Expat Advice: Working in Perugia, Italy

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Perugia

What are the main industries in this city? What types of career opportunities commonly exist? How do most people find new jobs?

Tourism, smaller industries and shops. It's a quite rural area.

What type of work do you do and how did you find your job?

I am freelance translator and estate agent. I initially started previewing properties for friends who were looking at buying a house in Italy and I had just moved here plus I spoke the language. I got to know a number of people and one thing led to another. I have a degree in languages and I enjoy working with languages so it wasn't a hard decision to make to register as a translator/interpreter as well.

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Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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How did you obtain your work permit? What advice would you have for others about work permits?

It was a long time ago, things were different and more complicated, for European citizens. Now for European citizens it's less complicated but it possibly still is for American citizens, this I don't know. Italians are very friendly and helpful - so if you wear a smile, too, most things can be solved with a little bit of patience.

Have you taken language and cross-cultural training courses to prepare for your assignment? If so, how have they helped you on the job?

No, I left Holland shortly after finishing university and jumped.

What advice would you offer others about finding jobs and working abroad?

Be patient, be kind and be open minded. Try to remember at all times that you're dealing with a different culture and that certain things are different, not better nor less, just different