Our gorgeous Anne-Sophie moved to the heart of Tuscany, from the north of France ~ via London. A European love affair? ⚜️ 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 🇮🇹 ❤️
After a childhood in Northern France, Anne-Sophie spent fourteen years in London, before coming to Italy with a love of the language and the dream of a different way of life. More than ten years later, that dream has taken her to Trentino and, eventually, Florence.
Some hopes came true; others needed adjusting. After navigating bureaucracy, work culture and Italian social circles, what does Anne-Sophie know now that she didn’t when she arrived?
Q. Please tell me where this story to Florence starts, geographically, but also personally.
"I used to live and work in London while regularly visiting Italy as a tourist. My dream was to live in Italy because I love the language. In 2015, I decided to apply for a job, and I got a full-time teaching position at the University of Trento in northern Italy. So, I didn’t really choose the destination; I chose the job. Roughly ten years later, I got another position in Florence and left Trentino. Since then, I’ve been progressively falling in love with the Tuscan capital."
"Florence is a fascinating city, not only for its beauty but also for its rich artistic and historical past: it was the capital of Italy for six years, the first city to ban both torture and the death penalty, and, above all, the birthplace of an impressive number of significant artists and thinkers. It is truly a fascinating place."
Q. What did WORK mean to you before the move... Structure, identity, necessity, or something else?
"The time I spent working in London was formative. I had the chance to teach in selective, highly demanding workplaces, which allowed me to learn a great deal. The transition to the Italian workplace went well. I realised that the Italian approach to education is more focused on learning every exception, and I incorporated this approach into my own interactive, communicative language-teaching style."
Q. What’s your relationship now with Italian bureaucracy?
"After leaving London, dealing with Italian bureaucracy hasn’t always been simple. Everything takes longer here, and it is essential to adopt a calm, friendly but firm approach to any procedure, however frustrating it may be. Furthermore, most administrative staff don’t speak English. Over the ten years I have been living in the country, however, the situation has improved, for example with the introduction of the SPID digital identification system and the digitisation of many administrative procedures."
How long did it take before you stopped defaulting to other expats?
"When I first arrived, I was on my own, so I realised that it was important to be proactive and take part in social activities in order to meet locals. I was lucky to get to know some open-minded and welcoming Italians during my first few months...
However, many Italians have long-standing friendships dating back to childhood or university, so it can take time to become part of their social circles.
Then, a year and a half later, I met my Italian partner, and through him I met many more Italian people."
Q. What part of the dream turned out to be true, and what part needed editing?
"I came to Italy because I fell in love with the language when I was 20. When I moved here permanently, I discovered a much better quality of life than in London, especially in terms of the food, the climate, and the pace of life, which could be frenetic at times in England.
But I soon realised that Italy is a more traditional society and less cosmopolitan than London."
Thank you, Anne-Sophie, we really appreciate your time and insights. x
