Manuela
@Paradisea
Belgian expat in Italy
Forum posts
42
Contacts
12
About me
Belgian, Married with children
Lives in Castiglione del Lago, Ombrie
Speaks français, italien, anglais et un peu de néerlandais
Registration: 18 July 2009
About
Occupation
I am Self-employed.
My expat journey
Castiglione del Lago, Umbria, Italy
The children quickly developed new friendships and became perfectly bilingual. My husband and I live mainly at home since we created our work from home, we are translators.
My projects: constantly developing my professional activity, which has become a true passion.
Former French teacher, I started translating in 2009.
I am extremely fortunate to work from home and to have been able to develop my business to the point of being able to choose my clients and my collaborators.
The beauty of the landscapes, the human warmth, the omnipresent culture, the lilting language, the medieval towns, the dolce vita, the climate.
The time everything takes here and the administrative burden. What can really be terrible for some people in Italy is that EVERYTHING is approximate. We have been able to adapt, but others cannot stand this global attitude.
Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
The children started school, it wasn't easy at first, but within a few weeks, they were like fish in water.
I started my translation business. The beginnings are difficult. Impossible for my husband to find a job despite his remarkable professional experience. The culture shock is enormous in a design office. My husband's precision and efficiency are not what is generally sought: less sharp and cheaper.
I loved the proximity to Viareggio beach. Go to school to pick up the children, eat a sandwich 30 minutes later, on the beach, and swim until the end of September.
The industrial aspect of the area. This is definitely not what we are looking for.
Liège, Belgium
A very pleasant life in the Belgian Ardennes. A treat after more than 30 years spent in the livelier Liégeois basin (there are pros, there are cons) ^^
I was a teacher of French and secular morality there.
The landscapes, the welcome and politeness of the Ardennes people, the purity of the air, the snow in winter.
Bad weather, cold, humid, lack of sun, ...