Pietro seemed concerned that I would be leaving Milan and, for that matter, Italy.
It’s not really about whether I remain in Milan. I am here and it is my home. I cannot, currently, return to the UK and I don’t want to. Milan’s weather may not be brilliant but, overall, it is much warmer and we get many more days of sunshine (although I sit here freezing to death, right now); the food, whilst it can be a bit ‘samey’ (for me, pasta is pasta is pasta – which I love but, really, different shapes DO NOT TASTE DIFFERENT) is, generally, of a much higher standard than in the UK; the people – well, to be honest, they’re much the same as in the UK, except for this ex-pat thing which, I believe, forces stronger ties than you get than if you are in your ‘home’ country and, as a foreigner, you are, for a while at least, almost exotic to the ‘locals'; the dogs – Rufus is getting a bit old to drag back to the UK and Dino hasn’t had his rabies shots yet.
And it’s not that I would feel like I had ‘failed’ by going back, although some people may see it that way. I don’t care about that. For me, wherever I have been it has been my home. The only place I would consider (given a choice, and if I had to) moving back to would be Herefordshire – but there are no jobs and I don’t really have any ties there.
So, Milan is my home and that is the way I intend it to stay. I still, in spite of everything, think that this is the best city in the world for me! And, right now, the only city. I love this place; my friends are here (not all of them, of course); my work is here (and I earn a good salary even if I may not always love my job); I’m used to it, in spite of there being the usual trials and tribulations of living as an ex-pat.
So, right now, I’m here and here to stay. I cannot say for 12 months, 5 years, forever – only the immediate future.
Wherever you are, the problems of being you travel along. That, at least, is the lesson life taught me in my 20s. Very frustrating: Montreal, Washington, London, Buenos Aires … it didn’t matter; I was me.
I have a very cursory knowledge of Milan, but it felt to me like a very human-scale city. Sophisticated, yet also homey. Enjoy it to the fullest while you’re there.
That’s the other lesson: be in the moment and the place. It’s amazing the number of things I missed about very interesting places I lived because I had my head buried in the sand.
“Wherever you are, the problems of being you travel along.”
True, one is still oneself.
And I agree with your feelings of Milan and I try to enjoy it to its fullest – why be here otherwise?
Thanks for the comment, Cecilieaux.
Ciao
Good for you that at least you earn a good salary!
When I chosed to stay, the salary was not one of the considerations, since it was not and it is not now so high compared to similar position in different companies. However, I like what I actually do so I stay. And I stay here because my family and especially my friends are here. Even if I do not see them so often as I would, I know I can call them and have a night out. Life is really strange. You plan something, and if you are lucky things go as you would. But you can be unlucky (guess who?) and just when you think “it’s done!”, everything changes. As I already said, things can change again. I hope so. Or I’ll change. But I choose, not someone else, parents or friends.
Good for you, Pietro. Of course you can be unlucky. Overall, I would say I have been very lucky in my life and, for that, I am very grateful.