Really enjoyed this! Italy is not quite as well-organized as the Netherlands. Our national health service, always strained, was devastated by the pandemic, and the quality of care and waiting times depend on your region. Still, emergency care is free and specialist care excellent and much cheaper than the US, all things considered. Even when paying out of pocket, clinical exams cost a fraction of what they cost in the US. Overall lifestyle and diet is healthier too.
I’m sure we’ll miss the organisation in the Netherlands a bit. 😂 we lived in Piemonte for a year, so I know to estimate approximately 10x the time and effort for getting anything done it Italy.
What an encouraging and hopeful narrative for those to consider what they feel might be impossible. Living in Portugal is a dream years in the making and it is a gift every day when I wake up and see the Douro River from my window. We are not rich people, but managed to sell my childhood home, and with other small sums of money are doing well here. Thanks for this and I look forward to your Italian life when that comes to pass.
Such an inspiring story! And thank you for reminding me how blessed I am to be born and living in Italy, which may feel less than obvious at times (although, as you already know from living in Chiusa Pesio, things here are quite a bit different from Amsterdam).
All places have their pros and cons, but they say “Italians are the first victims of the charm of Italy,” and it is easy to see why. So many of the intangibles that make life truly worth living are built in to life there.
This is wonderful. Congratulations on making a decision that turned out so well for you. I moved to the UK from the USA two decades ago, and my life is so, so much better. If I had any regrets, it was not pursuing Swiss citizenship when you could get it via grandparents, because now we have BREXIT. Both my paternal grandparents were Swiss.
I'm glad it was such a good move for you as well! And who could have predicted back then that you would need Swiss citizenship when you had access to UK citizenship. My kids have spent most of their life in the Netherlands, so even though they were born in the States, they won't be able to pass down citizenship to their children unless they go back to live there for a few years. Which is wild to me, since my husband got his Italian citizenship through his great-great grandfather, who left Italy in the 1850s. Passport privilege is such an arbitrary thing.
How do your kids (young adults) feel about you ( soon )not having a family home in Amsterdam? I’m curious about that in case we ever decide to sell our Amsterdam home and relocate—while probably at least a couple of our kids will still live here because they love it so much.
And in fact not just me, but I know some other friends who plan to do it down the line when their kids have flown the nest/gone to college so they will be interested too in how you navigate this!
I think they’re pretty philosophical about it. My son’s best friend’s parents bought a house in Spain and plan to move as soon as he graduates. Not an uncommon scenario, I think. We’re doing Christmas at the new house in Italy this year, so hopefully they’ll start to feel a sense of home there as well. ❤️
I’m sure they will! As a friend just remarked ( I just shared it ☺️ )anyone would be happy to have a house in Italy for the weather, food and scenery 🤩 Great to read your journey, Sarah. Thanks for sharing.
THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! Really, I'm all tear-y eyed, reading this, because things have turned out SO well for you, and this is SO inspiring! You've mentioned far more reasons to move abroad than I ever knew existed. I wish that, nine years ago, we'd followed your good example. But, wow, this post really makes it clear that we need to move, ASAP. Thanks again! <3
Really enjoyed this! Italy is not quite as well-organized as the Netherlands. Our national health service, always strained, was devastated by the pandemic, and the quality of care and waiting times depend on your region. Still, emergency care is free and specialist care excellent and much cheaper than the US, all things considered. Even when paying out of pocket, clinical exams cost a fraction of what they cost in the US. Overall lifestyle and diet is healthier too.
I’m sure we’ll miss the organisation in the Netherlands a bit. 😂 we lived in Piemonte for a year, so I know to estimate approximately 10x the time and effort for getting anything done it Italy.
Ahhhh where in Piemonte did you live? I've run workshops in Umbria (Assisi) but our base in Italy is in Novello (CN) presently.
We lived in Chiusa di Pesio, right near Cuneo. It's right up on the side of the mountains, so winters were a bit long and harsh. But we loved it.
What an encouraging and hopeful narrative for those to consider what they feel might be impossible. Living in Portugal is a dream years in the making and it is a gift every day when I wake up and see the Douro River from my window. We are not rich people, but managed to sell my childhood home, and with other small sums of money are doing well here. Thanks for this and I look forward to your Italian life when that comes to pass.
I’m so glad you were able to make your dream happen!
It is an incredible story and it makes me realise how lucky we are that we have free healthcare and union supported employment in the UK.
I feel like these are basic human rights that should exist everywhere, but sadly they don’t. I feel very lucky to have a European passport.
You are! I now have my Irish passport alongside my British. It is something I don’t take for granted.
Such an inspiring story! And thank you for reminding me how blessed I am to be born and living in Italy, which may feel less than obvious at times (although, as you already know from living in Chiusa Pesio, things here are quite a bit different from Amsterdam).
All places have their pros and cons, but they say “Italians are the first victims of the charm of Italy,” and it is easy to see why. So many of the intangibles that make life truly worth living are built in to life there.
This is wonderful. Congratulations on making a decision that turned out so well for you. I moved to the UK from the USA two decades ago, and my life is so, so much better. If I had any regrets, it was not pursuing Swiss citizenship when you could get it via grandparents, because now we have BREXIT. Both my paternal grandparents were Swiss.
I'm glad it was such a good move for you as well! And who could have predicted back then that you would need Swiss citizenship when you had access to UK citizenship. My kids have spent most of their life in the Netherlands, so even though they were born in the States, they won't be able to pass down citizenship to their children unless they go back to live there for a few years. Which is wild to me, since my husband got his Italian citizenship through his great-great grandfather, who left Italy in the 1850s. Passport privilege is such an arbitrary thing.
Inspiring story!
Thank you!
I love this story of how you ended up in Europe. You are a great adventure writer. Can’t wait to read another chapter. Much love and hugs
Thanks for reading. ❤️
How do your kids (young adults) feel about you ( soon )not having a family home in Amsterdam? I’m curious about that in case we ever decide to sell our Amsterdam home and relocate—while probably at least a couple of our kids will still live here because they love it so much.
And in fact not just me, but I know some other friends who plan to do it down the line when their kids have flown the nest/gone to college so they will be interested too in how you navigate this!
I think they’re pretty philosophical about it. My son’s best friend’s parents bought a house in Spain and plan to move as soon as he graduates. Not an uncommon scenario, I think. We’re doing Christmas at the new house in Italy this year, so hopefully they’ll start to feel a sense of home there as well. ❤️
I’m sure they will! As a friend just remarked ( I just shared it ☺️ )anyone would be happy to have a house in Italy for the weather, food and scenery 🤩 Great to read your journey, Sarah. Thanks for sharing.
Awww, thanks for sharing!
And yes, I think they’ll certainly start seeing the virtues. We’re only an hour and a half from Rome, so it doesn’t feel so far.
Another friend has a place in Spain and is going to do the same as you when her kids are in Uni soon. Time for the parents!
THANK YOU, thank you, thank you! Really, I'm all tear-y eyed, reading this, because things have turned out SO well for you, and this is SO inspiring! You've mentioned far more reasons to move abroad than I ever knew existed. I wish that, nine years ago, we'd followed your good example. But, wow, this post really makes it clear that we need to move, ASAP. Thanks again! <3
I’m glad it’s helpful. We’re so grateful for how things have worked out. I hope your planned moved goes well!