Reflecting on 1 year in Italy, lessons learned, what we love, and what drives us absolutely crazy.
Plus, a bit of This & That.
One Year In Italy
It's hard to believe this week marks our first year in Italy. What a wild ride it’s been; in so many ways, it feels like we left LA only yesterday but also a lifetime ago. In celebration of this major milestone (we survived and still love each other!), Andre and I decided to separately answer questions reflecting on this journey, the highs and the lows, and how we feel about our experience thus far. It was fun to read each other's responses, some different and some the same. A big realization for me was that when you're in the day-to-day of a life change like this, it's very easy to fall into a pattern of constantly fixating on what is going wrong or how difficult everything is. Still, as I answered these questions and looked back through a year's worth of images and videos, I saw so much happiness, laughter, joy, expansion, connection, and love. Andre agrees with me. Truly the experience of a lifetime. x
1) What was your biggest challenge during your first year in Italy?
Andre: Simple tasks are very challenging, and so many things do not work. It applies to everything and runs the gamut. I've had to relearn everything (and am still learning new things daily), which takes a lot of time and mental energy. Combined with the already slower pace, this creates a lot of frustration. Often.
Barrett: By far, the hardest part of this year for me was how sick our family was for months at a time. We'd never experienced anything like it while living in LA; even when our kids started preschool and got sick often, it was nothing like how sick we constantly were in Turin. We were on a cycle of catching anything and everything in Italy for the entire year. Because we had no immunity to anything at all, it constantly crushed us. From strep to bronchitis to the "6th disease", we had it all. Being sick and living in a city that was rainy and gray for most of the year really took a toll on all of us.
2) What is the greatest lesson you've learned so far on this journey abroad?
Andre: You need to stay present. We all know this, but being here has really brought it to the forefront. Stay present, be where you are, and take in the now. This is how I come back to ground when it all seems too overwhelming. Also, as Americans, overconsumption is ingrained in us. It's not like that here, and that has given me such an appreciation for the concept of less is more.
Barrett: How to ask for help. There is no survival in this kind of experience without the kindness and generosity of strangers. And I was truly blown away by how many people who didn't know us at all went above and beyond when we asked for their help (or didn't ask; they just knew we desperately needed it). Strangers filled our fridge with food before we even arrived in Turin so we would have something to eat, new friends drove across the city to accompany us to government offices to be our translators, a family (who have now become some of our best friends) came to our home when Andre was sick and alone with the kids to cook for him and fill the fridge with nourishing food, people called companies to fight on our behalf when we were being taken advantage of because we were foreigners, and the list goes on and on. And, so much kindness and generosity from the families at the international school. That community made a hard transition much more manageable, and I will forever be grateful for how they took us in and helped us as if we were family.
Some of the incredible humans who came to our rescue!
3) What would you do differently if you could do this move over again?
Andre: Ship way less! And use a US-based company. The price is NEVER the actual price in Italy beyond simple transactions like restaurants.
Barrett: I would bring half the stuff we did. In a moment of so much change, I was fixated on the idea of bringing our home with us so that the transition would be "easier" when I really should have been focused on creating a new home when we arrived. Since we also decided to move from Turin to Rome before the year ended, it's been very eye-opening how much work it is to lug all of this stuff from apartment to apartment in Italy. There is nothing easy about it!
4) What has been the highlight of the experience this first year?
Andre: There are more than a few! But some standouts are watching my kids' cultural evolution, their ability to appreciate the beauty around them and their surroundings, expand their food palette, and recognize and respect cultural differences. Listening to them sing Italian pop songs perfectly and learning a new language is also awesome. Experiencing a final meal at one of my all time favorite restaurants, La Latteria Di San Marco. Finally, we traveled to Putignano in Puglia this summer with my parents; watching my dad and his grandkids walk through the same streets he did as a child was something I will never forget.
All the Vippolis boys in Putignano Barrett: The summer. Turin's rainy, cloudy weather was tough for me as a native Angeleno. I desperately craved my blue skies and sunshine, so finally getting on the road, having beach days, swimming with the boys in the warm, salty sea, spending time cooking delicious meals with friends and family, and eating an insane amount of seafood pasta was heaven.
5) What has surprised you the most about living in Italy that you weren't anticipating?
Andre: Sadly, it's my view that the overall quality of many restaurants has decreased. This may be due to over-tourism, Instagram, or the pandemic. Certainly, we've seen this in LA as well since the pandemic, but I was surprised to see this here in a place where food is religion. It could also be due to so much of the industrial food complex encroaching upon Italy and Europe's farmers. Also, you don't realize how crazy the VAT tax can be! Suddenly, things you're used to being competitively priced are inflated because of a crazy 22% VAT!
Barrett: How quickly things spoil because there are no preservatives in them. The food really is that fresh! We were so used to doing all our shopping on a Sunday, getting everything we needed for the week, and having it last in the fridge. We really had to adjust how we shop and buy food, as everything from a piece of ricotta salata to some freshly sliced prosciutto can spoil if not consumed within a day or two.
A cheesemonger at the Castelnuovo Don Bosco Farmers Market
5 Things That Drive Andre Crazy About Italy: Here are 7...
Smoking and the cigarette butts left everywhere that come with it!
The absurdity and inability for ANYTHING to be done in an efficient, sensible manner.
The lack of any sense of space or order or a line.
There is no culture of service and customer experience.
WhatsApp voice messages.
Dog poop everywhere.
The price is never the price.
5 Things That Drive Barrett Crazy About Italy:
The napkins at every cafe and gelato shop.
Italians don't stand in line, they swarm.
Thin and annoying to open trash bags.
Smoking and vaping everywhere.
No one picks up their dog poop. (stepped in a giant one yesterday!)
5 Things That Andre Loves About Italy:
Mostly clean and real food.
Kids are appreciated and incorporated into the social fabric.
The emotional power of historical surroundings.
Being in a walking culture.
The cost of eating, drinking, and enjoying activities outside of the home is much more affordable than Los Angeles.
5 Things That Barrett Loves About Italy:
Children get to be children longer here, it all happens at a slower pace.
Cost of food and dining out is much lower than in LA.
Traveling throughout Italy is easy.
Less snacks. More real food and being in a culture that prioritizes sitting down at a table sharing meals together.
Discovering so many incredible producers of exceptional food products.
The most incredible focaccia I have ever tasted from Forno Salus.
In some ways, now that we’ve arrived in Rome, it feels like the beginning again, but in a really great way. This city feels more like home to us. And, all the expats say the first two years are the hardest….so at least we’re halfway there. x
This & That
Freaking out about Oasis going on tour next summer, like every other human. Who’s coming to the UK with us?!?!!?!
We use vinegar a lot for household tasks. Just learned that white vinegar is more suited for cleaning versus distilled white vinegar due to its higher acidity. Distilled vinegar is more suited for cooking purposes like pickling, dressings, and marinades. When using white vinegar for cleaning, it’s important to mix the right ratio of water to vinegar depending on the surface you are trying to clean or disinfect so the acidity does not damage the surface.
Oh my goodness. After reading this part of your journey it’s the chapter I’ve been waiting for in a book. The Authors really gave us a raw and real look at life over seas. You are half way there and you have been blessed with such a great community. As for moving—-what a great tip!