One Year in Italy

by Gillian

Last weekend, Brian and I celebrated our one-year anniversary of living in Naples. What a beautiful whirlwind year it’s been. I still wake up most days not believing our good luck. The other days, I wonder why on earth anyone would set off fireworks at 7 a.m.

boat procida

Boat ride to Procida

In brief:

  • My Italian isn’t the best, but it’s a whole lot better than it was a year ago (I may have graduated from toddler to preschool Italian, very exciting).
  • I have mostly gotten used to driving here; sometimes, I even enjoy it. And I’m warming up to the idea of getting a moped.
  • At least once a week, I say, “Oh sweet Jesus, how am I going to live without this when we move back to the States?” while eating or drinking something amazing.
  • I never get tired of walking around tiny Italian towns with cobblestone streets, sampling at local wineries or eating in family trattorias with red-and-white checkered tablecloths.

winery sardinia

Another fabulous winery, Sardinia

  • Life moves at a slower pace around here, and I’m starting to accept that my impatience does nothing except infuriate me.
  • The mulled wine sold at outdoor markets in winter is perhaps the greatest thing ever.
  • La vita è bella. It’s been a wonderful year, and I can’t wait to kick off 2012.

Buone feste!

6 comments

1 DK { 12.08.11 at 9:43 am }

A year already! Holy moly, time flies when you’re Italian, eh?!

2 Gillian { 12.08.11 at 10:53 am }

It sure does! You and Amaia have been in Europe for, what, a year and a half now? Crazypants.

3 NayNay { 12.08.11 at 9:06 pm }

You guys look amazing! I think you should go for the moped!

4 Melia { 12.09.11 at 4:37 pm }

I’m so glad that y’all are living and loving the good life in Italia. I relate to experiencing a slower pace of life here in Mississippi. I walk and talk at a much more reasonable rate here than I do in the Bay Area.

5 Gillian { 12.12.11 at 2:20 am }

Thanks, Miss NayNay! The moped would be pretty awesome for driving down to the main drag of our little town and not worrying about parking – just wherever works :)

Melia, I think leaving the Bay Area is definitely good for slowing me down. I keep living in places that have a more leisurely pace, which is good for life lessons. New York would be a bad place for me!

6 DK { 12.12.11 at 6:18 am }

Yea Gil,

We have been living in Europe for 548 days now. Pants = Fully crazy