Ciao a tutti!
Really quickly, I just wanted to give a quick update on how we're doing in our new Calabrian home. It's been just over 2 weeks and we're all settled in.
The verdict so far...
Lyss scores it: 7/10
(Best part being falling asleep to actual ocean sounds. Worst part being limited hot water)
Lion scores it: 8.5/10
(Best part being the beauty of the area. Worst part being the sporadic and inconsistent business hours of stores/restaurants)
I score it: 9/10
(Best part being the pace of life (I haven't rushed once since arriving here). Worst part being the limited hot water, which means I've had to sacrifice my twice daily long, hot showers)
There ya have it.
The little ones would rate it highly, I think. They like the openness of the apartment we live in (they literally play soccer and handball in the living room), the abundance of toy stores and gelaterias all over town, and of course, having the sea as their playground right outside our front door.
I think Diamante was the PERFECT place to kick off our trip. The town itself is so unbelievably gorgeous. My GOD. I cannot describe it in words, so just scroll through these:
(I'll dedicate another post entirely to the landscape and natural beauty of this place)
But beyond that, this is a town of "not too much. not too little". What I mean by that is; here, you have enough to not feel bored. You got the beach, several restaurants and bars, a movie theater, a playground, a walkable waterfront, beautiful artwork, lots of boutiques and welcoming, friendly people. But it's not so much that you feel...disconnected or rushed. It very much gives small town vibes, but not "get me the hell out of this small town" vibes. You know what I mean?
Also, another big upside to being here is the time difference. Being in Italy, we are 6 hours ahead of everyone back home, which means that by the time the East coast is waking up, we've already had a great morning, eaten lunch and are ready to relax. So both Zack and I get to move slowly and peacefully in the morning, and then work later on in the day feeling ready and not spent. Being here, has given me an experience that I've never had before. Being here, I get to be/do one thing at a time. I no longer feel like an octopus on a time crunch with multiple responsibilities. That's worth so much to me.
Additional PROs of this place:
Cost of living; Everything aside from clothing is SO inexpensive
Food. Food. Food....it's so damn delicious. Italy has the best food. Period.
Culture. My babies are getting to see and live where some of their ancestors are from. They are immersed in Italian culture and language and that's a gift I could have never given them from back in the states. (Also, we've learned that there is a notable difference between Italian-American and Italian culture).
But you know what sucks about this place? (Aside from the hot water running out after 15 minutes). What absolutely sucks is that you never know if/when a place of business is going to be open. The business hours posted on Google or even on the door of the store mean nothing. We've been here 2 weeks and are still guessing. But all things considered, its not the worst problem to have.
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