We realized, after the first season, we had to set a minimum of 2 nights for a booking. Nice change of pace and menu; traditional dishes with a twist. After my dual citizenship was recognized, with Italian passport in hand, selling most of our belongings and loading our two huge dogs on a plane, we headed to Abruzzo to start our lives in Italy. Stopped for an abundant and delicious tasters menu lunch at LArco Antico Ristorante Pizzeria, just off the trail. We felt that the kitchen space, hallways and eventually the master bathroom should all flow with one tile. What a great week. How did we get from putting our house on the market in May to this point? Dad must have seen something of himself in me so when I was a preteen, he took me on my first hike up a mountain. They include Liguria, Puglia, Rome, Le Marche, Abruzzo, Sicily and more. I felt out of my league immediately. Also, we can happily say we can now meet again with my entire family of cousins, living 40 minutes from us. Also the brochure must have been written for a younger age group in regards to difficulties. The lower apartment, we successfully rented out short term through Airbnb and Booking.com. Since my grandfather, Carlo De Felice, had lived in San Salvo, a nearby city on the Adriatic Sea, I hoped that a few relatives remained in the area. Being unsure of what we might accomplish, we had to try. We were ready for some fun! While we were in the process of retiring from out careers in Virginia, selling our chalet home in the mountains with thoughts of downsizing in Abruzzo, I had been already cruising some excellent home sites and creating our top 20 home list. Pink toilet and bidet were replaced with a white toilet and bidet wand. It was wonderful to catch up with everyone and my language skills got a good workout. Both John and I worked in the hospitality industry when we lived in the United States. Day 6 has come upon us. When it comes to The people of Abruzzo are just wonderfully friendly people. We entered the church, then worked our way through the complex of rooms & staircases, climbing higher against the cliffside. We discussed our ideas for the new look and he is was full steam ahead. We decided a more tranquil color scheme would work for us and future owners. To enter this valley, you are asked to register at the park office at the edge of town. Any thoughts of writing a post for this blog were clouded by the mind-fogging weather. This was early May and we figured that maybe by mid July or so we would have some interest with serious buyers arriving in Abruzzo for the summer months. In the Abruzzo region rates vary between $200 a month in a smaller town to around $350 a month in more upscale cities like Penne and Sulmona, though the cost of living remains low. Storage space is at a premium in our downsized home and the need for additional storage and workshop space for John was important. As always, we wish you all good health, a time to find blessings even during these unsettling months, hope for some normality in the New Year, a visit to Abruzzo and maybe even to Roccaspinalveti in 2021. The hike was filled with long views, stunning fall colors, discoveries of ancient farmsteads and homes and the development of the Valle del Treste trail network. A tribe is a group of people, or a community with similar values or interests, a group with a common ancestor, or a common leader. The weather, rural setting, friendly folks, and the mountains reminded us of our home in Virginia, but of course, we were in Italy. After a long, precarious, rocky descent, we reached our final destination of the cammino: Abbazia Di San Liberatore in Serramonacesca. My search dogs, now all gone from this earth, but not from our hearts. Searching for lost individuals can be very taxing on the mind and body, and it is important to have strong trusting relationships in the field. A dream realized. With fourth and final search dog, Romeo, and our house completed, I returned to K9 Alert for my final active years in SAR. The majorities of these were never brought to our attention and only found after the guests checked out. Through the months of September and October, John and I enjoyed at least one or two hikes together per week. It is undeniable that the figure of the poor hermit Pietro da Morrone who, at the end of 1200 became Pope with the name of Celestino V, belongs, with all his human and religious life, to the identity heritage of the Abruzzo people. Socks that Ive found work best for my feet are Smartwool and Darn Sock. A very relaxing experience. Our go-to source for tile at a reasonable price delivered was Edilizia Del Gesso srl in nearby Gissi, a great family-run builders supply company. Recently, his skills in painting and tiling have factored into the updating of our master bathroom, entrance hall and kitchen. Unfortunately, we didnt quite make it and the morning stretched on hot under the clear skies until we reached the most beautiful beech forest. We didnt have much time to visit the hamlets and towns as we were averaging 11 tough miles a day with stops. Well at least most of the time. Would I do this again not at my age all within 6 days. What an amazing 19+km/12+ miles! John had a few projects, one being a retaining wall between us and our neighbors field. Admittedly, we were exhausted at this point.. the 6 days rushing up to us as we toured the cathedral. Though we are worn out physically and possibly a bit mentally and emotionally as well, we approach the finale with lifted spirits. As I write to you today, I am sitting in the summer kitchen of our soon-to-be new home in the medieval village of Tufillo. So I did my research and made a list of some village to village treks as well as some mountain trails. Each one so different from the other, with their own talents, strengths and personalities. We had guests who came to relax and hardly leave the property. Weights are in grams per line item and at the very top of the image you can see my weights converted from grams to pounds. The movers will arrive at the end of this month to take our larger pieces of furnitureOh.. and if youre wondering, we are taking the statue of St. Joseph to our new house. Floor tiles would be a continuation of the hall project. All of this ties me closer to my family. It does make a difference, so do not give up on your dream. Very exciting news. This stone house belonged to his grandmother and he took ownership 10+ years ago. The weather was definitely hotter than the posted averages, and with John and I not being happy hot weather hikers, it was tough at times. We planned to visit the US and family planned to come to see us but then COVID hit and plans were crushed. But at our age retirementwe just didnt need the hassle. My first search dog was an adoption from a work partner; a washed-out gun dog, a sweet, somewhat confused Labrador named Buck. During this summer, I continued my studies with Italy Made Easy Academy online lessons. If either my sister or I were nearby, she would answer him in English. WebAmerican Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Alexa Alexa is an American expat living and working in Bologna, Italy. As we decided to leave our car in Sulmona for the week, we added 3 miles to our day by hiking from the B&B to the Abbey Badia Morronese, the beginning of the cammino. So what else have we been doing besides hiking? Build that tribe! Manu, the teaching coach encourages us to add daily immersion at home. And with these size packs and the expected terrain, its always a smart idea to have hiking sticks. Lunch plus our granola & powerbars, electrolyte gels kept us going until we reached a local bar at the end of each day. Unbelievable! And just before this new lockdown came into force, I got in two separate hikes, one with girlfriends and the other with John, to Monte Pallano with its daunting Megalithic Wall and breathtaking views of the Majella. All three of us have embraced this great concept. One of the biggest surprises of today, which absolutely wowed the three of us, was walking through the expansive area of shepherd huts ( le capanne in pietra a secco) and pasture enclosures of dry stone, hundreds and hundreds of acres. I wanted you, my reader, to have glimpse into this unforgettable week, so you could also feel a part of this, and maybe someday step out on these trails. Never to be forgotten. John was able to get not only the tile off the lot, but the proper primer, adhesive and grout to insure a successful installation. To give the house more flow from one room to the next, we decided to over-tile the kitchen, entrance hall all the way into the bathroom. Italy Expat Forum: Jobs. At some point during those years, I found out that I could apply for my Italian citizenship. We do it for many reasons and I have to say that we are a bit tired and overwhelmed, but so very happy. So why, apart from missing my 4 great dogs, would this be important enough to write about? Some of the accommodations I chose for this week were a bit more basic than others, but all facilities were clean, food always great, and hosts helpful and gracious. But first the signs took us through the State Agricultural Technical Institute and its large complex, which included historic gardens and the Masseria (farmhouse) Ferragnano. Guests had instructions sent to them prior to arrival and also instructions in the apartment. Location for training could be 20 minutes up to 3 hours from my home. On this cammino, we will travel many miles on secondary roads, so we made certain our feet could handle the hard surfaces as we carried all we would need for the week in our backpacks. All these individuals become part of your support network and many lifetime friends. Without a professional guide, I took on the responsibility to put this all together. Is Italy good for expats? We found Giacomos house. I was looking at two of my cousins. I lost two toenails as I didnt continue to check my boot lacings throughout the days with steep descents. I am very spoiled with my own personal Tool Man! I want to pack in as many experiences as possible before the ice and snow arrive later this year. After a steep climb, we entered the lovely meadows you see in the photo above. Up the mountain, along farm roads and fields below the wind towers, down to the hamlet of Olmi, through the woods to return up the mountain to the church. So come prepared to accept this, especially if you are choosing to live in rural Abruzzo. What a blessing! Its been a few weeks now that I have been hiking with my full pack, adjusting, adding, subtracting. Alex has an Osprey Eja 38L, John a Quechua Forclaz 40 Air+ and I have an Osprey Tempest 40L. Another reason we liked this particular cammino, apart from the obvious, is that every evening we would finish in a small village or town where we can book accommodations at a B&B or agriturismo. Italy has always been welcoming to foreigners who wish to buy property in their And its important to keep your connection to friends in your original homeland. Huge complements to everyone involved with this cammino, working diligently to make this an outstanding experience! To have completed it and to have seen and experienced what we experienced, unforgettable. I have to proudly say that we did this rental well. I contacted the comune office in Tufillo and was put in contact with the deputy mayor. In fact, my mothers father, Carlo De Felice, was born in San Salvo, only 40 minutes from where I live now in Italy. Now these guests were not the norm and we had many wonderful guests, but it was just time for us to move on to another adventure. My last, dear Romeo, was the best of my best. It did make the longer days a challenge, but such a great experience! Of course, you can do this cammino with a tent, but we just needed a vacation with a bit of comfort and pampering. The weather has been clear (thankfully) and hot so spending most of the day on a lovely and well-shaded wooded trail was a blessing and a pleasure. Todays tappa was a day for wide open spaces and spectacular views. Good thing Im hiking a lot as our daily calorie intake is astonishing! This trip was not for the faint of heart or a casual hiker. I was in the midst of training my third dog, Orso, a monster-sized Labrador. We added self-checkin with a lockbox for the keys. This bathroom was originally all pink, a color very popular years ago. Still, we all gathered most weekends to enjoy the cooking competitions between the siblings. It just took too long to clean, and then turn the apartment around to be rebooked after just one night. Not that they asked to see this, but I just felt it was a reassuring measure for them to see the actual family connection. We will return there most definitely. What next ensued was serendipitous and I honestly believe I was pointed in the right direction at the right time. The accommodations were lovely with our gracious host, Oscar. Youll see in the pictures below where he added a step for us to enter the deeper style tub/shower combo. Not to be missed. What I came to realize is that I dont like being cut off from humanity, even though I do enjoy my solitary walks. This particular hermitage can also be reached by a hard surface road so, along with it being beautiful to see, it is very accessible. As children, we were not allowed to learn or speak Italian. Leaving Roccaspinalveti isnt an easy decision, but the pull of family and the sea are calling us. Unfortunately, another appointment in town pulled us away, as we left with promises of being reunited soon. We will keep you posted as things progress with our next exciting adventure. Our range of movement went from the whole of Italy and beyond down to just our town. The fresh recognition by UNESCO of Celestinian Forgiveness as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity further increases our responsibility in worthily cultivating the memory of this great person who distinguished himself in life for difficult and often innovative choices for the dictates of the Church of the time .The Way is 90 km long. I love seeing all our neighbors enjoying each others company as they collectively work together. We arrived at our first days destination in the blazing afternoon sun, happy with our days accomplishment. A few trails listed as easy would have been treacherous if it had rained. His love and devotion reached deep into our hearts and souls, making the journey from here over the Rainbow Bridge a difficult but precious one during his last few weeks. Until then have a blessed Christmas and Holiday Season! And during this search for my family, John received his Italian citizenship by being married to me (Jure Matrimonii). Then a shimmy back out to the staircase and great accomplishment goes to her! We became candidates for Dogs East SAR group, but after a few months we moved to K9 Alert SAR Dogs located closer to my home near Richmond. As the house is about 45 years old, there was some cosmetic updating to be done along with a few major additions, such as adding a new boiler and double-glazed windows to our living space. Alberto gave us a most interesting tour of the family museum rooms of the B&B, with a long generational history in Pacentro. And thank you for the best marked route we have experienced in Italy since moving here over 5 years ago. 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