Month 7 | Vietri sul Mare, Italy
Where this month found me
Filled with friends, travel, and the calm after the storm of settling back in Italy after a taste of home. We indulged in food we’ve been missing and catching up with close friends during our visit home after six months of being away. Now we’re figuring out what winter in Italy looks like.
The admin & logistics chapter
We had read some things about re-entering the country before finalizing our permessi di soggiorno, and I’d be lying if I said that we weren’t a little nervous about it. But everything went off without a hitch. It was our first time exiting the EU since our 90-day Schengen allowance would have ended, so it was a relief when returning to Italy went smoothly.
I believe if we were in the process of renewal instead of this being our first application, this could have been a different experience, take our experience with a grain of salt! I also think it may vary depending on the visa you are on, so be sure to do your own research
Finding a rhythm
In Toronto, routine was a distant memory as we bounced between friends’ homes. At the same time though, I managed to regain a small part of my routine from 6 months ago: workout classes! Oh, how I’ve missed them. With no studios near me and unreliable bus schedules, paying for a membership in Salerno just hasn’t felt worth it. But I’ve started doing pilates at home since arriving back in Vietri, and I’m loving it.
When we first got back, fighting jet lag put a bit of a pause on daily rhythm; however, now that we’ve been back for a couple of weeks, I’m happy to report it’s coming back! The sunny, 17° weather helps immensely with encouraging me to get up and sneak in a balcony workout.
Language & learning
Two weeks off from using Italian daily was a nice reprieve, but it definitely set me back a little. I tried keeping up with at least a little Duolingo daily, though it isn’t quite as effective as relying on it to get by. Immersion really does seem to be the best method.
Side quests
On our way back from Canada, we decided to make a pit stop in both Porto, Portugal and Barcelona, Spain. I’d been to both in 2022, but it was Tyson’s first experience in either. He is becoming quite the world traveller!
Porto is one of my favourite cities; the food and the scenery blow me away. Some of our friends are getting married there in the new year, so we filled our visit with scouting missions — also known as a bar crawl. Barcelona also holds my heart; I will never get sick of admiring Gaudí’s designs.
People & connection
Starting off the week with two nights staying with Tyson’s best friend and his girlfriend, we caught up over drinks and good food, getting together with a bigger group the second night. It was filled with endless laughs.
Next up, we spent the afternoon and evening with my younger brother and got to meet his girlfriend. Grabbing some incredible Thai food for dinner, we then picked up some drinks on the way home and stayed up chatting and playing games late into the night. The following morning, we went to catch up with my great-uncle for coffee.
Afterward, we went over to one of my best friend’s and spent the afternoon watching Sunday football (something Tys has been missing with time zones making it difficult to watch live games), played games, and ate pizza with pickles on it — don’t tell the Italians!
We spent the next couple of nights with some of our favourite work friends. Late-night couch drinks and chats are good for the soul.
Toronto was a whirlwind of seeing so many people we love and miss. And for as drained as my social battery was by the end of it, I was feeling so fortunate. How lucky are we to have so many people we love?
Since returning to Italy, we met up with our friends from here the other night, indulging in a winter patio night of drinks and aperitivi. The ladies chatted about our book club read, and we caught up on everyone’s holiday plans.
Exploring this place
The night we went out with friends in Salerno, Tys and I took a walk through Old Town to see the Christmas light displays. Without a doubt, the city is currently busier than it ever was in the summer. Who would have thought that in Southern Italy, the busiest time would be winter?
Culture shocks
I’m having so much trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that Christmas is less than two weeks away – mainly due to the fact that it is sunny and over 15° almost every day. As someone who’s only ever experienced the holiday season in Canada, negative temps and snow more often than not are seasonal staples that I’ve come to associate with this time of year. But one of the things I’m most excited about this year is experiencing cultural differences, and this will absolutely be that!
On my bookshelf
Book Club Pick: The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden | 4.5/5
One of those books that stays with you. Set in the 60s in the Netherlands, the story follows a woman who lives alone in her childhood home. The book is all about self-discovery, questioning what’s right and wrong, and really leaves you thinking.
Personal Read: The Midnight Library, Matt Haig | 3.75/5
Very similar concept to last month’s book club pick (Dark Matter). After her death, the main character wakes up in a library where she is given the opportunity to step into lives in which she made other choices. Exploring the idea of a multiverse and the impacts of living a life with regrets.
Small joys
Indulging in some multicultural bites while we were back home made me happy like you wouldn’t believe. I have been loving Italian food, if you had to choose a cuisine to eat every day, there are definitely worse options. But after a decade of having any kind of food I could possibly crave accessible to me, I have missed it. And dips?! I don’t know what Italy has against dips, but they are missing out here.
We’ve also been setting aside some time each evening before bed to read. I’m loving the companionship while enjoying a typically solitary activity.
The hard parts
Arriving back after the “cold” weather had arrived meant that we started to notice some things around the house that hadn’t been issues in the hot summer weather. Being that the buildings here are older, insulation is not what we’re used to. Somehow it feels colder in our place in Italy than I’ve ever experienced in Canadian winters, despite the difference in external temperatures. Our small hot water tank also means that I’m racing to finish a shower before the stream turns frigid. But we’re making it work!
What this month taught me
The best friendships are the ones that last no matter the distance. It's much harder to maintain connections when it’s no longer a relationship of convenience, but some pick up right where they left off, and those are worth the effort.
Looking ahead
This coming month we get to experience Italian Christmas. We've been invited to one of our friend’s family homes for Christmas Eve which is the main event here. I can’t wait to enjoy the holidays in a different way than I’m used to.
Since moving abroad, I’ve had a lot of people ask how we managed visas, work, and housing logistics. We figured most of it out ourselves — but in hindsight, having support would’ve saved a lot of stress.
I’ve recently partnered with Languages Canada, who help Canadians apply for Youth Mobility Visas, find work, and get settled abroad. If you apply through them using my referral link, you’ll receive a $200 Air Canada voucher. I didn’t use this service personally, but something like this would’ve been so helpful during our planning stage.
If you’re in the “thinking about it” phase, this might be a good place to start.
