We're really doing it - moving to Italy in the spring!

Best wishes as you begin this new chapter of your lives. How exciting!

Excellent, Nellie, and I am full of admiration for you. It is a brave move. Will you disembark the QM2 in Hamburg and continue by car to Abruzzo? Just curious.

Nelly, this sounds amazing! I admire your spirit in searching for a new lifestyle. Best wishes as you plan your move. Looking forward to your future posts from Abruzzo. Buon Viaggio!

thanks everyone for your good wishes. It’s time for a new adventure, doesn’t have to be forever.

@ Norma - we will disembark in Hamburg. Planning to take the train to Pescara and rent a car there for a bit until we can get one of our own (have to have residency before you can buy a car in Italy). We’ll take the train in easy stages with longer layovers for our pup.

I’ve done a ton of research, so if anyone has questions about the process, ask away. I know others have provided a lot of info before me, but happy to contribute to that conversation.

Best of luck on your move and relocation!

Now you’ll have to travel a really long way to find bad coffee.

And maybe your Frenchie can meet a flat-faced Italian Mastiff, although there’ll be a bit of a size imbalance.

It all sounds wonderful - have a great new chapter in your lives!

Of course you realize how jealous, envious and happy everyone is! All best wishes and happiness!

Brava, Nellie! Looking forward to your reports!

I miss so much about living in Italy.

Congratulations on making your dream come true! I have to ask two things: How populated is this small town? And how will you get your dog from Calgary to Brooklyn (doesn't that require a flight as well?). I hope all will go more or less smoothly as this is a big transition to make. It's great that language will not be a barrier as I suspect that many of the folks in these (I'm guessing tiny) towns are older and know only Italian.

Yes, Nelly from Calgary, we are admittedly jealous! And taking the QM2 with your French bulldog is a great idea for a daily journal/blog. We'd like to know what's happening with you!

I, too, want to move to Italy. Or at the very least--and this might be the best of both worlds--we may opt to winter in Italy, preferably Roma or south to avoid the harsher-every-year Chicago winters. Now in my early 60's, they are downright brutal and the cold/ice/snow is chronically affecting my health adversely.

We've spent a week in Rome at an apartment, in March. Next step--within a couple years--is to spend 1-2 months during the winter there. Watch our spending, and exist as locals as much as possible. Then we will see from there. I have fallen in love with Rome. It takes work to do, but I see the Eternal City for what it is, one of the planet's greatest cities, and I really think I would never tire of its can-do vibe. Stay tuned...

Nelly, this is HUGE, and very exciting!! Congratulations to you and best of luck as you set off for your new life. It’s amazing to think what great resources Forumites like Karen and Robert have been as you have considered and planned.

All the best to you, and I can’t wait to hear about your adventures!

Oh Nelly I’m so excited to hear the news of your big dream and adventure. Please stay connected with your forum family as you settle in next spring and beyond.

Wow Nelly, brava and good luck! I just looked up Abruzzo and it seems like a wonderful region, full of many beauties!

Any and all blogging would be so interesting to us all as you start your life in Italy, hope to hear from you in the near future. It sounds like a dream come true, congrats and smooth sailing!

A fun read, “To Venice with Love” by Philip Jones is in some ways a “Moving to Italy 101” primer. Phil and his wife Caroline chucked in their jobs in Edinburgh, working for banks, and moved to Venice about seven years ago.
“To Venice with Love” is their story. Phil now teaches a bit of English, and has published three novels set in Venice.

You have to admire all people that make that big leap of faith.

I will do my best on the blogging. I haven’t cranked it up yet but I have great intentions! @ Agnes: yes it’s a much smaller town than I expected to choose, pop 2000. After visiting some of the bigger and busier towns, this one just felt right. OK, I admit it felt like Banff, an hour from my home. Might be why we liked it. but the next town is 5 km away, Ikea and a big shopping mall 45 minutes away. And we are driving from Calgary to Brooklyn, visiting friends and family on the way. Really. My sister will take my car, and her son is in college nearby. Lots of LEGO pieces to make this all work. Thanks again all for your support and enthusiasm.

What a great adventure, and you are going into it with a great attitude. I wish you the best of luck.

Your enthusiasm for the Italian adventure brought back nice memories. Since it seems you are stopping in Germany anyway, you might consider leasing a new car from Peugeot in Frankfurt or Munich which you can return to Rome at the end of your chosen lease period. They are available for up to 6 months and there's a $300. (sometimes on sale @ $150.) fee for picking-up & dropping off outside France. It probably won't be the cheapest rental car option but it comes with full full full insurance and zero add-ons - like for an additional driver.

How exciting and of course a place for friends and relatives to come visit!

Don't be ashamed of not loving your new home or of missing things from North America. I find the people who have the hardest time as ex-pats are the people who think moving will fix all their problems and will not admit to any negativity. Italy is a wonderful place but there are irritating issues there as well, politics, store conveniences, etc.
Also feeling homesick after the first few months is normal. Embrace the change but don't fight your feelings. It's a new adventure and I'm sure you two will thrive.

Following Heather's comment - don't be too hard on big-box stores like Costco. If you are doing home renovations, repairs, or furnishing in Italy, a big-box store like Leroy Merlin or IKEA will start to look really attractive.

Ha, Mike, we love Costco! My comment was meant to say that I’m tired of driving too far to buy too much. Our pantry is stuffed so full that it overflows into the garage. We will definitely hit up IKEA and Leroy Merlin at need, we just need to stop stockpiling.

I have lived overseas twice before (Germany) and I have experienced culture shock and homesickness. Plus I’ve thought about this for so long, I think I’m ready. My husband, however, is a monolingual Saskatchewan boy (think Kansas prairies) who has never left Canada beyond short vacations. He’s game for it, and maybe helping him adapt will also help me. We will find out, and I will report back.

@ Laurel - I always loved your posts from Rome, and I will revisit them for advice. @ Jay, I hope to spend lots of time in Rome too. Hope your dreams come true.

I’m excited for you! Congrats. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

Also suggest joining the “Americans Living in Italy” Facebook group. Great resource for many questions.

What town?

The Italian way of life with small businesses and restaurants that are family run being supported by their community is very appealing. I found this in Spain also. (FYI: I don't shop at Costco and I live in the United States.) Congratulations on your new adventure.

Nelly, congratulations on successfully making this move work out! Looking forward to reading your blog. You are living my dream!!

Hi Karen! Thanks for your post, I’ve been addicted to your blog and FB posts since you moved over. Great writing and inspiring to see how much fun you’re having with minimal roadblocks.

The town is Caramanico Terme, in the middle of Majella National Park. No lake nearby to row on, but apart from that, it checks all our boxes. Hope you can come visit!

The town looks very beautiful, as does the natural setting and mountains! The thermal springs are a real plus. I could go for that! Will living in a hill town pose any issues, or are there flat areas as well? How did you narrow down your choices to this particular town in Abruzzo?

A car would be advised for that mountain area as bus service is probably limited. Also a car would be useful if you need to buy 48 rolls of toilet paper. There is no Costco in Italy but there are some equally huge North American style malls and supermarkets in Pescara, less than 45 min drive away. There is even IKEA. Some supermarkets like Coop, Carrefour, or Auchan might be even be closer to your town.
If you plan to reside over a year in Italy, you will need an Italian driver’s license (your Canadian license+IDP is accepted only up to one year after residency is established). Once you become licensed in Italy, for the first year you cannot drive powerful cars, therefore buy a used (or lease) a small one. Since you are at only over 600m above sea level, snow is probably rare, but you are near major high mountains, so I would consider a small 4wheel drive, even just a Fiat Panda 4x4. If you plan a stay longer than one year, try to get the driver’s license as soon as possible, look for a “scuola guida” (driving school) to inquire and also to navigate through the Italian bureaucracy.
Congrats and good luck in your new life adventure.

@Agnes - how did we pick Caramanico Terme? Well that's a story worthy of a long blog post, now that you've all encouraged me to start. The short(er) version: After we decided to stop dreaming and commit to going, I applied all my analytical project manager skills to the selection process. First I decided that I wanted to use the tax abatement, so shifted my search from Lago d'Iseo to the central and southern regions only. Never having been in the far south, and not being overly fond of hot and dry climates, I zeroed in on Abruzzo as the region that was furthest north of the 7 eligible regions. I studied the Bradt tourist guide, YouTube videos, met with expat Abruzzesi here, who introduced me to their cousins there. Then I immersed myself into real estate sites for months. I took my short list, ran it past my husband and daughter, contacted realtors. I was so sure of my top house choice that I even sent a house inspector to see it before we could get there.

You can guess where this is going - the analysis was useful in understanding the housing styles and average prices, but once we got there, none of my top three made the cut. The leading contender turned out to be at the top of an especially steep hill town, with wonderful views all the way to the Adriatic but the streets were so steep and crumbling that I just saw us as Jack and Jill tumbling down the hill. Not a place to grow old!

We then wandered through various towns until we were enticed up into the mountains. As soon as we spent a Sunday afternoon in Caramanico, we all knew it "felt" right. Not being a big believer in "feelings", I struggled a bit longer to finish seeing the houses on my list, but once we saw this house there was no doubt in anyone's mind. Right town, right house. It was easy. It is a hill town, but the house is at the top, as are the two commercial streets, so it's pretty flat walking unless we want to drop down to the medieval part of town - and then there is an elevator! It's less than a 100 foot elevation change between our house and the grocery store. The house is modern (10 years old, perfect condition) in a medieval hamlet, so no renovation required, which is good for us, but still has historical surroundings. Lunch at a fantastic restaurant around the corner, an apericena at the bar between us and the park gates...done. We're comfortable the right house came to us, despite all my attempts to force ourselves on a house and location.

@ Roberto: I've already got the driver's theory and quiz manuals and I'm working my way through them. I have picked what must be the ugliest car in Italy, but it is under-powered as required for a neopatentata, undersized, but 4WD for the mountains, and a hybrid. And cheap. But ugly!! Suzuki Ignis It will do, especially if I can find a used one.

Great explanation, thank you for sharing so much detail! It seems like a lot of effort and luck all at once, congratulations again! This will be a real life change and it sounds like you're ready to meet it head on.

P.S. @ Agnes - join us! While we were there, we met an Australian couple who bought a year ago in the same town through our wonderful realtor couple. They are delighted with the town, the people they've met, the help they received from the realtors, their (renovation required) little house. It's a busy enough little town that the shops are open Sunday mornings (rare in Abruzzo). Worth a visit anyway!

Nelly, this sounds wonderful. Congratulations to you and your family. I look forward to following your adventure via blog.

hey hey nelly
love you and your family's enthusiasm about moving. will your daughter be moving with you? you've done a lot of the hard work and research about everything that is important. i follow karen's and tom's blog with barley, since she was from here in the bay area.
had a laugh when i read about the queen mary crossing that you will take. we did a transatlantic cruise rome to fort lauderdale for 17 days, never thought about taking a dog onboard. what a fabulous idea and it works for a shorter time. where there's a will there's a way.
i will follow your adventure and moving experience and watch for your blog. when you guys are settled in, maybe a trip to meet barley, another furry friend. couple times we've been anywhere in italy it was so dog friendly, saw couple pooches in venice with their paws on the showcase asking for some salami from the owner. we laughed so much since me and friend are dog lovers and owners, they knew where the treats were.
good luck on this new adventure.
aloha

Nelly,

Congratulations for making your dream come true!

Thanks for sharing such exciting news!
I look forward to reading about your life in beautiful Italy!

Do you need a dog sitter?

@ Priscilla - yup, we will eventually be looking for dog sitters now and then, absolutely. We need to get settled and acquainted with our new area first, but eventually we'll want to go someplace we'll have to fly to. I'll tuck this thought away!

@ PP - daughter is going with us for a bit, then off to Germany for a masters degree. As it happens, the house is configured as two apartments, so to save property tax, she actually owns the smaller one (principal residences attract no property tax in Italy - secondary residences do). So I'm being a proper Italian mamma already, buying my adult child an apartment ;) I expect we'll have a stream of visitors occupying it once she decamps to Germany.

Regarding future phone service, you might investigate Google Fi while you're still in North America. While it's only available to start with a US shipping address, Canadians can easily manage it. https://canadiankilometers.boardingarea.com/2017/06/30/google-project-fi-canada-review/
We use it and it's worked out so well that we gave up 2 landlines in the US and use it exclusively on both continents. You have one phone number and your contacts can call you as though they are calling the US wherever you are. The possible disadvantages are that it's best with a new Google Fi phone (such as Pixel 3a), it's expensive when used for a lot of data, some Italian online systems can't handle a US mobile number even though individual Italians seem to have no problem, and it might be expensive for long calls within and to Canada (some costs depend on if the call is over wifi or phone lines). International texting also seems to work well. We've used it w/o any issues crossing between Italy and France as well as US and Canada.

I often fantasize about doing this - really, in a few years, hubby should be fully retired, we have no kids, only have my mom here so def would stay here until...you know. And luckily we would be able financially to do it.

Then as I was daydreaming about it this morning I thought about all our STUFF we have - how did you decide what to take with you? How did you get it over there? Did you leave some things here in storage, or have you dusted off your hands of Canada and just know you won't be coming back? I think my husband's books alone would fill half a moving truck...lol.

But congrats to you and I'll just sit here being a teeny bit jealous that you took the plunge.

@ Andrew - yes, my brother the geophysicist has shared this warning too. Calgary is remarkably safe from natural disasters, so it’s going to be a shock the first time the earth rumbles. We purposely stayed out of the province of L'Aquila, where the plates grind the worst, but I’m sure we'll feel it. It's got to be safer than California! The house is modern reinforced concrete, and up to current earthquake standards, but I agree it’s a new risk.

@ Mike - I’ve read about Google Fi but it was never available from Canada. I’ll have another look. However, we're going to be struggling for bandwidth - ADSL in the house and 3G on our phones is the best currently available - so we may have to stick to an old-fashioned landline for a while. Fibre optic has been laid apparently, but not yet connected house to house.

@ Nicole - stuff. Sigh. Been working on it for most of a year now and there is still lots of it. It’s painful. We are going to ship a half container and that’s it. What fits, fits. The rest has to go. And honestly, we feel better without most of it. My parents, who have moved 24 times in their married life, are cheering me on to lighten the load now rather than in another 20 years. We are not assuming we'll never be back, but we will never have the big family house full of kids' school projects and other clutter again. We do have to sell this one to get non-resident tax status. We have set a checkpoint for the next decision for five years out.

It's got to be safer than California!

I wouldn't be so sure due to the differences in housing stock/ age in some of these old villages which are not likely feasible to retrofit seismically (nor could they afford it). It's the seismic retrofitting and stricter housing codes that actually save lives (a good example of that is Mexico City and more so Japan, which is truly the leader in earthquake preparedness). That requires strong political will, sound management, and lots of $. I lived in Southern CA for 25+ years and there was a huge effort made to make buildings safer (especially after Loma Prieta in 1989), I'm sure not enough but at least the building stock was not that old. Of course, in much denser/more populated urban centers, the damages are bound to be much larger in value than small sparse populated villages in Italy surrounded by mountains.

Having said that, that wouldn't stop me from trying to enjoy life with some risk. It's a good thing that your new house is newly constructed and assuming to the current codes (hopefully somewhat strict given the area).

I could see this as an extreme way to get my husband to de clutter...lol.

We still have stuff of his parents from when they sold their home over 7 yrs ago (and they are now both deceased). We are at that point where we know we should be getting rid of some, but just don’t know where to start. We did get rid of most of it...the big stuff. But it’s all the little things...sigh. If it was just me, I’d be brutal downsizing, but apparently my husband is more sentimental than I.

If you even do a blog or anything about the process, I’d love to follow along.

@Nelly We are in the same situation in Liguria. We have to keep our ADSL over copper in the village to get internet, but then the Google Fi phones work over wifi so we get good clear connections generally - yet have some 3G data if there's an internet problem / power outage. On a total cost per year for us it's a winner in simplicity and because we save so much in the US.

The STUFF problem has been the biggest roadblock so far. No great solutions, I'm afraid. I hired a professional declutterer but she didn't show up often enough or sell enough of the stuff she hauled away. I've pressed my friends into rotation to help one morning each. Tried consignment and auction furniture sales, and got rid of a few things at fire sale prices. Tried kijiji, had some very sketchy people reply (one tried to convince us we should give him a loan?????). Now we're just slogging through it ourselves a box at a time. The books are mostly gone, along with 15 teak bookshelves. The DVDs are gone. The china and crystal aren't going anywhere - nobody wants that stuff anymore. There's only one way out from under the load of stuff we've collected and that's the hard but steady road of doing it ourselves. Now back to the paper blizzard on our desks...

My only other thought is that mom was right...as always...just get after it. Or move a lot!

Nelly, I am so excited for you and your family as you embark on this new phase of your life. It sounds amazing and you have done so much planning and preparation, you can't help but be successful. I, too, will be watching for you to begin blogging. I love following others who are doing something I would love to do, too. I also love living in Europe through other's adventures! Thank you for sharing your wonderful news and the plans you have painstakingly brought to fruition, also your dreams that will soon be reality.