Moving to Italy? Mistakes to Avoid When Settling In

With its gorgeous infrastructure and exquisite food, Italy is a beautiful country and moving there might seem like moving into a dream. However, this dream might turn into a nightmare if you are not careful during the moving process. Indeed, there are a few essential mistakes that you must avoid at any cost to ensure that your move goes smoothly.

Stay with us and let’s dive in together to see the mistakes you should avoid.  

NOT LEARNING THE LANGUAGE

This is a mistake that a lot of expats make. You might assume that since you are fluent in English, not knowing Italian will not be so much of an issue, but this is mistake number one since people do not use much English in Italy. In fact, in rural areas and small towns, they might speak only in their native language. Thus, make sure to already start learning the language. Even if you are not completely fluent, having a basic understanding will help you manage your everyday tasks more smoothly. For instance, you may start an online class with the help of a tutor, or you can also use the help of mobile applications such Duolinguo or Babel found on Appstore of Playstore.

GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

One of the easiest ways to learn a country’s language is to make friends with the native. Just being around them will help you catch the essential things that you need to know language-wise. Moreover, they will also help you understand the culture and life in Italy better so that you can integrate in your new life easily. It is true that a sudden change can be overwhelming, and you might want to stick to people you already know, but Italians are very friendly people! Check out blog here to learn how to overcome cultural shock.

UNDERASSUMING THE COSTS OF THINGS.

There is no denying the fact that parts of Italy can be relatively cheaper. However, moving to a new country means that you are starting from scratch; you are going to have a lot of fees to deal with and unforeseen costs that you have not planned for will pop up. So, it is best to live frugally until you have found your feet and you should not forget to keep some emergency funds.

NOT GETTING AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCE

Regardless of where you are coming from, you will have to get an Italian driving licence to drive around in Italy. Some agreements allow you to drive with your old licence for a year. However, after that, it will become invalid. This means that you are going to have to retake your driving test and unsurprisingly, it will be in Italian. While one way to deal with this is to get a handbook and practice the questions, you can also get an international driver’s permit beforehand. Thanks to this, you will not have to take the test in Italian which is a huge advantage if you have not mastered the language yet.

CASH & CARDS

One of the first things to do after your arrival is to open a bank account and to request a working card. Otherwise, you will be charged too much for each transaction. However, be careful, you cannot use your bank cards everywhere in the country. While legally, you can use your card to settle your bill if your total is over 5 euros, there are many merchants who still accept cash only. So, make sure to always carry some around.