Expat Life in Italy: Our First Month Exploring, Food, and First-Time Struggles

[@traciannveno]

My Italian boyfriend’s family is from Bari but they actually love Bologna. Considering the regional pride here I think it says a lot for how wonderful Bologna must be. I really encourage you guys to take ferries over to the other side of the Adriatic too. This must be the most romantic time for you both to get closer and just enjoy such joy. I am so happy for you both! It’s not easy to give up so much comfort of home for adventure xo Like a hobbit :)

[@boozing_abroad]

Aw thanks so much! You’re so right that this is an amazing time and adventure for us both to learn and grow with each other. Croatia has been on our list for a LONG time so we’ll definitely be checking out those ferries across the Adriatic 😁. And don’t worry, Bari is also on the list, just haven’t made it that far down into the boot yet. Cheers! 🇮🇹🍷

[@goodphone156]

Is a good choice to live in Bologna!

[@boozing_abroad]

Hi! We are loving it here!! We wanted a larger city with a regional airport / train station. We also factored in proximity to major cities and train routes. For us, this was the right choice 🇮🇹♥️

[@francescomaccioni3460]

Have you had flood damage?

[@boozing_abroad]

We don't live on the 1st floor, so we thankfully didn't have any. Our cellar, however, got 4.5 feet of water and mud. We luckily didn't have anything in there, but our poor neighbors lost a lot.

[@craigstewart4289]

I'm studying myself in Bologna next spring, where are you studying if you don't mind me asking as I'm looking for inspiration.

[@boozing_abroad]

Hey there! I stopped going after the 8 weeks and switched to Babbel online classes (we are a bit delayed on posting content but trying to get caught up asap). I had previously attended at Cultura Italiana. I have been doing Babbel for about a month and I'm really enjoying the live classes online. (Not sponsored or anything, but I am surprised at how much I enjoy it). 😊

[@craigstewart4289]

@@boozing_abroad Thanks for the info, really appreciate it!

[@Bid361]

More often than not Italians actually have dinner out earlier than you stated.

[@boozing_abroad]

While that may be true in some places, that is definitely not what we've personally experienced here in Bolgona. Most of our favorite restaurants don't open until 730 or 8 most nights. Where are you living in Italy? Curious if it's a regional difference 🤔 🙂

[@JLR1957]

I love negroni ❤ aperol spritz not so much, it's too sweet for my palate.

[@boozing_abroad]

Chris loves negronis too! He usually gets them if we aren't drinking wine 🥃 cheers!

[@conigliostressato]

2:16 the main “thing” in San Luca is the XIII century byzantine painting of the Virgin Mary and the baby. It’s venerated as protector of the city, and the portico was built because most of the times the painting is brought in procession to the city center, it rains. 5:00 not to be *that* guy, but since you started studying italian, i’m gonna do it. You forgot the preposition: tagliatelle AL ragù! 9:05 oh boy, your first month was august?! Harsh! That’s not a church anymore, it’s privately owned and used as an event space. 10:00 i would not call the Piazzola market a “flea market” (except maybe the “surplus” area next to the Sferistereo wall). You can try the antiques market every second sunday in Piazza Santo Stefano, but has been sadly taken over by tourists. Or you can go check out Padre Marella, in via del Lavoro, Bolognina area.

[@boozing_abroad]

Thanks for the additional info (and for correcting our Italian 🤦‍♀️🤦🏻‍♂️). August was definitely a strange month to be here. Eerily quiet

[@conigliostressato]

@ august used to be waaay worst, if you can believe it. Now there are the tourists, so a few things stay open, but up until a few years ago. It used to get even more deserted!

[@boozing_abroad]

Our first full month was July so it was quite a shift when August came. Definitely stick round to see our August video soon! Cheers!

[@pile333]

🍾

[@boozing_abroad]

🥂🥂

[@Freddels1]

I used Fiverr for my translations. There is a wonderful young lady in the EU that does them and she's quick and accurate. Just have to send her a pdf of your document(s). If you want her name, let me know.

[@boozing_abroad]

Thanks for the tip! We should be all set on translation for documents but we'll let you know if we need her name! Cheers! 🥂

[@quelodequelo]

If you like to try good international food and you still haven't tried these are my recommended restaurants downtown: japanese sagami, corean soon, Greek to steki, Argentina Aires del plata. My top gelateria: 1 santo Stefano 2 gelateria delle Moline (try moretti al caffè) If you want to practice Italian we can arrange to walk around together sometimes, something that I need to do every day because of my backbone 😅 just choose a shop and I will left my business card there in an envelope with your names (if you meet for example Mario is the owner of re crudo I could leave there my bc to Mario or his two girls who work with him)

[@boozing_abroad]

Hi! Thanks for all the tips! We've been to a few of them already but excited to add more to the list! There is so much great food in Bologna ♥️

[@quelodequelo]

@boozing_abroad I live here since 2001, the best food is just outside because they need to do better than downtown restaurants to attract people. Here some Dozza - la scuderia Ozzano- osteria s. Pietro Bruscoli - l'Appennino (Tuscan) Monte s.pietro - Gilberto Colli - osteria dal nonno Breakfast: Cadriano - Gino Fabbri Castenaso - Dino Castenaso - gazzetti (Baker) If you need anything let me know 🖐️

[@quelodequelo]

Ah.. I was just forgetting "lambrusco - crescentine e tigelle" very cheap but a solid choice. If you want to go somewhere in Italy before Christmas, I suggest visiting the Christmas markets in Merano, Bressanone, Bolzano, Vipiteno and Brunico. From November 28th to January 6th you can taste a bit of Austria and the wonderful dolomites. Google"Mercatini natale alto Adige 2024".

[@boozing_abroad]

Just looked some of these up online and now I’m hungry again 🤤 thanks for all of the suggestions!

[@boozing_abroad]

Mmm you just named some of our favorite things in Bologna! And yes, we definitely want to do a Christmas market and are talking about where to go for that. We will now look into your suggestions 😄🎄