Why I Can Finally Blog Again!

I have been strangely silent, I know. But this is because I was feeling STRESS about my situation with Social Security and INPS. Here is what happened.

Italy and the United States have a special agreement when it comes to paying taxes. When you become self-employed, you are supposed to pay Social Security in America, not in Italy (INPS) if you are American. (Dear American ex-pats in other countries, For international agreements between the country you are living in and the U.S., you will want to check, beause there are different agreements for each country). The problem with this is that your accountant in Italy will not know this and your accountant in America will not know this, so you are liable to pay twice (which really hurts) or, (like I did) pay once, but in the WRONG COUNTRY and then have to pay again in the correct country before you get reimbursed in the wrong country, so either way, you pay twice and (in shallah) get reimbursed later.

To show that you are exempt from paying INPS in Italy, you need a Certificate of Coverage from the Social Security Administration. This is no problem if you request it at the time you become self-employed. In fact, my friends who learned from my mistake got theirs no problem. At that point you just send a little letter to INPS telling them to cancel your position with INPS and you hold on to that Certificate of Coverage in case you get audited and the Italians want to see the proof.

Today is a day for celebration because.

I RECEIVED MY CERTIFICATE OF COVERAGE
and
I SENT IT TO INPS.

Now let's just say a group prayer that INPS pays me back with the Quickness because I had to pay a giant tax bill in the states (and who knows how much the penalties and interest will be. It gives me tremors just thinking about it!) even though I ALREADY PAID THIS MONEY IN ITALY.

Here is why it was worth doing.

1. It's the Law. And I was breaking it without understanding that.
And I am NOT A RULEBREAKER.

2. This little-known perk: My Italian husband who has never paid into the American Social Security system now has a right to his own little pension (half of mine in addition to the one I will receive) which he can claim even if we get divorced (as long as he doesn't get hitched again).

3. The number of years you need to contribute to the Social Security system in the US is 10 years (or 40 credits, which is the equivalent of 10 years of work) to be in the system, so everything you earn above that is gravy. The longer you stay and contribute to the system the more you receive when you are retirement age. In Italy you must contribute at least 25 years to get the minimum. Keep in mind, even in America, the less you contribute, the less you will get later.

4. When I moved to Italy I thought I was kissing the idea of a pension goodbye forever. I didn't know anything about Totalization agreements back then, so all of this has changed my view of being an old fart. Now I can't wait to get old!!! ;) For those of you who don't know what a totalization agreement is, it just means that many countries count the years you worked in other countries towards your pension. Great news for expats who paid their taxes in the foreign country.

Now that this situation is on the tail end of being solved I have found my desire to blog again without complaining.

See you soon and I hope you are enjoying your summer!!

Italian Taxes if American and Self-Employed

I don't know about you, but when I left the states in 2003 I expected to kiss my retirement goodbye. I had no idea that there was such thing as international pacts between countries and totalization agreements so that you can still retire even if you live in another country. I found out last year by accident and now I am doing my best to get my ducks in a row so that I, too, can someday enjoy my golden years...

First thing to know about living and working in Italy: If you work for an Italian company, you will pay your social security, which is called INPS, here in Italy. This means that for most people there is no issue. You should still do your American taxes each year but you will probably be exempted from having to pay anything there because you can't be taxed twice and you will have paid more here than you would have paid there anyway.

Everything changes, however, if you are self-employed. Once you open a VAT number (Partita IVA), you need to check out the table below. Here is the link.  

Note: This is an agreement between Italy and the US. Each country has its own agreement, so take a look at the Social Security website to get your info if you are living abroad but in another country. The rules are probably different.

What I want to highlight here is that if you are a US citizen, you should pay into the Social Security system in America, and NOT IN ITALY if you are self-employed. You need to get yourself a certificate of coverage BEFORE you start working as a self-employed person, otherwise you will have big problems, like I am having now after paying into the wrong system for 6 years. OUCH! If you do pay into the wrong system, like I did, you need to start paying into Social Security and send a copy of your tax documents to Social Security so that they can then issue your certificate of coverage and you can use that to ask INPS for reimbursement (you can only go back seven years).

If you are a dual citizen (American & Italian), you can choose to contribute to either the US or Italian system. I would encourage you to contribute to the American system for three reasons.

1. You only need to make 10 years of contributions as opposed to 20 years in Italy to ensure a minimum pension. You have to wait until retirement age to collect, of course, but everything you pay over the minimum is good news for you.

2. If you are married to an Italian or any other person who has never paid into the American Social Security system, they have a right to a pension of their own, which is calculated as 50% of your pension. This means that if I receive 1000 dollars per month, my husband has a right to a pension of 500 per month in addition to my pension.

3. The American system pays more, especially if you decide to work PAST retirement age. I know you are full of energy, so this may apply to you. If you are doing well and retiring early on the other hand, more power to you, that is my goal too!!

Another thing to consider. It is better to collect social security from one country or the other, not both. Once the countries know that you are collecting from another country (and they know because countries talk to each other), they reduce your benefits by up to 50% on both sides. Just so you know.

Let me know if you have any other issues about social security you want me to address here and I will do my best to find out how things work for you. Otherwise, I will update you on my progress of getting my situation in order.

*******************************

Summary Of Agreement Rules

The following table shows whether your work is covered under the U.S. or Italian Social Security system. If you are covered under U.S. Social Security, you and your employer (if you are an employee) must pay U.S. Social Security taxes. If you are covered under the Italian system, you and your employer (if you are an employee) must pay Italian Social Security taxes. "Certificate Of Coverage" section explains how to get a form from the country where you are covered that will prove you are exempt in the other country.

Your work status	Coverage and taxes
You are a U.S. National working in Italy:
For a U.S. employer	U.S.
For an Italian (or other non-U.S.) employer	Italy
As a self-employed person	U.S.
You are a U.S. national working in the U.S.:
For an Italian employer	U.S.
As a self-employed person	U.S.
You are an Italian national working in the U.S.:
For an Italian employer (or Italian-controlled business)	You may elect either U.S. or Italian coverage (see "Election Of Coverage" section)
For a U.S. (or other non-Italian) employer	U.S.
As a self-employed person and you are a resident of the United States	U.S
You are an Italian national working in Italy:
For Italian employer	Italy
For a U.S. employer or as a self-employed person and you are a resident of the United States	You may elect either U.S. or  Italian coverage (see "Election Of Coverage" section)
You are a dual U.S./Italian national working in Italy:
In employment or self-employment covered under both systems	You may elect either U.S. or  Italian coverage (see "Election Of Coverage" section)
You are a dual U.S./Italian national working in the U.S.:
In employment covered under both systems	You may elect either U.S. or  Italian coverage (see "Election Of Coverage" section)
As a self-employed person	U.S
You are a third country national regardless of the employer:
Working in the U.S.	U.S.
Working in Italy	Italy

How Much Money Will I Make in Trieste

This is a question I get a lot from people who are thinking about moving to Trieste. The answer is, in Triestine fashion: BOH! It's difficult to know. While I can't give exact numbers, I can give you some things to think about as you plan whether or not you want to come, and what your life will be like once you get here.

As with all things in Trieste, the process is slow and arduous. Spoiler Alert! You should come here with a financial safety net. If you are desperate for money, then I would suggest you go to a city with a more dynamic work market or take a little time to pay off your debts and simplify your life.

Other things to keep in mind.

1. There is no pre-existing job for you here. You have to create it.

2. If you don't speak Italian you will not go very far. This is a good reason to have a safety net-- it will give you time to learn the language enough to be able to work.

3. It will be nearly impossible for you to find a job BEFORE you actually come here. This is hard for anglo-saxons to get, but the human connection is important here. Your CV isn't enough.

4. If you are a woman,  you are the most difficult to employ unless you are in your early 20s (I have written a lot about this in the past. I will have to dig up the links).

5. If you are over 40, idem.

6. Pay attention to the kind of visa you are using to stay in Italy. That will also determine whether or not you can work legally.

7. Could you live on HALF the salary you currently make? Try it for a couple of months.

8. If your identity is deeply linked to your Career, you will probably be disappointed here.

I know this sounds depressing, but finding your niche here takes a while. Some people give up before finding it. If you are patient and can find lots of other reasons to be happy, then you will love it here.

A Glossary of Terms for Buying and Selling Property in Trieste

I have been busy lately. Last week I sold my apartment, and am currently renovating a house that we bought in foreclosure late last year. I moved out of my apartment in the meantime, and am now living in another place temporarily until my new house is ready to move into. Welcome to Italy, people-- where Life Happens in sloooooooowwwwww moooootttttiiiiioooooonnnnn!

Since it is fresh in my mind, I thought I would put together a quick run-down of what selling your house (and thus buying) often looks like. First, I should warn you, if you are asking for a mortgage from a bank, it is going to take 2-3 months to get the okay (or the thumbs down). If you know you are looking for something, it makes sense to go to the Bank first and get an idea what you can afford and get a preliminary ok. It doesn't change things a whole lot, but at least it forces you to get your paperwork together ahead of time and that will save you headaches later.

Here are the people involved in the hullaballoo.

1. L'Aquirente: This is the Buyer
2. Il Proprietario: The Owner who is also...
3. Il Venditore, The Seller
4. The Perito: This is the person who comes to your house at the request of the Bank (it costs about 300 euros. Normally banks won't send this person unless they are pretty sure they will give you the money, although I may be wrong). They need to put a value on your house for that Lien (ipoteca), which is the guarantee for your mortgage. He or she will also check to make sure your place looks like the official drawings and that you haven't snuck in any extra rooms or bathrooms without going through the necessary paperwork (lavori abusivi). The values they come up with can vary greatly depending on who is asking them to do the work. For example, when I was buying our new house, the court gave the house a value of about 30.000 euros more than the Perito the bank hired to give us a mortgage on it. It is not an exact science.
4. The Geometra: they are often the same as the Perito. They deal with plans for your house, values, that kind of thing. They work along with architects and can be specialized in different aspects of building.
5. The Notaio: Not a notary public, but more like a lawyer who is in charge of overseeing the sale of the property. They are paid a percentage of selling price of the house. They oversee the Preliminario contract (an agency can also do this) where there is a downpayment (una caparra) and the definitivo (the closing).
6. The Banca: the Bank
7. The Catasto: The Land registry. This is where you can ask for the Visura Catastale that gives you more information on the property you are interested in buying or selling. Only the owner can ask for it (maybe a perito or a notary can do it too). You are expected to show it to anyone who may be interested in buying your place, and you can ask for it if you are buying). 
8. The Tavolare: This is like the Catasto but seems to only exist in Trieste, or perhaps also in other ex-Hapsburg areas. Everything that gets registered with the Catasto also needs to be registered here.
9. Agenzia Immobiliare. If there is an agency involved, get ready to pay an astonishing 4% more if you are buying and 1-2% if you are selling. 

You can also sell da PRIVATO (without an agency) by listing your place yourself on a site like subito.it. You will have to answer the calls and inquiries and show your place on your own, but you can save a nice chunk of change. Beware, most of the people who call you will actually be agencies trying to talk you into listing with them.

I have never used an agency, so I know the process can be done without one. Also, there are less people selling without agencies so you get more visibility when people google and add  VENDE DA PRIVATO.

When coming up with a price, check the real estate websites to see what the market looks like for a place like yours in a neighborhood like yours in YOUR CITY. We sold our place for less than what we paid at the height of the bubble 13 years ago, but that was fine, since we also bought super low. It all comes out in the wash! If you are not getting any bites, that is an indication that your price is too high. And why is that? Decide what is more important: getting a few euros more (wait and be patient), or getting the money in the bank (lower and get rid of it!)

People like to buy houses that don't need much work, so if you want to sell fast, I hope you have a decent kitchen and the bathroom has been updated in the last 20 years (most in Trieste haven't been). This is also true for rentals. Update that bathroom, people!

Another consideration is to make sure you do work on your place using the correct procedures. Anything you do that is not above board will come back to haunt you later. Make sure your heating and electrical systems are A NORMA (up to code).

If you are doing work on your house, remember to always ask your accountant what you can get tax write offs on (this goes for everyone, not just freelancers). In my experience, workers don't like to do invoices when they can work in nero (under the table) but the savings for you can add up so let them know from the moment you ask for an estimate that you would like an invoice (lavoro con fattura).

Right now, for example, you can get 65% back over ten years (which is a long time, but you will never get a 65% discount any other way) on anything you spend for increasing energy efficiency in your home, and 50% for most other renovations. If you do this, make sure you get detailed information on how to make the payments and what to write on the money transfers and invoices (no cash allowed in these cases).

People have been very helpful in making sure we get things done right. They will for you, too, but you have to ask.

Hope this helps. Happy Home Hunting!

Planning a Family Reunion

My family lives in about 7 states total. We, like many other American families, do not see each other very often. Every few years, however, we make a plan to come together and party like nobody's business. Normally the meeting place is near the home of one of the ELDERS. My mom's house, or my Aunt and Uncle's place. Makes sense-- the Boomers have space and money, the salt and pepper of a good party. This year we changed the rules. Well, actually, it was about 3 years ago, which was when we started to plan our European reunion in Trieste for this summer in June. In the end there were about 23 of us in Trieste, we worked it all out, and we had an awesome time. Since a couple of people have asked how we managed to do it, here are some guidelines in case you would like to do something similar.

1. Start planning 3 years in advance. This gives everyone time to save up, get off work, get a passport or renew their old one, and mentally prepare.

2. Plan for 3 days with one BIG party on one of them. We make our Big Party on Fathers' Day because in the US it always falls on a Sunday in June. That is the day that all guests MUST be in town. This gives people wiggle room to make their plans and get a good deal on plane tickets.

3. Unless you live in a place like Rome, Venice, or Florence, don't count on everyone wanting to stay in your town just because you live there. Some members of my family got their tourism out of the way before coming to Trieste, others started here and went off to other places they hadn't seen yet after recovering from our party. Trieste is a great home base for trips to Venice, Rome, Slovenia, etc. Ryan air flies out of Trieste and Treviso, too. Easy jet flies out of Venice.

4. Lodging. Help your guests by giving them different options as to where to stay. Hotels always have airconditioning, which Americans appreciate when it is hot as a mofo in Trieste. I had people sleeping at friends' places, my house, in a residence (hotel where they clean once a week) and at a hotel. Everyone was happy. You provide the resources, they make their own plans. I think that works best. Put people close to busses so they can be self-sufficient. Everyone stayed downtown, so that made transportation easy, too.

5. Activities: We planned a series of things to do that people could opt to participate in... or not. We made everything we could Kid Friendly. 

Guided walking Tour of Trieste
Family Italian language class
Treasure hunt at the farmers' market
Cooking class
Dinner made by family with chef Federico
The Big Party

6. Transportation. Trieste is largely a walking city and my people stayed downtown. Those who did not were within feet of a city bus stop. There are also taxis and my family used those too. When we went up to the Carso to our party, we rented a bus to take 20 people and the other handful went in cars. If you want to rent a bus, try just over the border in Slovenia,  and there are places in Trieste, too. Be careful, though, weekends are much harder to plan in the summer because of all of the other little day trips people organize. The train is always a good idea and kids love them. They key is putting people in a position to be autonomous.

7. The Party. Finding the appropriate venue is not easy in Europe, especially if your group is big. We opted to go up to carso and have our party at a wine-producer that also has the Best Osmizza in the world. We worked out a price per person ahead-of-time and a menu. They gave us a great deal. My family drank A LOT of wine, so we threw more money in over the course of the evening.

Final thoughts.

8. You never know who is going to come. We had some last minute confirmations, and other people didn't come who we thought for sure would. No biggy. Do not take these things personally. Love the ones you're with.

9. Let your guests be part of the plan. You can give them information and guide them, but, ultimately, the success of the shabang is up to everyone, and that takes the pressure off.

10. Don't forget the family portrait. They are dippy as hell, but you just HAVE to. Our uniform this year was the Italy soccer shirt. I found them on sale at Lidl for cheap cheap cheap and bought one for each person, including the Italian components taking part in our reunion. They made for an awesome picture and a rocking souvenir!

11. Create a closed Facebook page of your event. This helps people get psyched up and becomes an online journal of everyone's trip. Afterwards people share their photos and videos here. I still go back to ours and look at it sometimes and remember how much fun we had.

12. Other Communication. Important info should be shared on Facebook and email for those who don't DO Facebook, especially in the time leading up to the reunion. In Trieste you don't always have wifi, so your family should know that you can also make meeting times and places just like in the olden days. Europeans use Whatsapp much more than imessage, by the way. Some of the family members NEVER communicated directly, but that was okay because there is usually a spokesperson in each family that just naturally speaks on behalf of the others.

13. Home Base. We used the Italian American Association as a home base, since it is centrally located, there is wi-fi, a bar downstairs, and I was often there.

Conclusion: Keep your plans flexible, give people options, make sure there is plenty of wine, and you can't go wrong when you are planning your next reunion!

HAVE FUN!

Did you know...

...that if you are American (dual citizens have a slightly different option) and have a Partita Iva in Italy you are supposed to pay into the AMERICAN Social Security system and NOT INPS for your retirement??!

No??

Hey, me neither. But there is this agreement here from 1978!! You want the Italian version for your Commercialista? Here you go.  Here is an overview of the agreement in detail, but in English. 

I will walk you through the process as I do it. This should be fun!!

More to come.

Death Happens in Italy, too

Italians do not like to talk about death. Allow me to do it for them.

If you live here and marry into an Italian family, you can forget about estate planning. There will be no talk about your in-laws moving into a smaller apartment or a retirement community or anything like that. There will be no talk about putting things in other peoples' names to avoid problems later, nothing. This is not to say that ALL families are superstitious about death, but many are and you will just have to cross that bridge (well, let's just say you won't be crossing that bridge, or this post would not apply to you) when you get there.

If it does happen (and of course, let's hope it doesn't), there are LOTS of things to do. I found this document put out by a Union here that supports retired people. The first paragraph talks about their indecision about putting this document together and going through with it since many people are superstitious about talking about death. Incredible!

That is not even the thing that suprised me today. What did, was the fact that that Unions or a "Patronato" can actually help you complete some of the paperwork you need to do and cost less than a Notaio.

Here is an idea of what you need to do.

1. The declaration of death must be made within 24 hours.

If the death happens at home, you need to:

-Call the primary doctor, who will have to prepare an "ISTAT Certificate,"
-Get a copy of the Pathologist's Certificate (Certificazione del medico necroscopo)
-Declare the death at the office of the STATO CIVILE of the Municipality (COMUNE, behind Piazza Unità). You give them both documents plus your valid id (not a good moment to notice your i.d. has expired!)

If it happens in the hospital, they will prepare those two documents for you. Then you just go declare the death.

2. Death Certificate (Certificato di Morte): This is available in the Municipality where the death occurred as well as in the Municipality where the person was a resident. If the death happens in the same Municipality as where the person was a resident, the Death Certificate is available immediately. Otherwise you will have to wait about 10 days for the Death Municipality to communicate with the Municipality of residence.

3. Hereditary Succession. Italian Law says there are two kinds of succession and they depend on whether or not there is a Will (TESTAMENTO).

If there is NO WILL: It's called SUCCESSIONE LEGITTIMA. In this case the law determines who inherits.

If there is a WILL: It's called SUCCESSIONE TESTAMENTARIA. In this case the Will determines who inherits. Children of the deceased have their rights, though, and cannot be "cut out." They can always question the Will and will be entitled to their percentage of the patrimony. Others who can question the WILL are the spouse and any other people who normally would be in line for the throne.

Figuring out who the heirs are is NOT SIMPLE for a foreigner. Get help on this one. Ask a Union for help as it will cost less than the Notaio. There is always someone who inherits, at least up until the 6th degree of family (who gets how to figure that out? Not me.). At that point everything that is left goes directly to the State.

4. Agenzia delle Entrate. You have 12 months to make a declaration to the Tax Authorities. They will give you something called the Modello 4 which looks something like this  and you can do this without a notaio. You use this to outline who is left in the family and any buildings, homes, or land the deceased had. If you do not meet the deadlines you are liable for fines.

5. Tax Declaration. It will fall on you to do the tax declaration that year. You have to present a MODELLO UNICO. Not the 730, even if they did that one during their life. You may ask an accountant for help on this one. As always, ask the Union first. They do 730 forms. Perhaps they can also do the Modello Unico. You can also write off costs that you incurred after the death (example: healthcare costs. Get info on this!)

6. There are some other procedures for people who are not residents in Italy, so you will want some help on figuring out what. (see this document for an example)

7. Is there a PENSION involved? Get informed. Complicated complicated. If any money is due back, for example, it will not be refunded unless you ASK for it (think, tredicesima...) and they have a really long time to do it. You or your kids may have a right to the pension as well.

8. INPS (Healthcare system) is supposed to be notified automatically by the Medico Necroscopo within 48 hours of death. So that is one less thing to worry about (according to the document I am referring to).

9. Place of work. By all means, let them know. They will help you sort out the paperwork and get the ball rolling on that. Maybe they will be a support to you as well, especially if that person was a good colleague.

10. Bank. There is some paperwork to do there, of course. If there are any automatic payments going out, inform the companies to send a paper final bill because the bank freezes the account upon death. That's right. Even if you are on the account, you can't do much with it after a death until everything is sorted out (the Succession, etc)

11. Insurance. Is there any? Notify them.

12. Any loans or rental contracts? You are going to have to deal with the other parties.

13. The Car. You will have to do a Passaggio di Proprietà, even if it is in your spouse's name. It will cost you, of course.

14. Cancel the RAI contract for TV if it was in their name (the Union can help with this, too, I believe).  This is important especially if no one is left in the place of residence or it is being sold.

15. You have to notify the people who handle the WATER, ELECTRICITY, AND GAS. In Trieste it's all ACEGAS (HERA) but there are three different numbers. You have to deal with each one separately if you call. If you go in person you can do them all at once. You will have to transfer the contract into someone else's name if there is someone living there, or just close the contract if there is not. While you're doing this stuff, contact the phone company as well. All of these entities are slow, the faster you do it, the better.

This is just a start, but it could come in handy. I am no expert, but I am thinking that if I can get you thinking about it, perhaps you can come up with an action plan before you actually need it. Actually, I was inspired today by a friend who recently suffered a loss and it fell upon him to do this work. I went through something similar a couple of years ago for a distant relative who had no children, so I had some personal experience as well. We had to learn as we went along, and that is no fun when you are grieving.

May you and your loved ones LIVE FOREVER!!

How to Drive in Italy

There is a very nice story today from NPR about getting an Italian driver's license. You should read it, especially if you are an American living in Italy or thinking about driving here.

The long and the short of it is this: if you live in Italy more than a year, you MUST have an Italian driver's license. Lots of people used to get away with not doing this, but lately people are getting HUGE FINES for driving here without the proper translated document. To get that international driver's license you have to plan ahead. Here is a website where you can apply for one. 

This is just a translation of your driver's license, but it's more official, because it also has a picture of you, I suppose. By itself it means nothing. It must be accompanied by your VALID US license and a passport. It generally takes 4-6 weeks to get one. I checked with the local police here, and they do not accept any other documents for American drivers, so, if you want to drive, get one or take the bus.

If you are a permanent resident in Italy, on the other hand, I suggest you suck it up and take the course sooner rather than later!

Yes, I know, I know, you have been driving since you were 16, blah blah blah and  I know how BELOW you it is to have to take driver's ed again, I know I know. I feel your pain. I was once where you are now.

Now shake it off, dry off the tears, and sign up.

A couple of things for you to know.

1. You can't do it on your own, even if you *technically* can

You will want to save money, hassle, and embarassment by studying on your own, but it doesn't work that way, my friend.

For one, the test is goddamn hard. Impossible. Crazy. Trick questions, strange language, wacko. You will need the help of a professional to show you the right approach to the written part.

Then there is the fact that driving schools produce drivers, but it often feels as if the whole testing bit is rigged. Meaning, if you are in a school, you WILL pass the exam. If you are not, you probably will not pass. I could write a book on this whole strange and complicated relationship between the instructors and the examiners, but the thought gives me a mild case of the tremors.

2. It is expensive, but you really do learn a lot!

The theory classes are one thing (I urge you to attend them), and they continue all year long, you jump in where you want, do all the lessons and then it starts over like a Merry-go-round. People jump on and off when they need to. It's actually pretty clever.

Then you have to do a minimum of hours behind the wheel with an instructor. I had to do six. It was helpful. My teacher actually explained how to park. I had never thought about it. And his explanation means that I can get into ANY car, not just mine, and park it like a pro (well, maybe that is going a little too far).

Imagine learning how to drive AGAIN NOW knowing everything you know. You may be pretty good, at driving in the States, but, seriously? Even a monkey can drive in the States. Italy is a totally different party, Dears.

For most of us, when we learn to drive at age 16, we are just trying to get the machine to move and stay on course (the car I used for my driving test did not have power steering, by the way!).

Now, you can go all Formula 1 if you want to. I became a better driver the second time around. Really.


3. Drver's Ed in Italy gives you a window into the Italian mind.

Sometimes it is not pretty, but it is interesting anyway.

4. Rules here are different and your eyes look in all the wrong places.

It takes some getting used to. The first time I realized that I would have too look to the side instead of ahead and to the right to see a stoplight, it was a little disconcerting.

5. It can help your Triestino.

I got really good at Triestino by taking driver's ed class in Trieste. It didn't matter that most of the students were foreign. The teacher taught in Triestine the whole time. Fascinating.

6. The first year you get your license you have certain rules you have to follow like:

zero tolerance for alcohol.
you can't go over 100 kph
you can't drive cars that have too much power

In fact, that first year is a real pain.


So yes, I know you are a good driver, but do this ASAP. Get it out of the way. You can even do it at 7:00 in the morning if you want.

That is what I did. Then at 7:30, when I was free and legal, I hit a bus.
No one was hurt.
But, don't do that.

If You Want to Teach in Italy

I knew before I came to live permanently in Trieste that there would always be work for me because I was a teacher.

What I was not prepared for was what being a teacher here would really mean. You see, in the States I had a full-time job teaching Middle School and High School French in an independent school. I had a good salary and high prestige in the community (maybe I am not supposed to admit that this is important to me, but it is).

When I decided to move here, I consciously kissed my career goodbye and told myself I would get a job doing whatever I could and look for other ways to lead a satisfying life.

It's not such a sad story. I had my dream job TWICE before I left the states and I was 30 when I moved here. Who was I to expect that could happen again? I focused instead on identifying my portable skills, learning a new language, and fitting in to my new country.

I had three months. Then I would have to work again.

When school started, I began teaching again. I have been doing it ever since. After almost 13 years here I have learned a few things that have helped (and hindered) me, and others. Hopefully others contemplating teaching in Italy will benefit.

1. Don't limit yourself.

I changed my teaching language, worked for companies, volunteered. I branched out, met lots of people and learned new skills.  This helped me diversify, which is nice in the summer when there are less teaching jobs. I supplement my income with translating, revision, and business consulting for internationalization.

2. Show your value added in the classroom. 

It is always good to negotiate your pay, of course. Know what others are making and try to get a little more if there is wiggle room and you know you are worth it.

Then be a kick-ass teacher who gets students coming back year after year. Show your value in this way and it will pay off 100 gazillion times over.

3. You will make less money than you did in America.

On the positive side, life is cheaper here, and you will have health insurance.

Making less money than your potential salary in America is a fact of life. Be ready to take jobs that pay less in the beginning if they can bring you increasing returns later, especially as you establish your reputation. Other points of value can be working for well-regarded schools with growth opportunities, access to master teachers you can learn from, and a professional environment.

4. University degrees from other countries are not recognized by Italian Institutions.

This means that you are not eligible to teach in any type of government structure, including Public Schools, unless you go through a long and expensive process of having your degrees officially “recognized” by the Italian University system. This usually means a lot of bureaucracy and having to take more classes to meet Italian requirements. The good news is that, strangely, the University does recognize foreign degrees in certain cases, so I have taught at the University, but could never get a job at a public school of any level below that.

5. If you are a native speaker you can teach. To survive, you have to teach well and be a good colleague. 

Outside of public competitions for small teaching contracts (teaching a class at the university, doing a few hours of conversation in the public schools, that type of thing), as long as you are a native speaker, no one cares what you studied or how much teaching experience you have. This can be good news for people wanting to break into the teaching business.

Be warned, however, that the volume of work you get will directly correlate to how well you get along with the people giving you the work and the students you teach. Both relationships are important. I have found that you must think long-term. By the way, a huge source of work is other teachers. Be good to them. 

6. The skinny on getting hired. 

Permanent contracts in private or international schools have their pros and cons. Some international schools pay relatively well but the contract will have a limited duration of 2 years, after which your status changes from “researcher” to permanent employee and costs more fiscally, so it is cheaper to bring in someone new. Teachers who take these jobs tend to have student loans to pay back home, so continuing just isn’t feasible anyway, so this is not always a bad thing. Other schools here hire teachers as locals and the pay is about half of what you can make if you are freelance. Again, for some people, security is the key factor.

7. To teach legally you have to be legal.

Assuming you are allowed to work in Italy because you have all of your documents in order, you have three choices. Get a contract with a school, work as an occasional worker (max 5,000 gross per year, all clients considered, no more than 30 days in one place), or open a VAT number and operate like a one-person business.

Here is what is not legal: working and getting paid in cash. Many people do this and get away with it, but as a teacher in general, you are in a position of trust and accordingly held to a higher standard. If you work in cash you are opening yourself up to being treated like the hired help. You are not considered a professional. Prestige-wise it is about as low on the ladder as you can get.   

8. Opening a VAT number means taking responsibility and has the biggest pay-off

Prestige-wise, opening a VAT is the way to go, but it is not for everyone. Taxes are high, and so are your expenses with a local accountant. That being said, there are VAT “regimes” to benefit young people, and/or people who make less than 30.000 euros in a year, so there are ways to get the most out of it. This was the route I chose and I have never regretted it. The important thing is to always overestimate how much you have to pay in taxes. I tell myself I will have to pay 50% in taxes (even though I pay a bit less) so that I always have enough set aside to cover my taxes. 

9. Teaching in a foreign country is cool, but get the info first.

Teaching English in a foreign country can open up new worlds for you. The important thing is to make sure you know what you are getting into. Keep your expectations low so you don't get disappointed and live a simple life and you can't go wrong.

My working life is rich, varied and satisfying. My two worlds have finally come together to create something better than the sum of their parts. It took a hell of a long time, though, and I had to take some risks. Some worked out, others didn't but overall I am happy.

10. If this is the way you want to go, be patient and pick up a few hobbies to keep you sane.

One More Post on Saving Cash- The Calzolaio

One more thing (for now) on living the Simple Life in Trieste. The CALZOLAIO. Everyone has their favorite. My best cobbler has a facebook page with some serious action-- there is a ton of traffic in and out of the actual place on a regular basis, too!

Triestini know that it's better to pay a little more for your shoes, and then wear the HELL out of them for years and years with routine maintenance.

Ask anyone. They will tell you. If you go to La Bottega del Calzolaio in Ponte Rosso, which is my personal favorite, tell them Karoline sent you.

In case you are not sure what they do, you can:

1. Stick a heel back on your stiletto.
2. Get new soles on your fancy work shoes.
3. Get your tennies buffed up.
4. Get your leather goods sewn up where the stitching is loose.
5. Get a touch up so your shoes look good again.

I am a believer.

Coffee Date? The Italian way of saying "We're Cool, Right?"

When I first moved to Trieste I thought that having coffee was an excuse for not working. You can hardly blame me. Be a fly on the wall of any office in Trieste, and here is what it looks like.

8:30 Empty.
8:45 Empty.
8:58 Empty.
8:59 First employees trickle in.
9:05 The rest of the team arrives. Coats stay on.
9:06 Turn on computer. Wait for the straggler to arrive.
9:07  Entire office leaves and walks to the nearest coffee outlet (machine, or, if lucky, a bar)
9:08-9:30 Empty.
9:31 The actual workday begins.

For an American, this seems strange. After all, we have our coffee at home. It is cheaper, and we can have more of it. That, and, We Know that you are supposed to WORK AT LEAST TWO HOURS to EARN another cup of coffee.

In Trieste, however, that is not how things roll.

You want to try something crazy and see two cultures collide?

I have a fun experiment for you then. Here is what you do:

Tell your Italian colleagues that you already had your coffee and that you will be skipping the morning trip to the coffee machine and see what happens.

Don't have the courage? No problem, because here is what will go down:

Someone will ask you if everything is OK and look at you with concern.
Another person will actually COME BACK and see if you have changed your mind.
Yet another will wonder what he or she did to deserve this snub.
Your office detractor will do a self-confirmation that you think you are better than everyone else.
If you wait a few minutes more, then, like clockwork, YOUR BOSS will stomp into your office and say:

WE ARE WAITING ON YOU! LET'S GO, STECKLEY!

And you will reluctantly get up and follow the other ducks. But, you will summon up your internal rebel to SHOW THEM and NOT ORDER COFFEE! Hmmph! So THAT is what you do.

And  guess what. NO ONE EVEN NOTICES. Because your Italian colleagues do not really care about what you drink at the coffee break. They just want you to be there.

Culture lesson!
You see, for Italians, this is a very important time where colleagues make sure that everyone is OKAY. It is the moment we find out who slept last night, who has a kid with a fever, who is not feeling well, who won the lottery. All of this information will help us understand how the workday will proceed.

To be sure, when we talk about the importance of coffee in Italy, we are really talking about the importance of RELATIONSHIP MAINTENANCE.

Less of a commitment than, say, Lunch, coffee is a cheap and quick way (always on your feet, by the way, only sit down for a coffee if you are contemplating marriage or reuniting with an old friend after a twenty-year absence) to reconnect and let the other person know that you are STILL COOL.

You can also use that 5-minute coffee time together to: strategize, thank, get to know, welcome, say goodbye, seal an important deal, or plan a boardroom coup.

The sky is the limit.

Never underestimate the power of coffee in Trieste.

My Favorite Place in Trieste

If you haven't visited the American Corner library at the Italian-American Association in Piazza Sant'Antonio, 6, you should.

The library at the Italian-American Association has long been my favorite place in Trieste. It is a place where you can hang out and read, and it is physically beautiful. Books have a way of warming up a room, and with its high ceilings and parquet floors, they don't make libraries like this anymore.

If you are looking for things to do in Trieste or interested in volunteering, you should absolutely stop by.

Check the Blog for info on what's happening this week. aia-fvg.blogspot.com