My wife and I are living ashore, in a short-term rental in Rome.
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My wife and I are living ashore, in a short-term rental in Rome. We are getting used to the idea that we are, again, without a home. Wrack, our floating 'vardo, was the longest Given and I have stayed anywhere in the past couple of decades, maybe longer. Now, our future is uncertain, even if Rome feels like 'home'. My family has three generations of history in the city and Given knows her way around its various neighbourhoods better than she does her own hometown in Oklahoma. We have also cobbled together a network of affordable medical care here (for the second time in three months I've been laid up with a kidney infection).
We are trying to figure out where to go when we leave — if we leave. We've abandoned the idea of returning to Australia — we can't afford it — and America under the current regime isn't likely welcome (let alone grant a visa to) an old, unemployed applicant, even with an American wife and three American children. However, our options in Europe are not much better, especially without a pension, salaried job or successful métier. Several acquaintances have urged us to take up vlogging but I'm unconvinced that there's an audience for a couple of past-their-prime outsiders who are too frayed and world-weary to articulate a passion for, well, anything. As for writing (the only thing I really know how to do) the several publishers and editors from whom I used to hear regularly stopped calling years ago (besides, does anyone make a living as a writer anymore?).
"What are we going to be when we stop moving?" I asked Given recently.
"Happy," she replied.
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G gustavinobevilacqua@mastodon.cisti.org shared this topic on
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@ccohanlon I hope you find somewhere and some way to continue to be without too much hassle. Maybe some part of rural Italy?
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@UkeleleEric We're tending that way — Sicily, maybe.
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@ccohanlon I think rural Italy could become "home". You could find affordable but nice places in rural areas , and perhaps writing and vlogging is not such a bad idea...a different point of view may be interesting ?
Best of luck ! Anzi, buona fortuna ! -
@andre123 Grazie. Abbiamo gia vissuto in Puglia e Campania. Stiamo pensando a Sicilia....
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@ccohanlon @andre123 ci sono ancora le famose case in vendita a 1€?
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Mah forse ci sono ancora comuni che vendono a pochissimo purché ci si vada a vivere !
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ah, perché poi bisogna fare la ristrutturazione, giusto.
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@oblomov @ccohanlon oggi i restauri son costosi, a meno di non ingegnarsi da sè , facendosi aiutare qua e là da qualche esperto in pensione laddove il lavoro sia complicato. Una coppia di amici ha fatto così e hanno risparmiato una cifra assai importante nel restaurare una vecchia casa di campagna che ora chiamano casa. È venuta bellissima. Però si son fatti un mazzo cosi durante i lavori (in compenso hanno imparato tanto, ora sanno fare di tutto).
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@ccohanlon
Sicily is still affordable and some place are very good, would recommend less known areas like the Madonie mountains or the southwest just outside of hyper turistic areas. The Monti Sicani and Nebrodi are also amazing places but isolated if you have no car. But consider that public transport is horrible so if you go in a small town you may find buses (rarely trains) but if you live outside in the countryside (campagna) you would definitely need some car.
You can find cheap housing (compared to other places) also in Palermo but the turistification of the city centre is very bad (as most italian cities). Feel free to ask if you have any specific question
@UkeleleEric
