy. We’ll explore the different options of the partita IVA in Italy, what taxes in Italy look like with this...

On this episode of The Real Life in Italy, we’re getting into a topic I think is so important to understand: The Mafia in Italy or rather, Italian Organized Crime. This is a little 101 for you to understand how these organizations operate, where they operate, and who they are. Oh, and how that might effect life for us foreigners living in Italy. Spoiler: You’ll probably never even notice it, but it’s all around. Expats in Italy seem to have so many misconceptions of the mafia in italy on two...

This episode of the Real Life in Italy is answering the question: who the hell were Garibaldi and Cavour anyway? These names are everywhere we look in Italy. It’s because these two characters were key players in the Italian Unification - the Risorgimento. There’s a long, long history lesson behind that, but today, let’s take it easy and just get to know your new Italian (er or are they French?) friends: Giuseppe Garibaldi and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour. I’m joined by fellow American in...

This episode of The Real Life in Italy is all about one of our favorite topics: Coffee in Italy. Living in Italy coffee probably shows up in your daily life - either you're like me and you're addicted, or it's not your thing but you find yourself trying to navigate the social aspect of it. Together with our guest Catalin Varela, we’re exploring local coffee culture and what that means to us expats in Italy: how coffee is important to daily life, what our favorite Italian coffee is, and how to...

A bonus bureaucratic episode for you this week. We’re talking all about the Permesso di Soggiorno - the Italian Residence Permit. An essential part of life in Italy as a foreigner, but also our worst nightmare as expats in Italy, and while I admit it can be a boring topic, you need to know about it, and some of the tips shared might just make your next appointment much easier. I’m covering: what the permesso di soggiorno is, how to apply, and most importantly how to survive your time at the...

On this episode of The Real Life in Italy we’re finally answering What IS the difference between the Carabinieri and Polizia? A question I know many expats in Italy have probably asked themselves every once a awhile. Probably the more important question we've asked living in Italy is: no seriously, WHO DO I CALL? Turns out it’s more complicated than a jurisdiction thing, but we’ll at least take a glance. I know why you are really here though, you want to know: Team Carabinieri or Team Polizia...

In this kick-off episode of The Real Life in Italy, I'll share my story of how I moved to Italy, and what it's been like since then.Even after 12 years of living in Italy, I don't feel any closer to being Italian, and I feel even further from being American. As expats in Italy, I think we all feel this way at some point, but it's nice to know we aren't alone. In this episode, beyond my story I'll share my thoughts about how to make life in Italy work for you, what I think about if it gets...