The latest in our series of interviews with Expats in Italy, takes us to Veneto to meet Monica Cesarato who runs Faronhof B&B, with her English husband Chris, in Oriago di Mira near Venice.
Monica is Italian, married to an expat, experienced life in the UK for 11 years and therefore gives us a slightly different spin on life in Italy today.
Monica says:
“Our budget accommodation is located only 15 mins. by bus from Venice Piazzale Roma (downtown area) and we are based in the area of Riviera Del Brenta, where all the famous palladian Villas are. Our guests will be welcomed in a pleasant, familiar environment, enjoying all the comfort and the peace of a home with a private garden. From our home you can easily reach Venice, Padua, Treviso and the Dolomites Mountains.”
The Questions and Answers:
How long have you been living back in Italy?
I have been back since 1999. I went to live in the UK in 1988, I wanted to improve my English and I ended up staying for 11 years, after meeting the man who was going to become my husband virtually the first day I set foot in London.
Who came up with the idea of returning to Italy?
We kind of both wanted to come back: I was really missing both my family and my country and I wanted our children to experience the Italian way of life when they were young, my husband was just fed up with the rainy weather, his job and just was ready for a change.
What’s it like living in the Veneto region?
Hectic and very similar to the lifestyle in London, without the pros of living in a big Capital! When I left Veneto in 1999 the region had just started his economic boom, so I grew up in a very provincial environment everyone knew each other, you went to school with the same people you would end up marrying and so on. But when I came back I noticed immediately that it had all changed. I did not know anybody anymore in my home town (they had all moved away), lots of new people had moved in and the community spirit I left was gone. It was a bit sad to see this, but I suppose it is the price you pay when the area becomes wealthy quickly! Sorry about being so negative, but it is the way I feel. I remember always telling my husband things were different in Italy from London, and instead we came back to find ourselves in the same situation: people are always running around and they have never have any time to just enjoy themselves. I am pretty sure things are different in other parts of Italy, but here in Veneto it is our reality nowadays.
Did you buy, or are you renting the place where you live?
We originally rented a house in my home town, before deciding to buy our own property in a town nearby, that is where we have our B&B at the moment, in Oriago, near Mira.
What is the expat community like where you are?
Until 2 years ago I wasn’t even sure there was one, then thanks to Facebook a nice girl ,who has now gone back to UK, started an expat group which nowadays counts more than 70 members, more or less all living in Veneto. The majority are people living in Venice and I had the pleasure of meeting many of them. Every so often we organise meals or picnics and we have a chance just to sit and have a moan about Italy, without getting too mad!
5 Good aspects of living in Italy?
Food!!!! Wine!!!! Weather!!! The panorama, meaning the countryside and all the monuments, all the places you can go and see and all within easy distance! People in general, we are a friendly lot, after all!
5 Bad aspects of living in Italy?
Only 5???
The incapacity of Italians to admit when they are wrong and that things can be done in a different way.
The corruption, the burocracy, the general ‘menefreghismo’ attitude many Italians have, our politicians.
5 Top tips for our readers about living in Italy?
1) Arm yourself with a lot of patience
2) Do not expect to change things here quickly
3) Accept and understand why Italian behave the way they do, and you probably will make your life a bit easier
4) Do try to learn Italian a little bit, Italians love it when people make an effort and they will help any way they can. But if you do not speak a little of the language, life will be hard, since the way English is taught at school is appooling
5) Understand that Italy has been one country only for 150 years, before we were all little states, each one with its own language and history, therefore no Italian is like another!
Hope I did not sound to negative!!
Thanks Monica for your time, answers and giving us an expat interview with a twist!
Drop by Monica’s Facebook page
Monica can be reached by email: faronhof@gmail.com
The Faronhof B&B website can be found at: http://www.faronhof.com/en/
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Not negative at all Monica! Thanks for the different twist you have given on living here! We look forward to having time to come up and stay with you and get to meet you in person!
Surprising to learn of the hectic pace in your neck of the woods!
I never gravitated to the ex-pat community. Not, that is, until I was invited to join IRG. What an amazing group of people!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.