About KarenK

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Olmo, Toscana, Italy

Citizen Of:

United States

About KarenK

I was born a New Yorker - a Brooklynite to be precise. I married and moved to North Carolina after college. living there for 25 years. In fact, I consider myself a TarHeel "native". My husband moved to Arezzo in April 2008 and I followed a year later, after settling our youngest son in college.

My Website:

http://I'm on Facebook

Advice for New Expats

Think. Hard.

I would love to live in...

In a houseboat moored off of Louse Point in East Hampton

Favorite Assignment:

Book reports in the 5th grade

Favorite Cuisine:

My own :-)

Favorite Museum:

North Carolina Museum of History

Favorite Movie:

Gone with the Wind

Favorite Book:

The Secret Garden

Favorite Sports Team:

NC State Football

Some Forum Posts:

Italy: Looking for expats living in Arezzo:

Hi again Grace. I actually live in Il Matto, just outside of Olmo. I will be back in Italia in mid May, barring some unwelcome news about a dear friend of mine here in the US. Lets make sure to get in touch! Karen

Italy: Buying a Car in Italy:

I agree with Rachel. I am living near Arezzo and my husband had to buy my car (a used Citroen) because he already had his Passagio Soggiorno, which his employer made possible to obtain. He also had to get the insurance, because at the time I had not received documentation. I did what Rachel did - the AAA intl drivers license. Now I have (almost) my PS, and I hope life will get easier. We bought the car from a Jaguar dealership. They did a complete oil change etc., which apparently is uncommon. Maybe because they sold Jags? Also - my husband has a new car leased by his company. For the 20K km check, as per VW, the oil was not changed. Just topped off. Does Jiffy Lube have us all bamboozled????? Having a car is necessary, but learning Italian is the most important thing you can do for yourself. Seriously. Italy is great. Finally I can say that, and live it. Advice: Bloom where you are planted.

Italy: Swine Flu - H1N1:

My husband works for an Italian company, and we have not heard anything at all about H1N1 vaccines. He will get his in the US over Christmas. He is in a high risk population, and I am thoroughly disgusted with the health care options available. Other than free Rx (which is good, I admit) health care, and particularly dental care is basically non existent.

Italy: Unveiling the Myth of Italy:

Hi again. This is KarenK, and I live in Olmo, a very small town near Arezzo. My husband has a good job, so money is not an issue for us. I do feel, however, that life here is quite expensive for ordinary Italians. He is in charge of hiring some people within his company, and a major consideration when evaluating candidates is where they are from, where their family lives. Many young professionals still live with their parents because they cannot afford to live apart. Of course an extended family is a good thing, and culturally stable, but I don't get the idea that is the primary motivator. Cost of living is. I also find Italians to be more unfriendly than they were in the past. I was here almost 30 years ago, and that Italy is gone. I agree wholeheartedly that any person who is thinking of relocating has a LOT of research to do. I got caught, being the trailing or pushed spouse. Luckily I have a wonderful husband and marriage. Still no friends, but that takes time as one ages, no matter where one lives. Learning Italian is crucial. That helps with the isolation a great deal. Also understand, this is not the US, and while I prefer the US lifestyle, I think Italians, like Carmine, prefer the Italian ways. Embrace the differences, and remember that life is short! Make the best of each and every day.

Italy: Depressed in Verona:

Deb, I completely empathize with your friend/client. I am American, and am having a very hard time adjusting. Currently I am home in the US, but will be returning to Italia in a few weeks. On some levels I am dreading the reentry, and on others I am more excited this time than ever before. I think for me the key to my anticipation of better things to come is the fact that I have been diligently studying l'italiano recently, and am finally making some progress. I would love to meet your friend in Verona some day. I do have a car, and would welcome the trip. Regards, Karen

Italy: Lost in Italy:

Wow. You really nailed it. This is exactly how I feel, and nobody else seems to understand or care how much I miss the US, and living there. Especially my husband who, bless his heart, has a great job in Italy that he loves. We come home to take of health care for exactly the reasons you mentioned. And we are looking at a HUGE dental bill for an implant he needs. YIKES!! And when I am home (in the US), people always say something like "oh, Italy, you are soo lucky" Yeah right!

Italy: Looking for expats living in Arezzo:

Hello. I am an American who's been living in Arezzo for about 3 months. I haven't met any other expats and would love to meet some new friends living in my new town. It would be great to find some friends to work out with. My hobbies include reading (I'd like to find book club to join) and watching old movies. When it comes to doing crafts, I'm ready to try just about anything.

Italy: 10 Tips for Living in Italy:

This is Karen, from Arezzo. Being an American expat, I also miss specific foods, but have been able to find some of them. Calve brand peanut butter is readily available, but it is not sweetened like ours. I found American style peanut butter in Sma. Bacon is now sold in Pam and Esselunga. Soy milk is readily available, and I have found veggie products at Esselunga, in the freezer. As for sour cream, I use Greek plain yogurt. Buttermilk can be substituted by milk with lemon juice, I think. White vinegar is the souring product of choice, but I have not found that. White wine vinegar yes, plain white no. Some other products I long for are canned pumpkin (fresh squash of a pumpkin type variety is available at Esselunga, but using it is inconvenient), plain Cheerios, cheddar cheese (which is surprising since it is sold in the UK), and canned condensed soups from Campbell's. All in all, I love most things about Italy, and feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to live here.

Date Joined:

7/11/2009

Total Posts:

10

Posts/Day:

0.00