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Location: Never in one place long | The Company my husband is working for has hinted that they are pretty serious about offering him a job in Italy... we have been thinking pretty seriously about it and I've always wanted to live abroad but I know there's sacrifices that come with it... since we already live a long ways away from family I'm already used to that but it will be even more difficult to fly home etc..... for those of you that have lived in a foreign Country for an extended period of time... did you like it? Would you do it again? What are some things you never considered that you realized upon moving? How did you acclimate to the new culture? |
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Member
Posts: 26
| I spent some time living in Scotland and mostly enjoyed it. Learning new currency seems like a given in hindsight, but it took me a few days to understand all the strange coins. There were certain foods I had become accustomed to having that weren't available. I was over the moon to find a box of honey nut Cheerios and skippy peanut butter! Who knew so many in The UK found peanut butter disgusting?
Medications were also an issue for me, even over rthe counter things like Tylenol, Advil and midol weren't available.
Language barriers are a bit of a problem ( and I was in an English speaking country). Accents and slang proved problematic at times. Certain aquaintences of mine were impossible to understand unless I instructed them to " Speak slowly and look at me while you are talking". In Scotland pants means your unmentionables... I was given a very hard time by my friends when I complained my pants were wet after walking through the rain. GRR!
I was surprised at the amount of hatred towards Americans I encountered. I tried my best not to be an ugly American and adapt to the local way of doing things. It helped a lot.
The people at the local riding stable were pretty rude about "western riders" , I had done some English riding so I took lessons. That is likely just the barn. Some of the girls were very curious about barrel racing and roping though. Cowboys in Scotland are as strange as men in kilts in the US.
Best of luck with your decision! My husband has spent time in Italy and loves it, we keep thinking about traveling, but horse stuff gets in the way |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | PaintedE - 2014-04-23 9:23 AM
I spent some time living in Scotland and mostly enjoyed it. Learning new currency seems like a given in hindsight, but it took me a few days to understand all the strange coins. There were certain foods I had become accustomed to having that weren't available. I was over the moon to find a box of honey nut Cheerios and skippy peanut butter! Who knew so many in The UK found peanut butter disgusting?
Medications were also an issue for me, even over rthe counter things like Tylenol, Advil and midol weren't available.
Language barriers are a bit of a problem ( and I was in an English speaking country). Accents and slang proved problematic at times. Certain aquaintences of mine were impossible to understand unless I instructed them to " Speak slowly and look at me while you are talking". In Scotland pants means your unmentionables... I was given a very hard time by my friends when I complained my pants were wet after walking through the rain. GRR!
I was surprised at the amount of hatred towards Americans I encountered. I tried my best not to be an ugly American and adapt to the local way of doing things. It helped a lot.
The people at the local riding stable were pretty rude about "western riders" , I had done some English riding so I took lessons. That is likely just the barn. Some of the girls were very curious about barrel racing and roping though. Cowboys in Scotland are as strange as men in kilts in the US.
Best of luck with your decision! My husband has spent time in Italy and loves it, we keep thinking about traveling, but horse stuff gets in the way
This is all good information! Thank you! Funny about the pants thing, my In-Laws had an exchange student from Germany and they call erasers rubbers... well in class one time she asked someone if she could borrow their rubber and everyone died laughing! She did not understand what was so funny! I'm worried about the language barrier, I know Spanish fairly well but Italian is a little different! |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| I lived in Colombia, Equador and Peru for about 3 years. I will never leave the USA again. I didn't appreciate the little comforts of home until I didn't have them. I seriously cried when I walked off the plane back onto US soil (well...airport). |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Whiteboy - 2014-04-23 10:24 AM I lived in Colombia, Equador and Peru for about 3 years. I will never leave the USA again. I didn't appreciate the little comforts of home until I didn't have them. I seriously cried when I walked off the plane back onto US soil (well...airport).
Theres no better place then the good old USA  |
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| I lived in Nigeria for a year and a half and Saudi Arabia for 6 months. I liked Nigeria very well but deathly ill the whole time. There was NO medical attention at all. Saudi Arabia was not much better. Nothing to do but read in either place. I am sure there will be plenty to do in Italy and better medical conditions. If you are thinking about coming home regularly, forget it. The company will probably pay for you to come home once a year. Personally, I will never leave the US again but it is a wonderful experience. Nigeria and Saudi Arabia are kind of armpits of the world though. |
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 The Original Cyber Bartender
Location: Washington | I think when one has a chance to broaden their horizons it is a good thing. We lived in Australia and also have travel extensively. Love all the experances we were blessed in having. Yes, some countries like Americans more than others, but when we first moved to Georgia(1981) as a gal from the north I experianced more prejudice there than I ever did most countries we visited(except Saudi). My niece lived in Paris for 2 years, would go back in a heart beat. She can't say enough positive about it. Just remember when you leave the USA your leaving all of it behind. Be brave and try different foods and style, it won't kill you and you might discover a better way? I say go for it! |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | fatchance - 2014-04-23 11:14 AM
I think when one has a chance to broaden their horizons it is a good thing. We lived in Australia and also have travel extensively. Love all the experances we were blessed in having. Yes, some countries like Americans more than others, but when we first moved to Georgia(1981) as a gal from the north I experianced more prejudice there than I ever did most countries we visited(except Saudi). My niece lived in Paris for 2 years, would go back in a heart beat. She can't say enough positive about it. Just remember when you leave the USA your leaving all of it behind. Be brave and try different foods and style, it won't kill you and you might discover a better way? I say go for it!
wow, that is very interesting! Thanks for that! I traveled to France last year for 8 days and loved it. I did a volunteer trip to Croatia for a month and we traveled all over as well as Slovenia. I absolutely loved it. Loved the different culture. I'm pretty open to change and LOVE trying new foods. I think I will need to take some extensive language classes though! It will def be a journey. It's sounding like it really depends WHERE you move to that makes all the difference and keeping an open mind. I'm not one for luxary and can sleep on a dirt floor if I have to. :) |
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| The whole "new foods" thing is enough to keep a picky eater like me HOME. 
I would like to be more adventurous but my palate won't let me. I'd likely starve to death! hmmmmm....I DO need to lose a few pounds, maybe I should apply for a passport.
I hope that the OP finds this possible experience better than she could ever expect. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7264
| PM Sharp on here, she has or is living in Italy. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Isn't Italy one of the International NBHA locations? Maybe you could catch some barrel racing while you are there too! |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| rodeoveteran - 2014-04-23 11:36 AM The whole "new foods" thing is enough to keep a picky eater like me HOME. I would like to be more adventurous but my palate won't let me. I'd likely starve to death! hmmmmm....I DO need to lose a few pounds, maybe I should apply for a passport. I hope that the OP finds this possible experience better than she could ever expect.
On that note, I was 190 lbs when I left and I came home earlier than planned weighing 110 lbs. They did not have the ability in south america to cure what I had. It is amaizing what bacterial infections in the lining of your stomach can do to your stature. |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | Nateracer - 2014-04-23 11:43 AM
Isn't Italy one of the International NBHA locations? Maybe you could catch some barrel racing while you are there too!
It is!! I know it, I'm going to have to check it out!! |
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 Semper Fi
Location: North Texas | Whiteboy - 2014-04-23 10:24 AM
I lived in Colombia, Equador and Peru for about 3 years. I will never leave the USA again. I didn't appreciate the little comforts of home until I didn't have them. I seriously cried when I walked off the plane back onto US soil (well...airport).
Bravo! I could not agree more. I have traveled to The Orient, Europe,The Middle East and The African Continent. There is nothing else that I have experienced that makes me appreciat The Good Ol' USA anything better than being away from Her! 
As a matter of fact upon my last arrival In Country, I got on my knees and kissed The American Ground! |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | OH dear! I'm going to have to really think about this one!! I LOVE traveling but LIVING somewhere is a different thing. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 928
Location: Northern CA | A lot of reining in Italy! Might be fun! However, my super, and I mean super, picky food habits would never allow me to venture far. |
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Expert
Posts: 1432
Location: Never in one place long | halter_ego - 2014-04-23 1:54 PM
A lot of reining in Italy! Might be fun! However, my super, and I mean super, picky food habits would never allow me to venture far.
That might be fun! When you say super picky... what do you mean? Isn't food in Europe supposed to be healthier then food in America?? less chemicals and more natural?? I always LOVEd the variety of foods in the European Countries I have been to. It's different but always seemed homeade and healthier. :) My husband spent a month in Brazil and said the food was amazing, he said he ate a lot but ended up losing 7 lbs without working out! He said it was all grass fed beef with rice and beans. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I visited Italy about 10 years ago. The things I remember about it. Poor sanitation, bottled water cost 15 usd. High crime especially in tourist areas.
A 5 star hotel generally means 2 star by our standards. Hopefully you like pasta, there is a million different names for the same pasta in tomato sauce. Their ice cream is to die for. Italians did not make pizza and don't cook much of it.
Not sure if they have switched to euro currency, but when I went one usd was equivalent to 1000 of their dollars.
Things to see
Rome, the Vatican, and the colosseum
Naples
Leaning tower of piza
Venice was just smelly |
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 Regular
Posts: 98
Location: Soon where I want to be:) | I spent lots of time in Italy and it is a neat place. Where are you going? North is more organized, cleaner and just easier. South very different. I dont think you need to worry about food there, I have traveled a lot for work and Italy is by far my favorite for food. |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | I am German and have lived in the US since 1995.
One of the things I miss not living in Germany anymore is going to Italy every year. Italy has so much to offer - culture, lanscaped, wine, food... It's a great country. And you are close to everything else Europe has to offer. I think this is a great opportunity! |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| GoMistyGo - 2014-04-23 2:48 PM I am German and have lived in the US since 1995.
One of the things I miss not living in Germany anymore is going to Italy every year. Italy has so much to offer - culture, lanscaped, wine, food... It's a great country. And you are close to everything else Europe has to offer. I think this is a great opportunity!
Now I am always going to read your posts with a German Accent! lol |
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Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Whiteboy - 2014-04-23 2:53 PM GoMistyGo - 2014-04-23 2:48 PM I am German and have lived in the US since 1995.
One of the things I miss not living in Germany anymore is going to Italy every year. Italy has so much to offer - culture, lanscaped, wine, food... It's a great country. And you are close to everything else Europe has to offer. I think this is a great opportunity!
LOL - My accent really isn't all that bad - sometimes I stumble over the "Th". Most people think that I'm Irish - must be the red-ish hair in combination with the odd accent..... |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | The cost of living in Europe is double what it is here, sometimes even more. if you spend $100 a week on groceries at Walmart in Europe it will cost you $225 or more. My husband is Greek, we lived in Greece for 6 years so I have lived the European lifestyle! People in Italy are going to DRESS for everything, like you would dress here to go to a very nice dinner or church etc... T-shirts and sloppy shorts or baggy jeans will make you look bad there. You will see women in heels at the grocery stores, even at childrens birthday parties! You will not find a ton of horse riding unless you just get lucky in your location and everything will be done in an english saddle! I know they do have some barrel racing but it is mostly men and they are not going to be like the horse people are here. If you have children you will need to pay for a private school for it to be English speaking, which is one more expense on top of the rise in cost of living. If the company your husband works for does not give him a large raise in salary I would not go if I were you! It is great for all Americans to live in another country for the experience of it and believe me you will return to America and appreciate EVERYTHING!!! Most Americans have no idead how good we have it here! Anyway it can be a positive experience but just keep in mind it is very expensive! |
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Cold hands and Warm Heart
Location: oklahoma | We were stationed in Vincenza, close to Venice, in the 90's. We had fee housing, access to the commissary/XP and gas coupons. Having said all of that, every place I've lived, I've jumped in with both feet to experience everything that I could, dragging my kiddos with me. They of course loved the pizzas baked in stone ovens, while I inhaled different pastas, lol. We traveled to all of the 'touristy' spots, the leaning tower of Pisa, Sistine chapel, etc. I read, this was before google, and researched where to go, loved it there. Simple things like not visiting Venice when it's warm outside for an extended period and you'll most likely not notice the canals. There's so much to experience! You can take trains everywhere and save lots on gas, their cheap. There's boats that will take you out to an island and watch glass blown, leather goods/ jackets and such from Florence, volcanos and on and on.... Have fun! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 928
Location: Northern CA | DLV - 2014-04-23 12:10 PM
halter_ego - 2014-04-23 1:54 PM
A lot of reining in Italy! Might be fun! However, my super, and I mean super, picky food habits would never allow me to venture far.
That might be fun! When you say super picky... what do you mean? Isn't food in Europe supposed to be healthier then food in America?? less chemicals and more natural?? I always LOVEd the variety of foods in the European Countries I have been to. It's different but always seemed homeade and healthier. : ) My husband spent a month in Brazil and said the food was amazing, he said he ate a lot but ended up losing 7 lbs without working out! He said it was all grass fed beef with rice and beans.
The healthy part is the problem! I am far from a healthy eatter, and very far from an adventuous eatter. Wish I could get brave, but just can't do it. Don't do dairy, don't do salads, a whole lot more don't do's than do's!! |
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For those of you that have lived in another Country... experiences.. need advice.