About

What is Blog from Italy?

I suppose, in many ways, you could say that Blog from Italy is about my coming to terms, or not, with life here in Italy. Although the name of this blog refers to Italy as a whole, I write this from Milan in northern Italy, where I live and work, and have done so for some time.

If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to live in a place in which modern and monumental collide, then I hope this blog may enlighten you. Could even give you some holiday ideas too!

Or, perhaps you are likely to be coming to Italy on business regularly in the near future, or maybe you are about to be re-located to Italy for a few years by your employer. In either case, Blog from Italy will give you some insight into how Italy functions. And I know that many overseas companies have bases in Milan, so if you are about to be transferred to Italy, then you may well find yourself here.

Blog from Italy, it has to be said, is a somewhat eclectic mix of observations and anecdotes, sometimes positive and other times, negative, on the trials and tribulations of life in one of the world’s only living museums, better known as Italy. Sometimes, though, I can’t resist commenting on non-Italian things.

And, because I love living in this complex, but wonderful country, I am using this site to provide a sort of world-wide shop window for anything Italian that catches my little eye. Another aim is to promote interesting, and not too well known, Italian businesses, services, and art.

In addition to helping people understand how Italy works, I also hope that Blog From Italy can become a window to the world for all that is worthwhile in this country.

Italy has given me a lot, so now, I want, in my own small way, to give something back.

And, should you find yourself wishing to know a little more about Italy, there are two shops which will develop to sell all things Italian, from guide books to coffee, and from pasta to coffee cups. Both shops are run on an Amazon platform, which means that buying anything will be about as secure as things get on the Internet, as all the payment stuff is handled directly by Amazon - dot com or dot co dot UK. However, to be doubly secure, use a rechargeable type credit card.

The US Shop is for anyone on the other side of the Atlantic to me, whereas the UK Shop is those of you who live in the UK or Europe. A quick look at the prices will tell you which shop you are in - Prices in Dollars = US Shop, Prices in Pounds sterling = UK and Europe Shop.

If there is anything you would like to see in the shop, do let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.

10th October 2007, NEWS: I have appointed Gaetano Salvo, who inspired me to attempt to take this blog to a higher level, as an, for the moment, unpaid researcher for Blog from Italy. He has and will continue to kindly provide ideas for articles and I will write them.

More than 850 posts so far, and counting!

IMPORTANT: Adsense

Please note that the Google Adsense ads that appear on Blog from Italy do not form part of any affiliate scheme or any charitable donations scheme. Indeed, the advertisers who use the Adsense system pay to place ads. So please, do not click on the Google Ads thinking you will be helping this blog donate to charity. You will not be. All you will do is manage to have me banned from the Google Adsense program, which means Blog from Italy will lose income and may not be able to continue. Many thanks for reading.

Dedication

This site is dedicated to Gaetano Salvo, student, loving father, and all round Mr Nice Guy. He inspired me, as did a few others, including that Woman Wondering, Di Mackey, who apart from writing a mean blog, takes wonderful photos. I also dedicate this site to all the wonderful Italians who I have met through the course of my work as an English teacher here in Milan. And I don’t want to forget Cri, my long-suffering other half, who finds it difficult to put up with me at times!

Italy is a great place. I want to make it better. And I know that some who hail from India and Iran, amongst many other places, love the Living Museum too.

A little more about me

Me!OK, here is the boring stuff about me - the guy in the photo on the left. I’m an over 40 year old English teacher, translator, blogger, webmaster, amateur photographer and all round technology buff, ok, nerd. I can install and set up things like Wordpress and Joomla!, and I can tinker with CSS and HTML when I need to. Oh, and I am not a journalist, which is something I feel as though I ought to point out, in the unlikely event you end up with this mistaken impression.

During my stay here I have acquired an Italian other half, Cristina, and a son called Martin, not to mention the recent addition to the household, Atman, our Manchester terrier puppy and, in addition to the dog, I have also acquired a reasonable ability to speak and, just about, write in Italian.

Many years ago, I was born in England, but don’t try asking me where I am from, because I really do not know.

In the dim and distant past, my Italian ancestors went to the UK from Milan, so I suppose you could say that I’ve come back to my roots. I love living in Italy and think that it is possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth, so I’ll be staying here for some time to come, I imagine.

In the course of my life here I have built up quite a lot of ‘local knowledge’ especially with regard to Milan. If you are coming to the city for any reason, or actually want to live and work here, I know recruitment consultants, a few lawyers, a commercial real estate consultancy and have a few other contacts who may be of use.

Just drop me a line via the contacts page and I’ll let you know if I think I can or can’t help out. I’m also good at tracking down information about anything and everything on the Internet, and my knowledge of Italian can be very useful in this respect.

Don’t worry, I won’t ask for money for any of my attempts to help! Unless, that is, I start finding myself snowed under with requests for information about everything and anything, but I don’t really think that will ever be the case! If you do happen to find my assistance particularly useful, then an Amazon gift certificate would be greatly appreciated, but by no means feel at all obliged to do this.

OK, now you know a wee bit more about me, and you will learn more by reading my articles.

Enjoy my blog. And do not forget to dig around the Everything and subjects sections - you may well find a few interesting posts from the past. The ‘Similar posts’ feature should also help you to excavate yet more stuff.

Please leave comments, if you feel like it. Or use the ‘Contact Me‘ page to get in touch. And don’t forget to have a browse around my shops.

All the very best and thanks for reading,

Alex Roe.

Blog from Italy

Blog from Italy researcher: Gaetano Salvo