It’s been a whole MONTH since we moved to Sicily, Italy! We’ve made it through the flights, unpacking, and all the logistics of moving abroad … and it’s starting to feel like home here.
Except … it’s nothing like home!
(Pssst … if you’re just here to see cool photos of our time in Italy, keep scrolling to the very bottom for a handful of my favorites!)
Here are a few ways Sicily is unlike any place we’ve lived before:
We live in the shadow of a volcano. Actually, one of the world’s most active volcanoes - Mount Etna. (Luna always says, “See that? You see that volcano? Isn’t that cool?!”) It last erupted in December 2018 and they say the volcanic ash is the reason the food here is so good! Speaking of food …
2. We almost never go to the grocery store anymore. Instead, we visit the butcher, the baker, the pasta shop and the local fish market where we find all our fresh fruits + veggies. And we purchase food by the kilo (“mezzo”) or ounces (“etti”) instead of by the pound!
3. Coffee shops are called bars, we pay in euros instead of dollars, and the oven is in Celsius degrees. I’m still getting used to the money!
4. We don’t have Walmart or Target. Or really any of the major stores we’re used to … instead, there’s a store called Auchan which is sort of the Italian version of Walmart. (Amazon delivers but it takes 1-2 weeks for packages to arrive. First world problems, I know!) And the stores/restaurants have weird hours - most close for several hours during the afternoons.
5. Drivers are next-level aggressive especially in the city. Stop signs are just suggestions, honking is socially acceptable, and mopeds weave through the tiniest gaps in traffic. They joke that the center line is the middle lane here … expect it’s not a joke! People actually drive on the center line between opposing lanes of traffic! And that’s just the beginning - sometimes you get stuck behind a flock of sheep or people will stop to talk to an old friend - literally in the middle of the road - while holding up traffic. We’re still waiting on our second car to arrive but that’s okay … I’m a little nervous to drive!
6. Everyone LOVES children but you rarely see them out. It’s almost strange how few children we see. I’ve heard a few theories about why and I’m not sure how many are true. All I know is that people stop to talk to Lu + Stella everywhere we go :)
7. There’s an obvious language barrier. It’s funny how simplest things become a lot more complex when you don’t know the language. Can you imagine walking into a store with only foreign labels?? Or trying to find a bathroom (“bagno”) and then realizing you don’t know how to say it? Or you need an ambulance but you have NO IDEA who or how to call. There are so many things you take for granted that you just don’t know when you move to a foreign country.
8. We’re living on a military base for the first time ever. And it’s honestly not bad. I’ve heard all the horror stories but I really love where we live. There are parks on every corner, the houses are spacious with high ceilings, and there’s a little daycare spot at the community center. There are also basketball/tennis courts and a SKATING RINK (ordering my roller blades right after this LOL). Plus we’ve already made friends in the community - we’re planning a trip with another family two weekends from now!
Which brings me to my favorite thing about Sicily …
9. There are a ton of travel opportunities! We’ve already been to Siracusa, Taormina, Motta, Catania, Brucoli, and Isola Bella. We’ve seen ruins, castles, and the bluest water I’ve ever seen. And there are still so many other places to see and things to do - not just in Sicily but also the rest of Italy/Europe. Here are a few photos from local places we’ve been exploring:
It’s honestly breathtaking here! And we’ve had so much fun traveling with the girls. Stella is always up for whatever and Luna was literally skipping for joy when we visited Fontana dell’Elefante (did you see the pictures above? They’re the ones where she’s wearing a striped shirt!).
Anyway, I’m sure there are a few more things I meant to talk about. But that’s all I can think of for now! And I guess what I’m trying to say is … life is different in Sicily. We miss our family + friends back home a TON but also … we kinda love it here :)
With love,
Lace + co.
P.S. Are you PCSing to Sigonella?! Let’s connect using #sigonellmoms!
