The real life in italy podcast

Doing our best to understand life in Italy as a foreigner, through culture, bureaucracy, and beyond

We're bringing you what you need to make life in Italy as a foreigner just a bit easier. Cutting through the bullshit of “La Dolce Vita” to share with you what you really need to know while living in Italy. From tidbits of Italian culture to navigating the nightmarish bureaucracy, and even some language tips, you’ll find it all here.

Here’s some topics we’ll be covering:

  • Who the fuck was this Garibaldi guy? And this Aldo Moro? Why does every town have a Via XX Settembre?!
  • How do I get my Permesso di Soggiorno and more importantly, dear God how do I survive the Questura?
  • What DOES mi raccomando mean?
  • What Birth Control is in Italy? Can I get IVF on Healthcare? What are my options when pregnant in Italy? (Yes, we’ll get serious.)
  • What IS the difference between Carabinieri and Polizia?!
  • No really, can I get an iced coffee in Italy?

Living in Italy as a foreigner is filled with challenges and moments where we all want to cry, rip out our hair, throw the towel in, and say basta, I’m going home. You’re not alone. But frankly, I’m a strong believer in the fact that the more we understand why things are the way they are, we can learn to accept them. The more we are able to confidently understand our life abroad, the easier, and more enjoyable it gets.

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Episodes

RSS Episode List

  • Love in Italy: How to find balance in Multicultural Relationships
    An episode I have been waiting so long to share. This week I invited on Gabriela Encina, a psychologist helping specifically expat couples navigate the challenges of multicultural relationships. In my time in Italy I have met so many foreigners who moved to Italy for love (or stayed for love), but sometimes, things in these […]
  • Understanding the Italian Mafia: The Camorra
    This week, I am revisiting our talk about the mafia in Italy with a better look at the Camorra - who are they? When did they begin? And what role do they play today? A quick episode to give you an overview of this Italian organized crime group. Some resources I mention: Gomorra -Roberto Saviano […]
  • Italian Craft Beer, An Alternative to our Standard Aperitif
    When Aperitivo comes around, many of us reach for a Spritz or Wine. But what about a Craft Beer? Beer is not something we often consider associated with Italy, but it’s a popular drink of choice, and in recent years the craft beer scene has really been growing. Tana Schwarz is here to tell us […]
  • The Decision to Leave Italy
    Italy is one thing when you are single. It’s another when you couple up. But when you have kids in Italy? That’s when things really start to look different. And as hard as it is to admit, having kids in Italy is sometimes the wake up call to see what The Real Life in Italy […]
  • Italian Wine: What you need to know living in Italy
    How much do you really know about Italian Wine? Truly there is way too much to cover in just a podcast episode (why I took the entire 2 courses to become an Italian Wine Scholar!) But I love wine, and I love telling people about how amazing Italian wine traditions are, so here’s my introduction […]
  • Italian TV Culture and History aka What’s Up with Temptation Island?
    How many times have you walked into an Italian’s home and seen the TV playing during dinner, or just nonstop? Have any of you really figured out what the deal is with Temptation Island? I had so many questions so I asked Rosa (you know her as Diary of A Dual Citizen) to come on […]
  • Childcare & Schooling in Italy: Or How Summer Vacation is a mess.
    After a classic Agosto ferie, The Real Life in Italy is back.This episode Evelyn is going solo to chat about why she had to step away in August, that being the childcare situation in Italy. We’re covering childcare in Italy from 3 months old to 4 years, what solutions you have for daycare, and what […]
  • Being Pregnant in Italy: What to Expect from Healthcare
    As highly requested, we are getting into the topic of pregnancy in Italy. This solo episode, I explore what you should expect from the healthcare in Italy when you are pregnant, what exams will they have you do, how are your doctors going to care for (or judge, honestly) you, and what choices do you […]
  • What Dating in Italy Looks Like
    In this episode of The Real Life in Italy, we’re taking a quick look at dating in Italy. And while I (that’s Evelyn, your host) have been out of the dating scene awhile, my good friend Sylvia is coming on to share experiences and thoughts, and tell me what all the kids are up to […]
  • Navigating Italy's Healthcare System as a Foreigner
    In this episode of 'Real Life in Italy,' we’re taking a better look at Italy's healthcare system—an essential topic for expats in Italy. The episode explores the details of Italy's public healthcare system, and the Tessera Sanitaria: what’s included, how you can access it as a foreigner in Italy, and what’s it good for. The […]