Parallel Journeys and New Beginnings
We first connected with our friends Carlos and Andrea back in 2017 through an expat group online, when we were only beginning to dream of moving to Italy. Our lives have unfolded in remarkably similar ways: they left Argentina for Spain around the same time we moved, then journeyed to Italy, then Holland, and eventually back to Spain. Along the way, they’ve opened several businesses, worked in various places, and renovated houses. Now, they run an incredible business producing awnings, pool covers, and more.
As soon as they learned we were finally making the move, they excitedly planned a trip to visit us. Even before we left the U.S., they had reserved their flight, rental car, and Airbnb in nearby Cerdomare—just ten minutes from our new home!
During their visit, we enjoyed so many wonderful moments together. We visited Rome, ate a huge pizza at a local pizzeria, strolled through our charming town, and savored delicious meals our favorite restaurant in Poggio Moiano: Agriturismo ChiusAgri—a fantastic place that deserves its own dedicated post.
The highlight of their stay was an authentic Argentine asado in Italy at our friends Natalia and Gustavo’s home. It was a joyful gathering, and a perfect opportunity to introduce Teo (Dutch) and Silvia (Italian) to traditional Argentine cuisine. Our fantastic butcher, Emiliano, went above and beyond to provide us with Argentine-style meat cuts, adding to the authenticity and enjoyment of the day.
As if this wasn’t exciting enough, while writing this post, we received word from a sweet couple of friends and customers planning to visit Rome in May! It seems there are many more Roman adventures ahead of us.
On a completely different note, navigating the Italian bureaucracy has become practically a full-time job! The endless paperwork, stamps from the tobacco store (yes, stamps at the tobacco store!), trips to the post office, emails, and more are simply overwhelming at times. Things certainly move slower here compared to the USA. Initially frustrating, we’ve gradually adapted to the pace and learned to slow down ourselves. I promise to revisit this topic with some astonishing numbers soon—it’s genuinely eye-opening.
Finally, we’ve been asked why we appear in most of our pictures wearing sweatshirts from “The Salty Dog Cafe.” It’s our favorite spot on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where we vacationed year after year. The answer is simple: we moved to Italy with just two suitcases, two big dogs, and one adorable cat, which means we currently have very few clothes with us. Why not buy more? We’re waiting until we have a more permanent residence before shipping a pallet from the USA with our most cherished belongings. Plus, we genuinely love The Salty Dog! In fact, we jokingly (but seriously!) told the manager at the Shirt store located on the Marina that if he knows the CEO and decides to open an Italian branch—”Il Cane Salato”—he can count on us to manage it! We’ll certainly miss that place.
Stay tuned, and thank you for being part of our adventure!
Sandra, Fermin, and Fabian.