How Did We Get This Lucky? Our LIFE AS SICILIAN EXPATS #21

Join us on our Sicilian Expat adventure!
We're Elizabeth and Brian, a retired American couple from Oregon who quit working in our fifties to pursue our dream of living abroad. So far? Although there have been some bumps along the way, it has been a dream come true. Follow along as we fix up our abandoned old Sicilian farmhouse, discover our surroundings and learn about Sicilian wine and cuisine. Andiamo!
This week we settle back into our normal lives, hang out with friends and Massimo harvests our wheat!
View all of our Sicily Farm House videos:
studio.youtube...
For regular updates, and what Beth likes to call "pretty stuff" you can follow us on Instagram:
/ beeseurotravel

[@iu.5146]

Moving to Sicily was a great choice. The sense of community and belonging you found there is worth its weight in gold. Community, friendship, people truly caring about one another and helping each other out is so important and a key factor in growing old and staying healthy. Last night I made my first pesto from home grown basil. The joy it brings is priceless. Both of you look truly happy. Enjoy your adventure and thank you for taking us along.

[@beeseurotravel]

Yes to everything!

[@antoninoragazzo9055]

Thank you for your authentic and heartwarming videos! Make me always smile and wish to be there in the island where I was born😊. Would so much like to meet you loving people a drink a cup of cappuccino with you! 😊

[@beeseurotravel]

You’re welcome 😊 And thanks for watching. When you come back to visit look us up

[@suek8177]

We love watching your videos! Every Sunday evening, for at least 15 minutes we both smile and dream of living in Italy! Thank you! ❤

[@beeseurotravel]

You have no idea how happy that makes me (Brian). Thanks for watching 😘

[@robertlemoine3500]

You guys make me smile , Thank you ! 😊

[@beeseurotravel]

That makes us smile too. Thank you 😊

[@growingpatience8015]

You guys are such a lovely couple. Just wonderful people ❤❤

[@beeseurotravel]

You are really kind. Thanks 😊

[@R12390]

I just love these videos. You are lovely couple, great ad for Sicily.

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks 😊 Come visit one day and see for yourself.

[@ilovebeautychristine]

How I love your channel.❤ I laugh I cry with you. 😅 Your inspiration is contagious for my own journey.😁

[@beeseurotravel]

I'm so glad! Thank you 😊

[@stevenwandels8934]

You're both an inspiration, wish you both nothing but the best, in bocca al lupo! Grtz from Belgium, Steven

[@beeseurotravel]

Thank you 😊

[@claudiacables945]

Every Sunday, I dedicate time to sit down and watch your video. I enjoyed listening to your candid stories about an ordinary and new life in Sicily.

[@beeseurotravel]

Thank you 😊 We stumbled into an amazing little place in this crazy world!

[@growth208]

Thanks for sharing! We love watching your vids so much that we decided to bank a few to do a veg of the Bees😂. Have to be honest in this video of you sharing clips with your neighbors - and Massimo inviting you to lunch, helping you on your land, and carrying his grandson in your field … brought tears of joy. A mix of - you won the jackpot on community, and the clip of grandfather holding his grandson - both all smiles in the countryside in Italy. Precious, really precious. Living life right, eating healthy, enjoying the sea, and building community ❤ Cheers! From fellow American friends living the expat life in Sweden. 🇺🇸🇸🇪

[@beeseurotravel]

Yeah. We are stupid lucky. I remember you 😊 It’s not always perfect, but? Sometimes you luck out. France was a train wreck for us but we hit the jackpot here. 😘

[@TammyHornbeck]

Your videos have helped us narrow our selection down on where in Italy we want to move. We would love it if you could be our first friends and help us navigate the ins and outs of relocating 😊

[@PaulC4656]

Oh man, I'm so jealous of those tomatoes! A couple of kilos in a "passapomodoro," and you’ve got a tomato sauce to die for. You're so welcoming and ready to embrace everything, which is why it’s working so well. That's what Sicily is all about. It's a perfect match :) Always a pleasure to watch your videos! Keep it up! Ciao!

[@beeseurotravel]

Thank you 😊 We bought tomatoes that are good for sauce and when we have enough we have an old bbq area outside with a pit and a grill for doing just that!

[@PaulC4656]

@@beeseurotravel Haha you are 100% right! When I was a kid and still living in Sicily, we used to do just that every, single, summer, the family gather around a fire pit filling a giant metal barrel full of uncured tomato sauce and then started to boil and stir the tomatoes with a gigantic wooden spoon for basically the entire day 😁I hated it with a deep passion, now I am in my 40s and I miss all this very dearly...You put a smile on my face, thank you for triggering those memories.

[@brianc.612]

You all motivate me. Love it. Grazie.

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks 😊 Hardest part is the first step, but so worth it.

[@KiwiBabz]

That was wonderful. I so enjoyed this video and everything you've done this week.... heartwarming and uplifting. Thanks for sharing. ❤

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks 😊 It’s really easy to be happy here…

[@FarnazNe]

Watching your videos always brings a smile to my face. Thank you for sharing your journey with us 💚 Hugs from Canada :)

[@beeseurotravel]

Good!! That makes us happy 😊 Thanks for watching

[@RemainWoke]

My hub and I currently live in Germany buttttt our plan is to also leave the “Grey” and move to Italy.😁 Until then I vicariously live through you videos. Ciao 🌞

[@thewebhorse]

Hello everyone, I'm sicilian. Watching this one your video woke up inside my soul several remindness. I was a child when housewives used to put under summer sun tomatoes to dry. Do you know what's them dialect name? "ciappe". After dryed tomatoes were stored inside some glass containers and filled with olive oil. And moreover I even remember the grain collecting in this time.... After the soil appeared almost naked and the farmers used to burn the dead crass. And.... you can't imagine how many remindness else and how many stories I could to say. I'm happy you have been finding out our ancient traditions. Let's carry on. Silvio P. S. I'm apologize for my bad English.

[@beeseurotravel]

No apologies needed 😊 My Italian is terrible and my Sicilian is even worse. But Futtitinni! Ciappe? Excellent. Thank you. Today we put the tomatoes into jars and filled them with our own olive oil 😍 I’m glad you had some nice memories. Thanks for watching 😊

[@johnferguson6675]

I keep looking out for the waving man you guys! Great time the other day, thanks for the treats! Ci vediamo presto, John

[@beeseurotravel]

🤣

[@DanHornberger]

Hoiw wonderful to harest the wheat. Such good times for you both ! Thanks for sharing all these exciting things

[@beeseurotravel]

Yeah. We’re having a lot of fun. Tired 😝 but having a lot of fun….

[@kristaroettger9365]

I can’t get enough of your videos. I wish you would post more! ❤

[@beeseurotravel]

🤣 Thanks. Maybe one day but it’s a lot of work just to get one a week out!!

[@joerinenel970]

Thank you

[@beeseurotravel]

You’re welcome 😊 Thanks for watching

[@grandpatsworld6938]

Enjoyed, nice to see smiles on all and having fun. Happy Fathers Day!

[@beeseurotravel]

Same to you! Thanks 😊 It’s a really happy place 😎

[@shannonmonkman1763]

What a wonderful life.

[@beeseurotravel]

Pretty lucky… not gonna lie.

[@vincenzoscata6911]

Love your videos my cousin is the girl in the tractor with her boyfriend 😂enjoy Sicily it’s paradise!!!

[@beeseurotravel]

Ahhhhh! Glad you like them. She is very sweet and she told us about you. Connecticut?!

[@vincenzoscata6911]

@@beeseurotravel yes we are from CT we will be there in August!!

[@pancrazioaquilina7029]

What a dream place you got enjoy life in sicily i fell in love with it last year ❤

[@beeseurotravel]

Right ? Amazing place…

[@janetlombardi2314]

Thank you. It's great to see you getting on and enjoying life. Have fun 😊❤

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks 😊

[@Wendy-i1i]

Thanks for the Happy Video glad your enjoying your new Life ,It sounds like your having fun and enjoying the great produce and way of life in Sicily 😊 cheers Australia 🇦🇺

[@beeseurotravel]

Yes we are! Thanks. It’s a great part of the world 😊

[@jocelyneboutot5722]

Awesome updates! Happy Fathers Da

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks! 😊

[@Doodledo7]

🌾

[@amymolly174]

Hi guys, very nice watching your videos and see you happy and healthy. Wondering if you can make a video about how you found your happy house (cost of buying and extras) we are in process of making short listing properties in Sicily and we would like finalize our adventure happy like you did. 😍

[@beeseurotravel]

We talk a little bit about it in a earlier video (can’t remember which one 😳) but bottom line we looked around Sicily for 6 weeks until we found a couple of places we really liked (here outside of Noto and Castelbuono). Then we got lucky and found a property online, flew down and signed on the dotted line 30 minutes after walking the property. We got lucky. I’d say add another 10% over the price of the property for closing costs. Now that we’re here we know that the BEST approach is to find your « place » then go totally local. Realtors here are mostly awful marketers and don’t use the internet well. You’ll find a lot more properties if you visit local realtors. Most everyone is friendly and know (and expect) to use Google Translate on their phones. Good luck to you 😊

[@SandyLewis-jn6ck]

Loving your adventures!

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks! We found a great place and we love sharing it 😊

[@beeseurotravel]

Thank you 😊 Thanks for watching

[@scrowba]

Ok, we are all jonesing for an Olive Tree rescue

[@beeseurotravel]

It’s too hot right now! You’ll have to wait until fall 😝 but we have another 6 or so 😊

[@fredvezzani697]

trivia: Father's day in Italy is on the 19th of Mar (Saint Joseph's day)

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks!

[@lagringa7518]

Ben tornati in Sicilia!

[@beeseurotravel]

Grazie. la vita è bella qui.

[@AllThingsSicily]

Wonderful video. Have you decided on what grape varietal you will be planting for wine?

[@beeseurotravel]

Probably Nero d’Avola (we’re 30 mins from Avola), a little Syrah and some Grillo (white) 😍

[@RemainWoke]

Love that fan. Where ever did you get it?

[@beeseurotravel]

Leroy Merlin

[@lauraslavney2864]

Tomato chutney sounds delicious!! What recipe do you use?

[@beeseurotravel]

We had some tonight and it was really good! www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/homemade-tomato-chutney

[@artlover7638]

Sicilian duram wheat, much better than American wheat for the digestive system.

[@beeseurotravel]

For sure… and no chemicals.

[@noneofyourbusiness6269]

get ready for summer, it's going to get real hot ;)

[@beeseurotravel]

Yep 🌞

[@rhondadami517]

Do it!! Do it!! Do the blow up waving man!!! 😂😂😂

[@beeseurotravel]

🤣🤣

[@RemainWoke]

My hub and I currently live in Germany buttttt our plan is to also leave the “Grey” and move to Italy.😁 Until then I vicariously live through you videos. Ciao 🌞

[@beeseurotravel]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@wildbill5757]

Cavolo se vi piace mangiare francese ,la sicilia è l ultimo posto dove andare a vivere.

[@beeseurotravel]

I didn’t say I like French food MORE than Sicilian food 😉 The food on this island is even better!

[@noneofyourbusiness6269]

@@beeseurotravel there is an authentic and excellent french restaurant in palermo run by a real frenchman (a really fun guy too). It's called la Brasserie Valderice.

[@paraguay365]

bonjour et merci pour toutes vos vidéos qui sont très sympas , vous avez de la chance de vivre en Italie et particulièrement en Sicile , moi je suis français d'origine italienne mes parents étaient de la province de Salerno , et notre rêves à ma femme et moi même voudrions partir d'ici 2 ans en retraite en italie , si vous connaissez des bons professionnels je serais intéressé pour le futur pour un appartement , mes amitiés de Paris , gennaro

[@beeseurotravel]

Merci, Gennaro, et bonne chance 👍

[@paraguay365]

@@beeseurotravel MERCI A VOUS