Italy is a country that is known for its art and architecture. Italy is in Southern Europe on the Mediterranean Sea and has various mountains. A family that decides to move to another country that they were not born in, are known as expatriate. With easy public transportation and great education opportunities, a family would be able to move to Italy and be able to live a more carefree simple life. In Italy, the most beautiful thing known is the geography relating to its locations, beauty, and climate.
When a family moves, they would be able to adapt and learn different holidays, festivals and siestas known in Italy. Education is more laid back and less expensive with no school in August, and famous renowned Universities. The Italians are especially known for the famous cuisine, being able to obtain fresh products every day, and the meal times for each course. The purpose is to persuade a family that the cuisine, education, traditions and geography would all contribute on why Italy would be a great country to live in. The country of Italy is big, which is why focusing on Rome would be the better place to live because it is the capital and focal point of Italy.
Geography in Italy is what will make someone want to fall in love. For a family, below zero temperatures in the winter could be what can make or break wanting to live somewhere which is why moving to Rome, Italy would be the best city to live in due to the cool winters. “Rome has a Mediterranean climate with cool winters and generally hot summers, which means that any time of year is good for visiting the city” (Civitatis, 2018).
Since Rome is in the center of Italy, its winters can get up to 54 degrees Fahrenheit with only a low of only 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Another great thing about Rome is it is along the greatest known river in central Italy called the Tiber River; which helps provide ways for people to trade goods and foods. The seven hills form the geographical heart of Rome and are intertwined in Rome’s foundation. Five of the seven hills are now sites of monuments and parks. Rome is centered around public squares where people have gathered for long periods of time.
Stone pine trees can be found along the Tiber River and are also called umbrella trees which can be used for shade and even as a food source. Architecture has a big impact by its bridges, temples and amphitheaters which make a family want to live in Rome for them to be able to see all the beautiful monuments. The most unique thing about Rome’s geography is that a city is located inside a city known as the Vatican City which it’s the most important archeological site. Many of the annual festivals are located within Rome’s main public squares.
Traditions are important for building strong relationships especially when moving somewhere new. When a family moves to a new country, they are not accommodated to that countries traditions. The romans are known to be fun seekers and love to socialize which is perfect for a new family. A festival that is every summer is called Lungo il Tevere which has a free entry and is perfect for families and young people. The festival offers food booths, sport activities and live performances that all could help a family socialize and better acquaint themselves.
All during the Christmas season, churches play live music that is played in large public squares that attracts hundreds of international visitors. An amazing tradition in Italy is called siesta time which people sleep for ninety minutes to two hours and every business shuts down from noon to 4pm. What an amazing excuse for a family to have family nap time without the thought of missing out on something. A fun tradition in Italy is on New Year’s Eve, people receive red underwear which is said to bring good luck and prosperity.
Traditions are also about experiencing new things which is perfect for a family. A tradition that is every year which can benefit kids in a family is on January sixth called Epiphany. It is a tradition that children can hang a stocking in the living room for the old woman Befana who will visit their homes during the night. Children can be rewarded toys, candy, presents. This tradition is like Christmas but celebrated thirteen days after and it is another way for children to get more presents. A tradition that plays a major role in a family life is the family importance. Families in Italy are very close and provide emotional support to each other. In Rome since it is in central Italy, families are known as more family-oriented. An Italian family’s social life has a lot to do with eating together. Food is an important part in Roman traditions.
Italians are foodies who love to cook and spend time together. The three most common foods in Italy are pasta, pizza and risotto which are eaten all over Italy. The main dish of Italy is called Ragu alla Bolognese and its known for its popularity in Italians and even known international. Cuisine is what makes Italians happy. “Italy will always have food to put a smile on her faces” (Bezzone, 2017). A family that has just moved to a new country will probably feel a little sad, which is why by moving to Italy the cuisine alone, will make a family become happy.
Rome is considered the best city known for its cuisine. The city of Rome has amazing pasta dishes and are even known for its amazing artichokes. The two main pasta dishes are Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara. Cacio is the word for Pecorino while Pepe means black pepper that is combined with a pasta to create its unique smooth sauce. Carbonara is made with spaghetti, pancetta, egg yolk and Pecorino Romano. With a family, they will want to try new foods, and Rome is the perfect city for a family to be able to do that.
Food is purchased every day from fresh food markets all around Rome and are world famous. There are no grocery stores that sell processed foods, instead there are markets with colors and a variety of herbs, fruits, and vegetables. The most common food market is Campo dei Fiori known for its best produce all around Italy. Not only is food amazing in Rome, but the wine is also well loved. The wine has less alcohol in it which is the best wine drink with pasta dishes. Wine is much cheaper in Rome ranging from only three to four dollars.
Dinner in Rome is served around eight pm which can be beneficial for a family because a lot of people are busy and work until six or seven pm. One of the best-known restaurants in Rome is called Antica Birreria Peroni. Tons of locals and tourists tend to come to that restaurant for the amazing sausages, steaks and grilled scamorza cheese that is loved by many. The best thing about the cuisine in Rome is that it is affordable, and a slice of pizza can cost only three dollars and fifty cents. That is perfect for a family that just moved to Rome and are on a budget that want to put the kids in school.
Education in Italy is not only affordable, but only lasts for two hundred days. A great thing about the education is parents can choose where to send the children, no matter the location from the school. That allows parents to send the children to the best schools for the best education. An amazing thing about the education in Italy is its free up until the end of primary school¬, which is at the age of eleven. School can be very expensive especially for an expat family, and Rome offers free education. Moving to Rome can be a wonderful experience when it comes to the education aspects of teaching children Italian.
“While the Italian school system has a good reputation, and is free of charge, expat parents often worry about the language barrier. If your child is still quite young, then immersion in an Italian education can be a valuable opportunity to become fluent in the local language” (InterNations, 2018). A family can worry about moving to Italy and going to school there because of the language barriers. Luckily for a family, Rome offers English speaking teachers to help and work with international students among all classes. Education consists of nursey school for three years, primary school for five years, and then upper secondary school if someone wants to attend. Nursey school is not compulsory but recommended and allows children from age three to six to be able to play and learn by recognizing numbers and letters. After nursery school a child can start primary school at the age of six and lasts for five years.
At primary school the subjects of English, Natural Sciences, Italian, Mathematics, History, Social Sciences, Geography, Physical Education and Musical Arts offer children a basic understanding. Secondary education is for eight years and consists of lower secondary and upper secondary. Lower secondary is known as middle school and only lasts three years until the age of fourteen. Upper secondary corresponds with high school until the age of nineteen. Rome offers three different types of upper secondary schools that depend of each students interests and achievements.
Liceo is a type of upper secondary that allows students to have a specialization in humanities, art or science. Istituto tecnico offers an education in humanities, economy, law, tourism and technology. The last type of upper secondary school is called Istituto Professionale that refers to vocational schools specializing in trades and craft careers. Italy offers a wide variety of schools based upon a persons individual interests which can not be offered in a lot of other countries.
School in Rome starts in mid-September and lasts until beginning of June. The schools consist of two terms and at the end of each term a student receives a pagella known as a report card with instead of letter grades, number ten(excellent) and one (impossible to asses) and a six or above is needed to pass each class. Majority of schools in Rome start at eight am and last only five hours, allowing students to be home by one pm. Only five hours of school is great for students who do not like to be sitting down learning for too long. Classes are Mondays through Saturdays which some students might not like but, that allows classes to be shorter instead of seven or more hours. Italy offers two type of Universities, Public and Private depending on how much a person can afford.
A great thing about Public Universities is the tuition and fees are primarily based on the annual income which can make school quite affordable. Private Universities are more expensive but offer a wide variety of scholarships especially for international students. Depending on the college attended, different scholarships are offered. The highest ranked university in Rome is called Sapienza University of Rome offering over three hundred different degree programs. Sapienza is the best University because of the best education offered at a low budget.
“We Save Your Money. We are able to offer the most qualified education even at the restrained budget. We will develop the enrollment and training strategy for you that helps to significantly save the total cost of education. Addressing to us, you have the highest chances to obtain additional funding sources” (UNIPAGE, 2018). An expat family wants the best education and Sapienza offers that by having a low cost of education for families that cannot afford it and even for international students. All three degrees can be obtained from this University from Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate all at a low cost. If someone is interested in attending a more Liberal Arts university, The American University of Rome offers Associates, Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Arts and Humanities, Communication, English, Business. This university offers a ninety-five percent acceptance rate making it easy for a student to get admitted and attend.
When a family moves to a whole new country a lot of things need to be taken in consideration, especially what city to live in. Rome is Italy’s capital and the heart of everything Italy has to offer. From the hot and enjoyable summers to cool and relaxing winters, makes Rome enjoyable to live in. The geography is beautiful by seeing the seven hills and the only city inside a city known as the Vatican City. Allowing a new family to explore and experience different traditions especially Epiphany for the kids to experience and learn to love.
Traditions and food impact each other by allowing different holidays to affect the food made. Cuisine in Rome can make someone want to live there by being able to eat different foods from fresh markets every day. A family that just moved to a whole new country does not have a lot of left-over money and may worry about putting the children into school. Rome makes it less stressful to live in because if a family has younger children, free education is offered until the age of eleven, that can give a family more time to work and save up. Based primarily off the cuisine, education, traditions and geography would all contribute on to why a family should move to Italy.