Hey guys! Or should I say “Ciao ragazzi!” If you have been following on my socials you already know I made a MAJOR move this summer! I am currently acting out my childhood dreams right now, living in Europe. This July I packed up my apartment that I had been living in since I graduated college (yes, I stayed in the same apartment for 11.5 years in LA), crazy but when you have a rent controlled apartment it’s hard to move with the inflation of rent in such a desirable city. Anyways, I was able to pack up my entire wardrobe and a few sentimental items in 11 boxes and 3 suitcases!
The most difficult part of my move was dealing with the Consulate! If you are doing any online research you will find that the LA and NYC offices are the most difficult and those reviews are 100% TRUE! I have no knowledge on what it’s like dealing with American visa offices so I can’t speak on that. However, trying to get a hold of someone in the visa department was like trying to win the jack pot in the lotto! Patience is needed at all times and trust me you will loose it trying to get clear answers! I had all my ducks in order and still had an issue with getting an appointment because the “wording” in my enrollment letter from the school I am attending didn’t specify what level of Italian I was currently at! This prolonged my appointment by 1 month! Back and forth emails from my school to the consulate waiting for responses and many many phone calls, I finally got an appointment! After all of that I got a phone call after my appointment saying I would not get a visa because I was at basic level Italian!!!! I burst into tears as I already put in my 30day notice, packed my life up, sold have my furniture and paid my school fees!
My lovely enrollment officer and now friend Emma was so confused as we confirmed everything with the education department at the consulate before I even paid for school. Finally we were able to get another response from the consulate (this time within one day) that If I were to enroll into an Italian language and culture program I would be awarded a visa! Not sure why this wasn’t originally communicated but I switched my program and got a new enrollment letter and a week later the consulate said they will process my visa. I didn’t receive my passport back until 4 days before I was set to leave. Thank God there were no additional delays because the wait felt like an eternity!
I flew from LAX to JFK from JFK to Rome from Rome to Brindisi then took a taxi to my new city Lecce! A whole lot of flights during COVID!!! Once you arrive in Italy you are required to turn in your same paperwork that you used to get your visa within 8 days of arriving for your resident permit “permesso di soggiorno”.
What you heard about “Poste Italiane” is most likely true. I have not cried yet but the wait times are out of this world! If I can’t arrive 20mins before they open, I can’t be bothered to go unless I want to wait 3hrs for fun! The first thing you need to do is get an immigration packet from Poste Italiane, fill it out and bring it back along with getting a 16euro “Marca da bollo” stamp. Thankfully there are offices that help you fill out this paperwork as it’s all in Italian. Once you have paid your fees at Poste Italiane they will give you a receipt with your immigration appointment. This appointment can be anywhere between 21days to 6months away. Thankfully Mine was 2.5 weeks later. This process was very smooth, they just need 2 passport size photos and to take your finger prints and then within 4-6 weeks your “Permesso Di Soggiorno” is ready!.
Living near the historical city center is enchanting. Walking along the narrow marble roads with creamy limestone and baroque masterpieces at every corner you can see why they call it the “Florence of the south”. I couldn’t really give a true life update weeks after I moved as it would be more of a “first impression”. But now that I have been here a few months and tackled the challenges of the bureaucracy I can give honest feedback.
To playing tennis on beautiful clay courts next to ancient ruins or enjoying aperitivo within Piazza del Duomo, I feel like I’ve been transported to another world. I have been walking around this city for months now and I am still discovering new places and streets.
My new life here was a very seamless transition. I am enrolled in the School of Italian for Foreigners through a private university here and it’s an awesome program! They truly cater to your learning level and time schedule. I couldn’t imagine being in any other program. I look forward to my classes and hope to be speaking Italian confidently soon.
Through my school I’ve met some of the nicest people ever! Along with making new friends through the program, I’ve met a lovely friend through my nail technician who is also amazing at nail designs (check out her insta here)! I’m so thankful to have a place to go and get my nails done like I did back in LA.
I feel after reading many post about other expats in forums or facebook groups it can be somewhat discouraging on taking the leap. I really want to take this time in my life to really focus on myself and exploring all of Italy along with Europe. I have also been trying to go on mini adventures once a month to get the most out of my stay here. Always remember that no ones experience is the same, that life is always what you make it and that nothing is permanent! Feel free to leave a comment with any questions you may have!
xo Faith
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