September, full of promise
A typical Italian high schooler’s stack of books. Dictionaries not pictured. Back to School, il rientro/ritorno a scuola First things first, back to school happens later here in Italy than in the majority of US States. While I write this, Florence is fairly empty, there is little traffic, and people are definitely still at […]
Croce e delizia, a blessing and a curse: On chosen exile, place and home
Road Trip! “Expatriates voluntarily live in an alien country, usually for personal or social reasons. Hemingway and Fitzgerald were not forced to live in France. Expatriates may share in the solitude and estrangement of exile, but they do not suffer under its rigid proscriptions.” Edward W. Said, Reflections on Exile I have been back in the […]
Taxing Italy
Demystifying the process of filing tax returns in two countries 🥸 As a US expat parent living in Italy with minor dependents am I eligible for the US child tax benefit? It’s April and that means one thing for those of us from the United States, it’s time to file your tax return! Let’s be […]
Il Corbezzolo: Eternal Symbol of Italy
Let’s talk about the strawberry tree, or arbutus unedo, in Italian il corbezzolo, and its importance in Italian culture. This photo was taken during a walk with Frankie, our Sicilian rescue pup, in the woods just outside of Florence.