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Kristen Suzanne

Writer. Expat. Foodie.

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A Month in Ireland – Our Expat Life

July 14, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

We are in Ireland for the month of June. We kind of had to. Well, specifically, we had to leave Italy because Greg doesn’t yet have a permesso to stay there. Therefore we have to abide by the Schengen Area rule that basically states you can be in Italy (and much of western Europe) three out of every six months.

Ireland is not included in that Schengen Area so we took a trip there. Unfortunately, I’m not a master at planning trips and seem to find myself booking things making too many assumptions. Things like, oh it will be easy to get to.

Boy was I wrong for the Ireland trip.

When looking for places outside of the Schengen Area I looked at Ireland. Searching AirBnB brought me to a groovy-as-hell, super old schoolhouse for rent. For cheap! (I know why it was cheap now – the remote location.) But the reviews promised a really neat experience.

I never considered the travel to and from. I wrongly assumed that Ireland would be as easily connected by trains as I found the UK.

Well, long story short, our travel day from Italy to Ireland included the following…

1 of 2 bus rides in Ireland.
  • Taxi to the train station in Rovigo
  • Train from Rovigo to Bologna
  • Bus from Bologna train station to the Bologna airport
  • Flight from Italy to Ireland
  • Bus from from Dublin to Wexford.
  • Bus from Wexford to Ballinaboola.
  • Car ride from Ballinaboola to Ballyhack – the super itty bitty fishing village in southeast Ireland.
We made it to the airplane!

Not a cheap travel day, nor very fun. So many timelines to keep straight. What was I thinking? Well, I know… I didn’t realize all that would be involved in getting from Rovigo to Ballyhack. Plus… two huge suitcases, backpacks, purses and my husband who can’t carry the suitcases because of his foot and hip, leaving me to move them up and down the stairs when the elevators aren’t working. At least I got my workout in that day.

[Read more…] about A Month in Ireland – Our Expat Life

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Filed Under: author, Digital Nomad, digital nomad family, digital nomad kid, Expat, Expat Life, travel

Cappuccino and Espresso – Two of My Favorite Things About Living in Italy (Italian Expat Life)

June 24, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

Cappuccino… in Italy. I Love It.

One of my favorite things about living in Italy is drinking cappuccino. They do it right, which of course I didn’t know until I was in Italy.

What is doing it right? Well, aside from the most delicious coffee being used, the cappuccino is served in a small cup.

I finish it in only a handful of sips.

It actually takes a bit of time to get used to this smaller-size cappuccino, but it’s the perfect size and ratio of milk to coffee. Like I said, they just do it right! The days of a huge mug of coffee are over (or at least hidden in my apartment where the Italians don’t see me).

My daughter gets a decaf cappuccino, and together we sip and sit. I use this as a time to sit down and relax.

Cappuccino in Italy is not like going to Starbucks and getting a paper cup, usually with too much milk, with the drink to-go. To be honest, I’m not sure I could stomach that stuff anymore. And, I’m not only comparing to Starbucks. In a trip to Ireland, I almost couldn’t finish the cappuccino I ordered. Ack. It was more of a latte, with way too much milk to coffee, no froth, and no coffee taste. In my desperation though, I finished it.

Community, Coffee, and Longevity

What you do in coffee bars, in Italy, is also distinct from America. Usually, you drink your coffee at the bar – standing. Especially if it’s espresso. Going out for a coffee in the morning is usually a quick shot of espresso. Pop into the bar, get the teeny-tiny amount of coffee that is an espresso, drink it back. Take a minute to properly start the day. If I’m seen walking with my travel mug, it screams to everyone Americana. In fact, you can’t even get drinks “to go” here.

It can also be a very social experience… standing at the bar with other Italians, chatting about the neighborhood happenings. I’m not quite there, yet, because I don’t speak much Italian. One of these days though.

One of my favorite bars in Rovigo, Italy.

And, sometimes, people sit and chat, so animated with gestures, as only Italians can do. I love it. What you won’t see is people with their heads down in laptops. In Italy, people are at tables or standing at the bar with other people. It’s community. It’s longevity.

Coffee History

I’m in good hands because Italians know a thing or two about coffee. After all, Angelo Moriondo invented the espresso machine, receiving a patent for it in 1884, in Turin, Italy.

How Many Per Day?

I’ve heard mixed stories on the amount of coffee Italians drink on a daily basis.

Some people report that Italians will have coffee four or five times a day – in the form of espresso. But I’ve also read claims that if you drink more than 1 or 2 espresso a day, an Italian might gesture the sign of the cross and pray for you. Not really, but they might look at you with a concerned expression.

So, I don’t really know yet. I’m still figuring it out. For me, though, I enjoy a cup of regular coffee (or two) at home with my popular Aeropress, and then I usually find myself at a bar later in the day for a quality Italian espresso. Or two.

Different Prices for the Same Coffee Drink in the Same Bar?

Did you know that in the same bar you could see two different prices for your coffee? Especially in tourist areas. You can be charged a different price for sitting down at a table with your coffee versus standing and drinking it at the bar.

“banco” is bar and “tavolo” is table – a bar in Venice

In Rovigo, Italy, where we’re currently living while getting dual Italian citizenship, the price is the same whether you stand at the bar or relax at a table. But, of course, it’s not a tourist city.

Cafe or Bar?

While I’m talking about coffee in Italy, there aren’t cafes here. Not really, anyway. They are bars. When I say I’m going to a cafe for a cappuccino, I really say I’m going to the bar. That’s another thing I’m still getting used to. :)

In said bar, the beautiful espresso / cappuccino machine warrants devotion and adoration. It’s like a piece of art. The same can be said for the drinks coming out of it. This machine will also be surrounded by liquor – it’s a bar after all.

In fact, in Italy drink you can drink espresso as caffè corretto (espresso “corrected” with a splash of liquor). I’ve yet to try one of those, but I aim to. And, one can also partake in a spritz or wine instead of coffee (that’s another post though).

Work in Progress

I’m a work in progress regarding how I enjoy coffee at the bar.

While my family enjoys cappuccini (plural for cappuccino) together, I also love going to a cafe/bar to write or read. I know, a bit antisocial. I’m sure it let’s everyone know I’m an Americana when I do that. I’d like to try living more like Italians though – being more social while I’m there.

Espresso is a Love of Mine, Too.

I know espresso is thought to be really strong by many, and maybe even too bitter for some. But, that also seems different in Italy. It could take some getting used to for some, but not much – I promise. Many Italians stir sugar into theirs, but I drink it senza zucchero (without sugar). The espresso is usually downright delicious all on its own, often tasting different from bar to bar. Sometimes my palate is hit with notes of chocolate and other times I detect nuttiness. All the time, however, bliss, when drinking it in Italy.

Water with your espresso? Yes, and there is a reason. Espresso is usually served with a small glass of water for cleansing the palette before enjoying your espresso.

I get so excited every time I go into a bar for a coffee.

Excitement for the buzz I’ll get from both the caffeine and the authentic experience.

One of my favorite things about going to a bar, on a regular basis, is getting to know the owners (and employees), and being a part of the local area. I like walking into a place and seeing familiar faces. Chatting with the baristas, even in my limited Italian to simply ask how they’re doing and vice versa is something I look forward to each time. There is such a true community feel when you do this, and it feels so damn good.

Italy, you have my heart.

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Filed Under: coffee, Expat, Expat Life, family, italy, travel

Green and Blue Eyeliner in Italy – Italian Girl Expat

June 23, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

Green and Blue Eyeliner in Italy

I’m noticing something about the fashion and makeup here in Italy.

For starters, I see quite a few women, of various ages, wearing blue or green eyeliner — at least in this northeastern region. I can’t speak for all of Italy.

I also see more high-waist pants and jeans on women, and men wearing tight-ish jeans rolled up higher than ankles. I haven’t convinced Greg to do it yet, but clearly we’re the Americani if we don’t.

From middle-aged bank teller to senior citizen

The bank teller who took my first deposit was wearing green eyeliner and no other makeup. Later, I saw a much older woman doing the same. Just a line of color either on the top or lower lash line, and that’s it. No mascara, no lipstick or blush. No blending.

I didn’t have a picture of it but I looked online and found this. Although this model featured below has it on top and bottom, the point is to show you the green eyeliner with brown eyes I’m seeing in Italy. It’s similar to this.

Mother Knows Best

Apparently my mom knew what she was doing when she ordered those colors for me before I left. Because I never would’ve. Thanks, mom! This could help me fit in… so long as I don’t speak, I look the part. ;)

However, I’m not sure I can pull off the green eyeliner. I tried and couldn’t get into it. At least not yet.

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Filed Under: beauty, Digital Nomad, Expat, Expat Life, italy, travel

Italian Pastries Around the Corner – Living La Dolce Vita – Italian Expat Life

June 20, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

Italian Pastries and Friendly Local Shop Owners

I just walked to a little shop that’s only about three minutes away. Locals sit at the few tables inside, chatting about … well, I don’t know what they’re talking about – it’s in Italian – but I imagine “the neighborhood happenings.” They’re engaged and full of gestures, like you can only be when you know each other very well. They’ve probably been coming here for years.

Everyone who comes in exclaims “Ciao!” to which everyone responds with “Ciao!” And, when someone leaves? The same. It’s the full-on local experience. I love it.

This tiny shop sells some divine pastries, a few essentials, and it’s complete with a beautiful espresso machine.

Truth be told, all the cafes and bars, even rest stops along the highway (called an Autogrill), have top-of-the-line, shiny, gorgeous espresso machines. These Autogrills are pretty amazing while roadtripping, offering great food (lots of local items) and coffee, etc.

They’re superior to any American truck stop I’ve ever seen.

Autogrill sandwiches – lookin’ good!

 

autogrill
Ooh, look at that! Artisan pasta over there, Greg!

Dreamy Espresso

I can’t help but just stare at these espresso machines, admiring them from across the bar. They’re dreamy. I’m sure the locals think I’m a bit spacey when I do this. But, I’m in awe. I’m fascinated that I’m actually living here, and I get to participate in this amazing culture.

Fuuuuuck – those are not on a carnivore diet. ;)

So, really, it’s a combination of gratitude and excitement that hits me, when I enter a bar or shop and see these machines which are so important in this culture. It strikes me that this dream I had is true now.

It’s every time, too. Every bar or cafe I enter, I get the same fluttering in my tummy.

So, this little place I’m writing about today is not far from where I live.

[Read more…] about Italian Pastries Around the Corner – Living La Dolce Vita – Italian Expat Life

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Filed Under: coffee, digital nomad family, digital nomad kid, Expat, Expat Life, italy, travel

My New High Waist Jeans – Italian Girl Expat

June 15, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

Italian Fashion

Between my baggy jeans I brought from America, and my name, Kristen, which is close to Christian (pronounced Krees-tee-ahn in Italy), and therefore a man’s name… I’m not doing much for my femininity in Italy.

That changed today.

I bought high-waist skinny jeans. They’re all the rage here.

Well, specifically high-waist pants, whether they’re skinny or a bit baggy with a flare happening at the bottom. High-waist is where it’s at. At first, I just thought some women stepped out of the 80s, but no. I see them everywhere, so it must be a thing.

I needed that thing, too, because my style is suffering here in Italy.

Greg says he noticed them in the UK last year, but there must not have been enough women wearing them because I didn’t feel out of place in my non-high-waist pants until Italy.

People don’t wear yoga pants everywhere like you see in the United States. You occasionally see younger girls in leggings, because they’re actually going to exercise. But it’s not the default.

They love their sneakers with jeans here, too. I’ve seen all styles of big sneakers — some with a bit of a heel, some with sequins, some with bright colors.

At least my new bright pink sneakers I bought in Croatia will be perfect.

Let’s Go Shopping

On Sunday, Kamea and I headed to the mall for jeans and some essentials, like sliced jalapeños. We went to the bus stop and waited for the 10:52 bus. It didn’t come.

“Hmm… maybe the buses don’t run on Sunday?” I thought, as we sat across the street from a busy bar. Let’s see if the 11:00 comes.

Nope.

Well, let’s leave, as clearly anyone who sees us will know we don’t know what we’re doing, since we’re waiting for a bus on a Sunday. We probably gave them a good laugh over at the bar.

So we did what we always do in situations like this. We got gelato.

Only, we walk past a nice clothing shop… with jeans. For a quick second I think, “Yeah, I should try on some jeans here.” I entertain the idea of hitting up the shop on the way home from gelato, but then the insanity of that idea dawned on me… never try on jeans after gelato.

No, I’ll feel better trying on jeans with an empty stomach.

Success!

I find the perfect pair and they fit like a glove.

I’m becoming more Italian by the day.

Surely the comune in Rovigo has to grant me my dual citizenship now. I have high-waist jeans, pasta in my apartment, a membership card to the local beauty store, and I’m a full member of the local Coop.

Time for gelato.

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Free Beef in Italy – Our Italian Expat Life

June 12, 2019 By Kristen Suzanne

Free Beef

I recently spied a butcher while walking to Lidl for groceries.

The trouble is the distance from our apartment and it’s location across a busy road with no crosswalk. The distance poses a challenge because I have to walk a half hour with meat. If the weather is warm  — well, that’s not good.

But, it’s a butcher, and I love butchers so I had to peek inside.

Just Looking

The plan was to see what they offered and check out the prices. Just looking. The store was big and filled with different kinds of poultry, beef, and pork, plus all sorts of delicious things like olive oil, artisan condiments, and pasta.

In other words, I could easily spend a lot of money in here.

So, we introduced ourselves. I can’t help myself, as I’m always trying to get to know shop owners and practice my Italian. We told the butcher we were new in town, and we said we just wanted to pop in for a visit.

The owner was so sweet, and as we were leaving (after looking but not buying anything), he sent me away with a patty of his finest beef as a gift. I was so touched!

I friggin’ love Italy.

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Filed Under: beef, Digital Nomad, digital nomad family, Expat, Expat Life, travel

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About Kristen Suzanne

I’m an author  living in Italy. I write about food, fitness, and our experiences as I travel the globe with my family.

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