COVID-19 and expatriation in Italy

Hi there,as you all already should know here in Italy Covid-19's almost hit the apex but,as Government's saying,we are expeting a long time before normality will return,probably a couple of weeks more in lockdown following a slow very slow restarting.
So my expratiation project is in lockdown too,passport and I.D. expired and money running out.It's gonna be all delayed onto 2021(if I'd be able to survive this damned Covid-19).
And that's it for now,hope everything's gonna be allrite folks

Hello Loïc,

Below are my feelings to your questions.
1. Does the current crisis call into question your long-term expatriation project?
No, the current crisis does not change my plans. I consider myself lucky in 2 ways. First, I actually made it to Italy in January, before the crisis started in Italy. So my travel plans to Italy were uninterrupted. Second, I chose to live in Lecce, which is in Puglia. Although, we have COVID-19 cases, the quantity is orders of magnitude less down here than what is experienced in northern Italy.

2. If you are already settled in Italy, do you plan to return to your home country?
I am from the US. I wanted to visit for a week or two but with the situation there becoming a crisis, I decided to postpone my trip. I have no intention of moving back to the US anytime soon.

3. How are you living through such an uncertain period, especially if you are far from your loved ones? My mother is in a nursing home in South Carolina. The nursing home has prohibited anyone not employed or not a resident from coming in. So, whether I am in the US or in Italy, FaceTime with my mother is no different. I do miss my friends but I stay in contact with them. I am now focused on seeing the friends that I have in Italy once we are able to move around again.

4. Have any of you ended your expatriation in Italy unexpectedly? No.

5. Paradoxically, has this crisis brought you closer to some people? No.

6. What are your plans for the future?
Hopefully, we will be able to move around this summer and visit the beaches. I know it will not be the same but I hope that we can make the best of it.

As it stands at the moment we are still out here for our planned time. This spell out here was from the beginning of March until the last day of April. Then we were to return to the UK for 3 weeks to see family and friends . However our flight back to the UK has been cancelled and what with the situation in the UK plus the lockdown extension here, it seems unlikely that we will be able to return until early June (God Willing) Once we do return, all being well, we will stay in Uk longer than usual as our first grandchild is due in July.
We have plenty to do to keep us busy here as we have a heck of a lot of olive trees to prune and land to tend. We’re in Tuscany so the scenery is wonderful and So is the fresh air and sunshine. It is no hardship to be lock-downed in our surroundings.
We speak to our children daily using, text  FaceTime, or phone , WhatsApp and all together by Zoom. Also speak to other family members and friends regularly. In fact we have FaceTime aperitivi often, which is good fun! One of our sons is in Germany and our other children and their spouses are back in the UK - so the technology is very welcome. If we were back in the uk anyway we wouldn’t be able to see them as we don’t live under the same roof (UK government lockdown rules) .
The area where we live in Tuscany has followed all lockdown guidelines very well and everything is calm and sensible . We do think that it has brought us all closer together - we’ve received texts and messages from  our new friends out here and from the locals asking after our well being and when we go into the town for our responsible once a week trip to the butchers, bakers, greengrocers and supermarket, the locals  as ever greet us with a wave and a cheery ‘buongiorno’ all be it behind a mask and gloves .
Our plans for the future are to hopefully, carry on as before all this world / life changing catastrophe. Enjoy our time out here and still welcome family and friends on their visits out here, as we did all last year. Due to the situation visits have been cancelled from all our children over Easter and friends next week. But worldwide  safety is absolute priority .
Hope you are all staying safe and coping .

Hi!
COVID-19 and expatriation in Italy


Does the current crisis call into question your long-term expatriation project?
No. I got a job in Italy and I am going to move there around mid / end of July.

Has this crisis allowed you to get closer to certain people?
Probably yes.

Finally, what are your plans for the future?
I am going to move to Italy with the whole family: wife and son. I hope I will remain in Italy for ever but it will depend on many things...

Kind regards,
Daniel

It’s a sad time, not only in Italy but the world entirely
according to the Italians is a calamity a nemesis unbearable condition that separate us from emotional life, we hope to get rid of it fast and move on, I love Italy and I remained here in Italy.

Stay safe

If anything the pandemic has only increased my desire for Italian citizenship and permanent relocation. To see how gracefully a majority of Italians handled such a horrible situation made me so proud of them and so proud of my heritage.

It also reminded me that life is short and one has very little control over what happens in this world. It is best to follow your dreams and not wait to live the life you want. Viva bella l'Italia!!