My Expat Story: Diana Skok Corridori
An American expat in Italy
At Global Living Magazine we want to connect with our readers. We want to know what you’re all about, what you love, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. The best way to do this? Hear it straight from you!*
We received an email from American expat Diana Skok Corridori who lives in northern Italy with her Italian husband. The couple lived in Austin, Texas for the first 8 years of their marriage (at which point Diana’s husband was the expat) and they have been living in Italy for the past 9 years (where Diana is the expat). Here is her Expat Story.
What’s your favorite part of expatriate life?
My favorite part of expat life is the fabulous travel opportunities. Coming from a place like Texas, where you can drive for 12 hours and still be in Texas to a place like Italy where you can be in the Alps in the morning and Tuscany in the evening still amazes me. To an Italian, a three-hour drive is really far, whereas I see a three-hour drive as a weekend trip. And not only are things close, but getting around is easy and affordable.
What has been the hardest part?
One of the most difficult parts of being an expat is being far away from family. I have three sisters and we are all very close. We are lucky to have technology that allows us to chat and see each other (WhatsApp, Skype), but let’s face it, a video conference cannot compare to the real thing. Another difficult part of expat life is the red tape life in Italy. Things move at a very slow pace, and something as simple as mailing a package at the post office can turn into a half-day affair.
Where have you lived around the world? Favorite places?
I have never lived outside of Texas, apart from this experience. We really enjoy our lifestyle here: food, vacations, culture. We visit France a lot and think that could be a good fit for us as well, but neither one of us speak French.
Where do you want to move to eventually?
I have no idea. None. This is the big question for us. We have a very nice lifestyle in Italy. At the same time we miss home. We miss friendly and laid-back Texas. If only we could combine the two worlds!
What’s your sense of ‘home’?
My father is Italian and my husband is Italian, so I was raised with many Italian customs and any I might have missed, I picked up from my husband after 17 years of marriage. But ‘home’ will always be the United States of America. I get excited just going to the U.S. Consulate in Milan. There is no denying that fabulous feeling I have when the U.S. soldier buzzes me through security. It just feels right.
Share anything else you’d like us to hear!
Living as an expat has been a wonderful experience for me. I would encourage anyone to give it a shot if they have the opportunity. But my biggest piece of advice is to be patient. The first six months can be challenging. But if you can get past those first difficult months, it is totally worth it.
Follow Diana’s Italian adventures on her blog: www.vinovitaviaggi.com, and connect with her on Twitter @dianacorridori.
*If you’d like to be featured on our ‘My Expat Story’ section, send an email to Alison at info@globallivingmagazine.com and tell us about your experience as an expatriate by answering the above questions. Don’t forget to include a picture of yourself, your website/blog information, and/or Twitter handle so we can help you connect with other expats from around the world!
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