Reasons to live abroad

There are countless reasons why people move abroad. I’ve met people eager to add to their life experiences or resumes. Some followed family, others were escaping it. Some sought space to breathe, others just didn’t know what to do next. Some simply couldn’t fathom standing still. I for one had all these things in mind before making the decision to move to Ascoli Piceno.

For me, Italy was a familiar place that I had visited a time or two. My father was born near Catania, Sicily and when I was a child, I traveled for a number of years to spend time with family and friends. But Italy has many different cities and regions and I had no idea that the differences would be so contrasting. So naturally, I had a bit of a culture shock for my first month or two. The natives who lived here in Ascoli Piceno seemed a little less touchy feely, for one. They were always  polite and helpful, but not as huggy and kissy as I remembered my beloved Sicilian counterparts and social circle were. Perhaps it’s because my memories surround the vivid images of entering a relative’s home and receiving more kisses that I could ever imagine.. My brother and I would hold contest to see who could enter the home without getting slobbered from head to toe with kisses! Trust me, I lost every single time!

For the first many months, on a daily basis;  five questions were often asked by the locals here in Ascoli Piceno.  1. Why Ascoli ? The answer is that my father has a friend who is a local and one that he had met many years ago from serving his time in the military in Rome. After many years of visiting he fell in love with the city.  2.  Are you single? The answer is yes! I divorced ten years prior to this move and I was ready and willing to experience dating all these passionate Italian men that I had heard about ! 3. Do you cook Italian food at home? The answer is yes!, Not only do I know how to cook Italian because my family owned an Italian restaurant in the U.S.A , but also, why would I cook anything else? I already knew that Italian and Mediterranean foods are one of the best in the world! 4.  Aren’t you scared to live here alone? The answer is that I was at first, but not enough to return back home to my life in the United States without giving this a good try!  5. What do you think of your new president? The answer to that is not important at this time.

Living here has made me the happiest I have ever been, but only after some pretty serious ‘blood sweat and tears’ moments in the process. I can’t imagine living anywhere else even if I know I could, this is my home.