Any curiosity about life in Italy? How it is really like to live in the northern part of the boot shaped peninsula?

So, I am a father, I love and have cats and dogs, live in a small town in northern Italy, and and I work full time in a field related to software, technology and loosely transportation. I also lived in Rome, one of the biggest northern italy metropolies, and in smaller places like Pisa.

In a previous life I traveled around lots of the world and in my current life I am training for an Ironman.

All of this, while living in the above mentioned country.

Specially for US lemmiers, but also people from other parts of the world, anything you want me to explain, clarify or just answer about all of the above?

  • ShimitarOPAEnglish
    5·
    2 hours ago

    Well, for what is worth i voted to have the citizenship timeline reduced in the last referendum on the matter.

    Currently, you need to be born from italian parents (at least one) to become italian, there is no ius soli (however you write that, i might be italian, but my studies of Latin dates back long ago), but you can marry or civil-marry somebody and get citizenship after some 10 years (IIRC). That referendum was trying to lower that time to 5 years. Which means that you pay taxes, but cannot vote or get a passport for that time. Actually, in some cases you can vote for local elections i think (not 100% sure which ones) but not political, european or state wide elections.

    I believe that if you contribute to the country, live here with plans to stay forever (or for a reasonably long time) and elect Italy as your country, you should be allowed citizenship.

    Nothing really changes from this perspective. I can tell you that in small places people are not very keen to give cirizenship easily, while in big cities people are more open, like mostly every where i guess.

    Anyway, without citizenship you need a “permesso di soggiorno” (permit to stay) which is kind convoluted, annoying and short lived to get. It expires often (yearly?) and it takes months to renew, so you cannot leave the country for big chunks of the year a time, and you get accomunated to “illegals” because well, you are one of them until you get your permesso renewed. I have friends who needs one, and it’s kind of annoying. Longer work contracts of study could help with some 3 years long “permesso” but it’s hit and miss i am told.