Phases

It’s widely acknowledged there are several phases of retirement you’ll likely encounter.

I know. Been there, done that ... worn out the T-shirt!

Using an It analogy here...

1. Firstly, there’s ‘Realisation’: Your retirement date’s arrived;
2. Followed by the ‘Honeymoon Period’: No need for alarms or another commute. You can chill!
3. Then comes ‘Disenchantment’: The gloss of retirement wears thin. You may become bored, directionless, and maybe even suffer depression;
4. Succeeded by ‘Reorientation’: You find out some adjustments are needed to improve happiness and fulfilment; and
5. Finally, there’s ‘Stability’: You’re fully adjusted and acclimatised to this new reality.
And then, hopefully, you’ll find both contentment and confidence.
Why do I bring this up? Okay, because I’m retired, but also because it’s exactly like settling into a new country, y’see! I’ve seen it in myself ... and seen it with many others immigrating here. Whether in person, or on the several ‘expat’ Facebook groups I belong to.
Now I’m an old cynic (blame 35 years in IT), but believe me here: The ‘Honeymoon Period’ will not last forever. You’re so excited to be here? I get it. But it’s just a phase. One us ‘old hands’ have all been through.
Then again, the ‘Disenchantment’ phase shouldn’t last your lifetime either. Things aren’t like they were back ‘home’? It was/is so much better there? Alright. I get that too.
But then life’s all about adjustments: Good and bad … retiring or simply living. With that realisation comes inner peace.
You’ll find yours...

“Google it...”

There's an anecdote, attributed to Oliver Cromwell, that reads: “Trust in God, but keep your powder dry”.
It's a good maxim ... whether you have faith or not. You wouldn't jump out of a plane without first checking you needed a parachute, would you? So why is it so many seem to rely on (seemingly) blind faith when it comes to moving somewhere new?
I am, of course, talking about moving to Sicily.
As mentioned above, I actively belong to several ‘expat’ Facebook groups, and they can be a source of uber-frustration! I'm being polite here, but the downright ... naivety ... of some people is breathtaking.

There's the (anonymous) poster who asked about whether buying an olive-producing property in Ragusa (my) province would result in “any form of extortion, through organized crime members...” Then foolishly asked for comments.
Another, obviously fresh off the plane in Palermo, stated they’d found over-flowing bins, and “faeces all over the side walk”. And, because of this, went on to say they didn't want to “give up on my Sicilian dream just yet.”
Then there's the person who bought a 16m² ‘tiny house’ from a local company for €30,000. The workmanship was awful, so were legitimately complaining. Regardless, that's €1,875m², when the island average (2023) is €1,129m².
The lack of work here seems to somehow shock people too. While Italy’s jobless rate is falling, the unemployment rate in Sicily is over double the national average.
Don’t rely on blind faith: Google it!

End on a High

Time to focus on the positive...
It’s easy to complain about Italy’s infamous bureaucracy, the unnecessary hurdles sometimes placed in your way, and the many other ‘hiccups’ we’ve experienced post-move, but I don’t dwell on those.

Don't try this at home...

I saw a post recently on an expats Facebook page that boldly stated: “La Dolce Vita doesn’t exist. It’s just some delusional dream created by some IG [Instagram] content creator.” Albeit Fellini couldn’t possibly have posted about it in 1960.
Regardless, my reply was: “You just gotta look harder yeah…” Because it’s true, sorry. Not sorry.
Y’see, it takes work and dedication to be able to score your own personal “Sweet Life”. But it’s f’sure obtainable! And that’s no matter where you are on this planet. It’s always the little things, the more positive things, that stand out to me the most here in Modica.
Things like the naked beauty everywhere: The history, the Mediterranean, the wild flowers.
The church bells ringing from 8am to 8pm every day.
The patience of the locals with both me, and my (frankly) doubtful Italian!
The curiosity many have about us, and (most often) why we’re here. And their delight when we say we’re permanent.
The kindness and friendliness of the many people who’ve helped us along the way. Several of whom we now consider friends.
That feeling of safety when walking about, no matter the hour.
The creativity of the locals when it comes to overcoming obstacles.
What’s not to love?
Life’s sweet!

More Soon...