When in Rome, plan to go home
Tuesday, November 29th, 2005 -- J. DoeA commenter’s comment led me to this article. I’m not sure if it’s the one she suggested I read, but I like it a lot all the same and if it wasn’t for her suggestion I wouldn’t have even looked for it. It is very interesting; a mirror image of what I would like to say. (but the author of the article says it better, so I’ll just shamelessly copy and link it.)
A holiday in Italy can make you wish you lived there - but the reality, says Sebastian Cresswell -Turner, is that it’s a land of almost unbridled anarchy.
“How lucky you are to be living in Italy.” “That must be heaven.” “I do envy you.” If you live in Rome, as I do, you get used to comments like these. But you soon realise that the idyllic vision of Italy suffers from just one drawback: it is almost complete rubbish.
For the first few months after you move here, all is indeed perfect. The sun is warm, the people are welcoming, the language is a joy, the food is delicious, the wine is cheap, and everyone is a pleasure to look at. You congratulate yourself on your wisdom and you pity your friends who are still locked up in their grey, northern offices.
But then you begin to realise that in this new paradise you face a major problem: it is virtually impossible to earn a living.
Take Rome. To live here with a minimum of dignity (renting a small flat, eating out occasionally, but no car and no proper holidays), you need a good 3,000 euros a month pre-tax, say 1,800 euros post-tax (roughly £2,100 and £1,250 respectively).However modest this seems, it is not what you will get. While in the Anglo-Saxon world most adults expect to be able to live independently off their salaries, in Italy most don’t. They stay with their families.
Indeed, a staggering 70 per cent of single Italian men between the ages of 25 and 29 live in subsidised comfort at home, where their meagre earnings do very nicely as pocket money. And when they do move out to the stability of marriage or cohabitation, it is generally into a flat that is provided by the family.
Read the whole article here.
Hat tip : Tiff.
I wasn’t actually referring to that article, though I have read it before and would recommend it too. The piece I was talking about is more of a personal essay. I’m sorry I didn’t provide the link before. Here it is: http://beginningwithi.com/italy/living/ivsi.html
Hi again,
That wasn’t actually the article I was referring to, though I have read that article too and would recommend it as well. Here (http://beginningwithi.com/italy/living/ivsi.html) is the article I was referring to. It’s really more of a personal essay, but I think very true to the truth of Italy.
Is there a problem with comments, or have you elected to approve them before they are published? Because I swear I left two comments already… At any rate, please delete this one if that is so!
Ah Geez, that one went through!
I just wanted to say that I have read that article and I would recommend it too, however the article I was referring to is: here. It’s more of a personal essay, but a very true take on Italy in my opinion.
Ah Geez, that one went through!
I just wanted to say that I have read that article and I would recommend it too, however the article I was referring to is listed as my URI. It’s more of a personal essay, but a very true take on Italy in my opinion. This thing does not like links!
Wow … I’m speechless.
This stuff scare me, to be honest with you. I’m trying to but balance in all I read and maybe I’m drawn to these sorts of articles, but over-all my impressions are veering off course a bit. That’s okay, I need to know more.
When do you leave?
… and I’m glad you’re with Word Press now. Nice.
Tiff,
Once again you prove yourself psychic! We are having problems with the comments. Yesterday I added 2 comments to your 2 comments. Thought the problem was fixed, but I guess not. I didn’t mean to delete your comments.
Well, thanks for bringing it to our attention. Back to the drawing board for us!
Thanks Deborah!
We are happy with our new WordPress blog, but we are having some technical problems with comments being deleted, timing and probably other stuff -soon to be discovered.
Tiff,
Thanks for the link. I guess that one did work!
Interesting article.