If you’ve ever thought about living in Rome or if you’re just curious to know what is it like to live in one of the most artistic city in the world, don’t miss the article below where we’ll tell you about pros and cons of living in the country of pasta and pizza.
A Mexican girl living in Rome
- Basic information: my name is Perla Gonzalez Macias and I’m 32 years old. I’m a lawyer but I’m not working as one at the moment. I was born in Nuevo Laredo, a city in the North of Mexico.
- Where do you actually live? Why did you choose this country to live in? I live in Rome, Italy. I live here because my husband is Italian and when we married we decided to move to his city, as he already had a house and a business here in Rome.
- How long have you been living there? Almost a year.
Procedures for living in Rome
- What were the procedures you had to follow to be able to live there (as in, to rent a flat and be able to work)? Did you need a visa?
When I arrived in the country I was already married to Andrea, so I didn’t need any visa to be able to stay here: we only had to register our marriage at the “Comune di Roma” (municipality) and after a while I obtained a residence permit.
Is it easy to learn Italian?
Considering the fact that I couldn’t apply for any non-online Italian course during this 2020 year and that I could barely interact with other Italians due to lockdown restrictions, I think I’m doing it well. I didn’t speak italian before arriving here but now I think I have a good level and I don’t have any issues to communicate with other people here. English is not necessary to live here, I think that speaking Spanish is more useful.
Cultural differences: what are Italian people like?
Italians are generally nice and friendly. They’re a bit more serious than I expected but when they start to take confidence they turn nicer. I had many cultural shocks, also because Rome is a big city and I came from a smaller city. For example in Italy people are more formal, a simple reunion between friends is normally planned long in advance; the same happens during meals, everything is very formal, the table is perfectly set, the choice of the more appropriate wine is never random, there is a predefined number of dishes, etc.
What is work like in Rome?
I can’t tell the situation in other parts of Italy but as for Roma the main thing I could notice is the high level of labour competition that lead to more limited opportunities for everyone. Due to financial crisis many people had to migrate to other countries of the EU. Even if right know I’m not being directly affected by it, I hope the situation will get better soon.
How and where to look for work in Italy?
Depending on the job, both delivering your CV by hand and searching for a job online, work . The best pages to look for a job online are Infojobs and Monster.
What is living in Rome like: pros & cons
- Can you tell us about the rental prices in Rome?
I can’t tell you much about this, as we have our own house, but I know from friends that rentals can be very high. Living in a central or well connected by public transportation apartment can be really expensive, but, after all, Rome it’s a Capital city.
Pros: Rome is a big city so, even if prices can vary depending on the zone, you can easily find something that fits your budget. For example one room in a shared flat could cost between 300€ and 500€ and a small apartement (one room apartement) or a studio apartment could cost between 600 and 800€ (Idealista). It always depends on the location and the connection with public transportation.
What is the quality of life in Italy?
Pros: generally life standards are good, safety and health system are okay.
Cons: In cities like Rome there’s something that could be better, for example jobs opportunities and public transportation.
Tips to live in Rome
- Do you plan to live in Italy for a long period? For now I live here indefinitely, we still don’t know if our plans will change and we’ll move to Mexico or somewhere else. In any case, Rome will always be our home.
- Would you recommend this country to live? If you come here with financial security or with a job offer or with a job that you can easily exercise, then yes, I would recommend it.
- Any advice for those who want to move to Italy? Be ready to learn the language as soon as possible, that’s crucial; manage your money the best way you can, as life in Europe can be expensive, and finally take advantage of this amazing country, full of history and culture.
Upcoming projects
My main goal right know is to master Italian. Also I hope this pandemic will end soon and that tourism can rise again, because I would like to start to work in this area. As for tourism, I would like to visit the south of Italy, to go back to Venice and to explore other natural places of this beautiful country.
In short, if you want to live in a cosmopolitan and full of art city and if you’re a food lover, then Rome is definitely your best choice.
Interview conducted in January 2021 with @perla.va.y.viene
