In our first episode of the monthly series “The Expat Files” here on The Real Life in Italy, Evelyn interviews Damien O'Farrell, an expert on global mobility who has lived in Italy for over 36 years.

Damien shares his journey from moving to Italy to assist a friend, to running a teaching business, and eventually starting a global mobility agency.

We also get into just how important it is to show Italy not only as a place to retire but as a place to create a life and work. Damien also offers insights into the most promising industries and skills for a lucrative career in Italy, underscoring the necessity of hard work and continuous learning.

Essentially: Figure out if Italy is right for you. Be Decisive. Do the Work.

Time Stamps:

00:56 Meet Damien O'Farrell: A Global Mobility Expert in Italy 01:48 Damien's Journey to Italy 03:43 From Teaching to Global Mobility 05:54 Adapting to Change: Business and Technology 08:53 Challenges and Opportunities in Italy 15:26 Deciding to Stay in Italy 20:00 Navigating Bureaucratic Hurdles 21:57 Cultural Quirks and Public Administration 24:55 Daily Life and Work Realities 29:49 Economic Challenges and Work Opportunities 38:16 Advice for Long-Term Living in Italy

Damien O’Farrell a Global Mobility Expert and Expat Coach with over thirty years of experience in Italy. He specializes in facilitating smooth transitions for individual and corporate clients adapting to Italian life. His services include immigration, relocation, citizenship, and expat coaching programs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damien.ofarrell Website: https://damienofarrell.com Blog: https://damien65.medium.com/ Ultimate Italy Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2yMCNfK

If you enjoyed the episode, and show, please leave us a 5 ⭐️ rating, it means a lot!

Thanks for listening to the Real Life in Italy. This podcast is for foreigners living in Italy, who are all just trying to make sense of it all.

Listen in to learn all about a side of living in Italy everyone else forgot to tell you about. But don’t expect us all to be better, I promise. Expect some good laughs, helpful tips and cultural explanations, and expat stories to remind you that you aren’t alone, and it’ll all work out.

Learn more about Evelyn at www.collineallemontagne.com www.instagram.com/collinemontagne

You can show your support by buying me a glass of wine, I always appreciate it: www.buymeacoffee.com/colline

In this episode of 'The Real Life in Italy,' I’m taking you for another technical, bureaucratic journey to understand maternity leave in Italy, but not only. I’ll also cover paternity leave, and the options for parental leave in Italy.

Italy has both “obligatory” leave for parents, and optional extended maternity and paternity that can still be paid leave. As expats in Italy, I think it is so important to understand the benefits we have access to under our Italian social security, and it’s important to understand how to access them. I hope this episode will help you make your life in Italy, as a soon-to-be mom, a little easier.

I cover who is eligible for maternity benefits, how to apply for and use these benefits, and the financial aspects of both maternity and paternity leave.

I’m covering rights for contract employees, freelancers in Italy, adoptive parents, and single parents within the Italian system. This episode aims to provide a comprehensive guide to navigating the bureaucratic landscape of parental leave in Italy.

As I mentioned in the episode, the CAF and Patronato may be your friend when applying for leave, here’s a blog explaining those more in depth.

https://collineallemontagne.com/what-is-a-patronato-or-a-caf-in-italy/

TimeStamps: 02:40 Eligibility for Maternity Leave 04:23 Maternity Leave for Contracted Employees 08:39 Maternity Leave for Freelancers 11:37 Applying for Maternity Leave 15:30 Paternity Leave and Parental Leave 21:01 Single Parents and Conclusion

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This Episode of The Real Life in Italy was sponsored by Doctorsa.com A network of English speaking doctors in Italy, and Europe, available for in-person or video call appointments 24/7. Find out more: https://bit.ly/DoctorsaRealLife ______

If you enjoyed the episode, and show, please leave us a 5 ⭐️ rating, it means a lot!

Thanks for listening to the Real Life in Italy.

This podcast is for foreigners living in Italy, who are all just trying to make sense of it all.

Listen in to learn all about a side of living in Italy everyone else forgot to tell you about. But don’t expect us all to be better, I promise. Expect some good laughs, helpful tips and cultural explanations, and expat stories to remind you that you aren’t alone, and it’ll all work out.

Learn more about Evelyn at

www.collineallemontagne.com

www.instagram.com/collinemontagne

You can show your support by buying me a glass of wine, I always appreciate it:

www.buymeacoffee.com/colline

In this episode of The Real Life in Italy, host Evelyn Hill chats with Jasmine Mah of QuestaDolceVita , explore the experience of being a mom in Italy as a foreigner.

We look at the things we love, and the things we are not crazy about being a mom here in Italy. We talk about cultural differences, challenges, and joys of raising children in Italy.

Topics covered include what we really think of our pediatrician, or what they think of us; the dynamics of raising a bilingual kid, and the Italian approach to maternity leave and daycare. The episode also highlights specific cultural practices like weaning (svezzamento), attitudes towards cleanliness and weight, and the social dynamics of making mom friends.

So if you are a soon-to-be mom or current mom in Italy, tune in to hear shared experiences of expat parenting in Italy. We’d also love you to weigh in on your experience.

Share with us on Instagram, or e-mail at evelyn@collineallemontagne.com

You can find Jasmine here: https://www.instagram.com/questadolcevita/ And Evelyn: www.instagram.com/collinemontagne

___

This Episode of The Real Life in Italy was sponsored by Doctorsa.com A network of English speaking doctors in Italy, and Europe, available for in-person or video call appointments 24/7. Find out more: https://bit.ly/DoctorsaRealLife __

If you enjoyed the episode, and show, please leave us a 5 ⭐️ rating, it means a lot!

Thanks for listening to the Real Life in Italy.

This podcast is for foreigners living in Italy, who are all just trying to make sense of it all.

Listen in to learn all about a side of living in Italy everyone else forgot to tell you about. But don’t expect us all to be better, I promise. Expect some good laughs, helpful tips and cultural explanations, and expat stories to remind you that you aren’t alone, and it’ll all work out.

Learn more about Evelyn at

www.collineallemontagne.com

You can show your support by buying me a glass of wine, I always appreciate it:

www.buymeacoffee.com/colline