Hello everyone,
When you move to Italy, you may find that the pace of life is different from what you're used to. Shop opening times, working hours, sleep cycles and variations in sunlight can all have an effect on your life in Italy as an expat and require time to adapt. This transition can be a source of surprises, adjustments and sometimes even frustration for those trying to find their balance in this new environment.
Here are a few questions to help you better understand how you manage your days in Italy :
How have you managed to harmonise your own pace of life with the pace of life in Italy?
Have you felt a change in your biological rhythm (diet, sleep, energy, etc.)? How can you minimise the effects on your well-being and adapt to changes in your circadian rhythm?
How have you adjusted your sleeping habits to optimise your energy and concentration in a different environment?
Shopping, meal and activity times can differ from one culture to another. How do you manage to reconcile your personal habits with those of life in Italy? What are the benefits and challenges of these adjustments?
How do different working hours affect your productivity and quality of life? What have you done to maintain a work-life balance despite these changes?
Please feel free to share your experiences and advice on this topic.
Thank you for your contribution.
Cheryl
Expat.com Team
Adapting to the pace of life in Italy
A few thoughts after 3 years in Italy...
If you live anywhere near a bell-tower, it will wake you in the morning, so in this city and probably others - you'll fare best if you like to go to bed early and wake at 07:30. Noise is a problem if you like a quiet life.
If you work from home or at night, you'll need to live in a detached house because there aren't any laws to stop your neighbours from making horrendous amounts of noise "renovating" their flat and they can start this without any prior notice, so you won't be able to sleep or work during the day. This can continue for months. Sadly I learned this too late - we're looking for that detached house now.
Shops and bars can be closed without warning. Some will close between 13:00 and 15:00, and the streets will be empty especially if the weather is very hot. Many will close for a long period during the month of August. However this is because they're not corporates; they're run by the owner, who needs to take time off. This is one of the charms of Italy - they really care about your experience and making sure you're happy.
Bars operate on a table-service basis which can be a little slow - at times you'll need to assert yourself and learn to shout 'scusa!' to attract attention. However the people are overwhelmingly charming and welcoming. If you're not used to having table service, don't forget to pay at the end!
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