Expat. Phenomenon or state of mind?

Martina, Michele, and Tommaso, as well as DJ, Stefania and Emanuele. They just are a few of many Italians who have decided to leave the country where they were born, their homes, their daily lives and the familiar faces around them, for a potentially indeterminate amount of time. Technology is their best friend for working, living and sharing their new lives without having to truly leave everything behind. How is it possible in a society that raises flags, hymns and walls that scores of people keep deciding to move to another meridian? To start a family in another hemisphere? Not for reasons of war and famine (thankfully), but conscious choices, more or less reasonable- with a small dose of the ever important instinct- shared with their comrades, and the fervid need to live well, to build new families and networks and to not settle. It is about refusing to recognize geographic boundaries delineated by the map, dominated by the willingness and ability to adapt. Some make the move in order to achieve a quality of life better than that which they found in Italy, as their great-grandparents had done. Others do so for the insistent curiosity in their character and the ancestral need for discovery, evolution and change. Others still, inspired by the lives of others, one day realise the life they themselves have always wanted to live. Thus the path from destiny to phenomenon to state of mind is actually quite brief and maybe today could be one of the keys to tearing down physical barriers and imaginary boundaries.

TOMMASO - RECORD PRODUCER

Briefly, who are you?

I grew up in Lerici, the Gulf of Poets, in La Spezia. It is an amazing place that now I see in all its beauty when- all too rarely- I come back, but which I left at one point in order to pursue music. Music that brought me first to Milan, then to a thousand other places, and now to London.

Where do you live now?

I live in London, but, honestly, at I am at home everywhere, or out of place anywhere, depending on the day. Let's just say if I can learn something or discover something, I am happy.

What does it mean to be far away from home?

Today it is much simpler than ten years ago. I'm used to it a bit because the world is much more connected. Living in London is a little too chaotic every now and then but still very exciting.

“Expat” has a connotation of belonging and nationality...

I started to feel an immigrant after the outcome of the Brexit, and now we'll have to see how it goes.

The most interesting aspect of the country where you live?

Being in contact with cultures of all kinds that are VERY, very, VERY different. Learning from everything, you are forced to be much more tolerant and understanding.

How long do you plan to stay?

A variable duration between three months and three decades. We'll see where life will lead me. STEFANIA - TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE BLOGGER

Briefly, who are you?

I'm a full-time travel & lifestyle blogger at EverySteph.com. I am from Bologna, Italy, but last year my boyfriend at the time found a new job in Barcelona and asked me if I wanted to go with him. I am very lucky to have a job that allows me to live anywhere I want in the world as long as I have Wi-Fi so I jumped at the opportunity about 1 year and 3 months ago.

Where do you live now?

I am currently working on a cool blogging project in Bucharest, Romania (which is a great city, by the way) but I'm happy to go back to Barcelona next week and hopefully enjoy the warm weather and the beach!

What does it mean to be far away from home?

I have been traveling and living abroad in a few different places for years now, so I'm used to living somewhere that feels like home but not completely, if you know what I mean. No matter how many years you live somewhere, how well you know the language, there are always some cultural differences that you'll be reminded of from time to time. I do get frustrated at times in Spain and wish for a moment that I was back in Italy, but sometimes I feel extremely lucky to be experiencing life in a foreign culture. It opens your mind, it exposes you to new experiences and people, it enriches you in a way that only someone who has lived abroad can understand.

“Expat” has a connotation of belonging and nationality...

I am objectively an expat and I have no problem to referring to myself as such, but there are some negative connotations to the term, so I try to be more than just an expat. The expat community sometimes end up being very self-centered and self-righteous, so I try and make the effort to integrate in the place I am as much as possible. I try to meet locals, not just other expats, and to go to places that aren't mostly made for expats.

The most interesting aspect of the country where you live?

The fact that nobody cares about what the other people do and wear, so you can really be yourself.

How long do you plan to stay?

I'm planning to stay just for a few more months, then I'll probably move to Thailand for the winter.

MICHELE - FRONT-END ENGINEER AT FACEBOOK

A little bio

I originally come from a small town on Lake Garda called San Felice del Benaco, where I grew up and spent most of my life. I moved to the UK with my wife and my son who was four months old at the time in September 2014. I was looking for new exciting job opportunities and I heard from some friends who were already living there that London was one of the best places in Europe for Software Engineers.

Where are you now?

I still live in London, because I found what I was looking for. The tech scene there is amazing, Software Engineers are perceived as a resource rather than a cost (as opposed to in Italy), and there are many kinds of opportunities for everyone.

How does it feel be far away from your country?

In the beginning, changing countries, habits and being away from the rest of my family was hard. Luckily, we've felt comfortable from the start. London is awesome in the way it makes it easy for foreigners to access the basic services (e.g. you can do most of the bureaucratic stuff online). Our relatives and friends come visit pretty often, we Skype people who are not able to fly and we made a lot of new friends in the city (from different countries).

The word "expat" has a strong meaning of belonging, of nationality…

Expat means I still have an Italian citizenship, which is true. I also feel proud of the way I grew up in Italy, and I'm thankful for the values that are now part of my culture and myself. I did my best in Italy to get the most out of my job, and I tried to improve the system but unfortunately something is deeply broken there. That's why I decided to move to a more meritocratic country.

T

he best thing about your new country?

The best thing about London is the opportunity that the city gives you. I left Italy with an underpaid temporary contract, and I've now been hired as a permanent employee at Facebook.  My wife (who has a degree in Mathematics) couldn't find a proper job in Italy, and she ended up working in a coffee bar during the summer. Now she's Ops Manager in a Startup in East London.

How long do you plan to live there?

Before moving out of Italy, I had no idea I would have ever been able to live in a different country. Now, I feel I can go anywhere. I'm not planning to move out of the UK at the moment, but I don't see myself staying there forever. I'm also quite sure I'm not moving back to Italy anytime soon. DJ - TRAVEL BLOGGER AND ENTREPRENEUR

A little bio

I'm from the Philippines. I am currently based in Germany with my partner. I moved to Warsaw in 2009 to get a Masters in International Business as a full scholar of the European Commission through the Erasmus Mundus program. Since then I have lived in different countries in Europe. I have lived in Stockholm as well as in various cities in Germany.

Where are you now?

I am currently living in the west part of Germany in a city called Essen. It's very close to Dusseldorf and Cologne. The quality of life is great here and Germans are very friendly and welcoming so I feel very much at home.

How does it feel be far away from your country?

Personally, I love travelling and living abroad, so for me it's been amazing to be doing just that. I have lived on my own since I was 17 when I moved to Manila to go to university so it doesn't feel odd to me to be away from my family. I am used to it. It can be a bit sad at times because I miss my family and friends back in the Philippines. But I go back home every year and my family and friends come to visit me in Europe sometimes so it's okay. With the advancement of technology, I get to talk to my family and friends almost everyday.

The word "expat" has a strong meaning of belonging, of nationality…

I actually don't feel like an expat in Germany nor do I consider myself as one because I am self-employed and I work at home or on the road. Most of our friends are Germans as well so I don't hangout with a lot of other expats. In a way I don't feel like I am living the usual expat life of working for a company who organizes everything for you and hanging out with coworkers or other expats in your office.

The best thing about your new country?

Very high quality of life!

How long do you plan to live there?

I've been living in Germany for almost 4 years now with my partner. We are planning to move next year either to Madrid or Berlin. We will see where the wind takes us in the next months!

MARTINA - COLLECTION MANAGER AND REGISTRAR AT THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM

A little bio

I was born in Milan, but I am now close to my 7-year anniversary of living and working in the States. It all started with a study abroad program I did while I was studying for my masters in the Netherlands, at Utrecht University. Back in those days, I never thought I was going to live and work abroad like other friends of mine. At the end of this 6 months process I found myself between two options: a masters in the UK, and a paid summer internship in the United States. I picked the summer program in the States, and three months abroad, quickly became something more extensive.

Where are you now?

I am currently living and working in New York City. In 2015 I was working in Western Massachusetts as Associate Director of an art gallery located inside the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts, but I wanted to relocate to New York to live closer to my boyfriend. I love New York City. I held a managerial job with lots of responsibilities, as well as room for growth. I can build a position within the institution and New York’s museum and art scene.

How does it feel be far away from your country?

Most days I am pretty fine. I do miss my family, and they miss me, but I am very lucky to have their support. New York City is particular world inside the States, or as many say it’s a “happy liberal bubble,” but I lived in a fairly remote area in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, as well, and in both locations I never felt out of my comfort zone.

The word "expat" has a strong meaning of belonging, of nationality…

The connotation of “expat” has changed with time and circumstances. I do not use the word. Somehow “expat” has a bad or guilty feeling to me. I am proud to be Italian, and at the same time I am constantly explaining and challenging colleagues and friends on modern Italian culture, history and political contexts. I think right now I feel like I have two homes and two countries, although I am not a naturalized American. Both countries are home and I consider myself an active citizen keeping up to date with politics and civil life happenings of both nations.

The best thing about your new country?

The best thing about United States is the feeling I can “make it” because of my skills, hard work, and passions; that with honesty and organization you can become a point person in any institution and you can grow and become part of team, no matter where you come from.

How long do you plan to live there?

I am not sure. I think I would like to have kids and raise them here for a few years. I like New York City’s pre-K, kindergarten, and elementary school curricula and programs. Beyond that I am not quite confident with the American school system, but I believe that a dual education and mind-set with Italian/European and American could be a great gift for a future human being. EMANUELE - WRITER

Briefly, who are you?

I was born in Italy, in Marche, and I lived my childhood and early adolescence years in a small village on the coast, a few kilometers from where I was born. I never stopped moving. At the age of 21 I ‘emigrated' for the first time to Berlin where I lived for 2 years. And I still have not stopped: first Rome, then Florence and then Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris, Freiburg, Paris again, New York, and Paris again.

Where do you live now?

I live in Paris, because I work here (I teach at the university), I have a girlfriend and a daughter, both French.

What does it mean to be far away from home?

The only life possible. Remaining where you are born is how to never begin to breathe. Or refuse to open your eyes for fear of seeing too much light.

“Expat” has a connotation of belonging and nationality...

I find that the word expat is tied to fascist imagery and the logic of assassination that leads to the massacre of everyday life in the Mediterranean. The connection with one's birthplace is like a strange form of reverse astrology: instead of defining oneself as beginning from the position of the sun and other heavenly bodies at the moment of birth, taking it as a given that position that one occupied birth. Saying one is Italian or French or German has the same value as saying that one is a Gemini ascendant Libra, or an Aries or a Taurus: they are labels that can be useful in a conversation at the dinner table, but basing a life (or even political stance) on the basis of these qualities is pure superstition. Can you imagine a state that integrates only the Gemini and not Taurus? Or even massacres the Scorpios simply because they were born in November? Like anyone else, I'm French when I live in Paris, American in New York, and Italian in Florence. The rest is just superstition.

The most interesting aspect of the country where you live?

The art, the fashion, the cheese and especially the fact that in Paris, like in any metropolis, you can live in a way that has nothing do to with being a 'national.’

How long do you plan to live there?

I would love to leave tonight to the United States, Canada, Dubai or Beijing. But all will depend on the business needs of my partner (who is a director and artist). I follow her.

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