Southern Italy has it all. There are ancient Medieval towns, peaceful fishermen villages, stretching beaches and swooping mountains. There are even Roman and Greek ruins. We learned about some of the most famous places in southern Italy as children and some of us grew up dreaming of the day we’d visit our grandparents’ homeland. But...Read More
Last week Andrew Whittaker of Speak the Culture wrote a post about coping with culture shock. It was interesting because Whittaker didn’t take the stance of an expat or long-term traveler trying to adjust to a new culture but rather that of an average traveler. Although I’m slightly obsessed with culture shock and the stages...Read More
Being an expat in Italy is a dream for many people, but it might be easier to achieve that you thought. Megan Fitzgerald, owner of Career by Choice helps expats around the world achieve success in their overseas careers. I recently caught up with Megan and quizzed her about expat career tips, her journey to...Read More
A few days ago I received an email from a guy who is planning his first trip to southern Italy. He’ll be visiting his grandfather’s homeland in Calabria-just about 50 minutes north of me in Catanzaro-and like any would-be international traveler worth his passport, he’s researching the area. He bought my Calabria travel tips ebook-thanks,...Read More
A couple of months ago I was contacted by a producer at KPAM Portland Radio. He wanted to know more about my favorite little region in Italy and asked if I’d be interested in talking to them about Calabria. Me? Talk about Calabria? Now, that’s not fun at all. photo credit: Dave Kleinschmidt Due to...Read More
Congratulations! You’ve saved your pennies and set a date and now you can start planning your trip to Italy. You are bubbling over with excitement and can barely pull yourself from your laptop at night to cook dinner or tend to your children-or answer your boss’s emails, for that matter. You are in my favorite...Read More
Although most people consider Calabria a warm-weather destination, the lakes, mountains, ruins and medieval villages are actually year-round attractions. In fact, many people travel to Calabria in the winter months to meet their long-lost relatives or to save money on low-season flights and accommodations. While it is true you won’t need to pack your summer...Read More
Even with the Grinch mandating baggage restrictions, Scrooge in the security lines and the inevitable airport delay, traveling this season doesn’t have to lose its merriment. Here are five holiday travel tips to help you stay in the spirit of the season. photo credit: RachelH_ 1. Book Early It makes sense the best way to...Read More
Last week I listed five things every traveler should pack when heading to Italy. There were a few additions included in the comments and one suggestion for a WHAT NOT TO PACK list. So today, I am sending out a big Travel Tip Tuesday thank you to Paula Russell, co-owner of Time of Your Life...Read More
Vacation stress? Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Not always. In fact, anyone who has ever traveled to the bel paese and met face-to-face with a transportation sciopero knows better. While I can’t do anything about those annoying train strikes in Italy, I can offer you three tips to help reduce your vacation stress and help...Read More
