The “Real” Dolce Vita: What it’s really like living in Italy
The idea of living the “sweet life” is intrinsically Italian. It’s what everyone envisions moving to Italy is like, with inspiration taken from films and Instagram pictures of social media influencers. It’s the idea that life in Italy is made up of the following and little else: vino, pizza, and gelato.
There are so many misconceptions when it comes to living in Italy and the stereotypical dolce vita is both an exaggeration and underestimation of what living in this country is like. There are positives and negatives to living in every country, but I want to address the stereotypes that leave people wanting to move to Italy so badly, without a real idea of what it’s like living here.
So here is my list of the 7 myths of living in Italy and what constitutes the “real” dolce vita, at least for this American ex-pat.
Myth 1: People in Italy eat pizza and pasta all the time.
Whenever people come to visit (and this is true for every single friend, family member, or stranger I’ve talked to about this) they say that they could never last here because they would gain so much weight eating pizza and pasta all day.
The fact is, you don’t eat heavy pasta dishes and pizza all day. While traditional Italian families will eat pasta for lunch most days, the rest of their diet is structured around that and to help aid digestion.
Eating a heavier lunch and lighter dinner, a larger variety of produce, less fat and more organic food all helps keep you healthier on an Italian diet.
While I took eating to the extreme while I was studying abroad, since moving here my diet has evened out much more.
Myth 2: Italians are constantly drinking wine
I find that fewer people here drink than in the US, at least in terms of quantity. In Italy, it’s normal to go out to a bar or for aperitivo and get one, or maybe two drinks. It’s not the norm to get 4+ drinks a night and that’s where the American drinking culture really differs from the Italian one. Italians care about the quality of what they drink, not the quantity.
Myth 3: Italians don’t work
Honestly, this is one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about Italians I find. The idea that if you move here, you’ll barely have to work and have the whole summer off, is completely false.
Most Italians I know are incredibly hard-working (almost to a fault) and the biggest issue with unemployment is with the youngest generation under 35. It’s so difficult for young Italians to find jobs right now and almost impossible without years of studying, getting a master’s degree (almost everyone I know my age has one or is studying for one), and getting short-term contracts without the benefits of a permanent contract.
There’s a reason that so many Italians are leaving the country to go find work and it’s because the economy is still struggling from the recession here, which hit even harder than it did in the U.S.
So yes, most Italians take 2-3 weeks off in August for holidays, as in many other European countries. But this is one pro on a whole list of cons of working in this country.
Myth 4: It will be easy for me to find work as an ex-pat in Italy
Suffice it to say, this couldn't be further from the truth. Just as it’s not easy for Italians to find work here, getting a job in Italy with a work visa if you come from outside the E.U. is extremely difficult.
With the current economic status of the country, there aren’t many companies willing to pay for the steps involved in the visa process. The only way I managed to work around this was to start small with a lot of side jobs (i.e. working a pubcrawl, teaching English, doing private lessons) until I found something more stable.
Don’t underestimate the time and dedication that finding employment here takes.
Myth 5: Everyone already speaks English, so I don't need to learn Italian
While it’s true that in the center of Rome and in most Italian cities, you can find people who speak English, if you rely on this as your only form of communication, it won’t go well for you.
At least a few basic phrases are essential to living here and if you haven’t studied Italian before, now is the time to sign up for some classes and start studying on your own.
You’ll find your dolce vita experience is much more enjoyable when you can actually understand and communicate with everyone living here.
Myth 6: Living in the "Old World" is so romantic
This may be true, but you'll have to accept waiting at least 30 minutes for your bus to arrive, leaving yourself an hour to get anywhere in the city, planning your life around public transportation strikes, waiting in line for hours for official documents, and waiting around for just about everything.
It won't always be pleasant, and sometimes you'll want to rip your hair out. All of this has to be worth it for you.
P.S. I bring along a book or podcast to keep me occupied in all of those situations and manage to ignore them for the most part.
Myth 7: I will live among the monuments in the city center
I live outside the center! As do most Italians, specifically Romans, unless they have a great job or a family home.
While I do have friends who live in the beautiful, if poorly connected, areas of Trastevere and the Centro Storico, all of my Italian friends on tighter budgets live on the periphery. You're more likely to find young people in areas like Montesacro, Bologna, Ostiense, and San Paolo than Via Veneto or Piazza di Spagna.
What I’d really like to convey is that you should have an idea of what kind of "dolce vita" you’re getting yourself into. Living in Italy, and Rome specifically, is not easy and not for those who don't want to put in the effort to make it an enjoyable experience. If you want to dive deeper than a two-month study abroad or a one-week trip, you’ll need to start understanding that these stereotypes simply aren’t true.
If you don’t live here, or aren’t contemplating living here, I wish you the best because it truly is the ~sweetest life~ when you’re here on vacation.
If you think I've been too harsh or have another perspective on this topic, please leave a comment below! As I've said, this is only my personal opinion on what living here is like and of course, it leaves out many of the perks that make it 100% worth it in my opinion.