Living in Italy, the Real Deal

Stef Smulders, personal archive

Many expat stories in Europe - including mine - starts with moving for a short while to explore a little bit the area and take a break from a busy business career and ends up with becoming a full part of a local society and language of choice. Stef Smulders and his husband Nico did the same in Italy, and after many adventures, featured in a book fully recommended if you ever consider becoming an expat - and maybe an investor too - in this country, Living in Italy, the Real Deal, he is happily living the (Italian) dream. He was kind enough to answer a couple of questions for my blog about his experiences and his advices to a newby expat. Here are his answers.

How did your Italian story begin? 

We went to live in Italy for six months, me to study at the university of Pavia and my husband Nico for a sabbatical leave. We already secretly dreamt about the possibility to move abroad definitely and start a bed and breakfast, and once we discovered the Oltrepo Pavese wine region just a little south of Pavia we decided to see if we could find a house that matched our purpose. To our surprise we found our current house within two months.

What do you recommend to someone considering becoming an expat in Italy?

Learn the language before leaving! Do not live in the same house that you are renovating. Prepare yourself by reading books and articles about buying a house in Italy to avoid disaster.

A fragment of Italian dream, photo Stef Smulders

What is the most hilarious experience you had?

There are lot of these (thats the fun of moving abroad) that I relate in my book Living in Italy: the Real Deal. I do not want to spoil the fun for those who want to read it, but one of the funniest experiences is how I made a reservation at a restaurant nearby that turned out to be of a member of the choir Nico was a member of as well, which we did not know. As a matter of fact the owner was sitting next to Nico when I made the reservation, her not knowing that it was for Nico and me. LOL.

What is the most important lesson as an expat abroad in Europe?

For US citizens I would not know, as I am a European myself. I guess there are more cultural differences to cope with as the US and Europe differ a lot as well. The lesson would be to realize and accept that people are different and there is no absolute right or wrong in this respect. 

What are your best travel recommendations in your area?

Pavia, Milan, the Mediterranean, but the landscape and the people themselves, not to forget the food and wine! 

Where do you see yourself living in five years from now?

Probably retired, in a nice home at one of the lakes.

5 Tips to deal successfully with the (German) bureaucracy

Who really loves to deal with bureaucracy? A lot of complicated rules and undefinite waiting time, with many surprises, and not a guaranteed happy ending...As in the last six months I had to deal a whole lot with such things, I decided that maybe it is a good idea to share some of my tips with fellow expat readers in Berlin and Germany. 

1. Always check the schedule of the institution you have to deal with and be sure that you make an appointment before. The good news is that all the important institutions do have websites and you can schedule meetings online. In some cases, you even get SMS notificatons 24-hour in advance!

2. For the meeting, bring with you all the documents you are requested and a bit more. Bring copies and the original, proofs and exchange of letters with various institutions...everything you think it can be relevant for your situation. It is better to have the ridiculous bundle in your bag, than coming back again in one week time or more.

3. Keep calm! Some things can be delayed, or you may need to bring some new proofs, or you have to wait in line more than expected! Take a book with you or use the time to catch up with friends on WhatsApp- no free wifi in public institutions though. Or just use the opportunity to get to know other fellow expats.

4. Ask as many questions as possible! Don't be shy and be sure that you are doing the right thing. Once I was delayed for 2 months only because I was so uninspired to do not ask the right question if I was addressing the right office. 

5. Bring a translator with you or ask help from a native speaker. German language is not easy, and the legal and bureaucractic language is very complicated even for native speakers. Some public offices may have English speakers, but it is not enough and not the solution anyway. If you feel unsecure about your language skills, find a friend or just hire a translator for being sure that you are on the right path.  

That's all for now!

My experience so far is that even things are taking some time to settle, at the end of the process, everything goes on and you do not need to deal with bureaucracy ever again. And on way to see the light, you can even learn some new funny long German words.