# Long term plans



## observer-for now (May 2, 2011)

Hello Everyone, 
My wife and I are on a mission to find that good corner for our retirement, we are still 10-15 years from realistically settling down for good, but could take some concrete steps soon (buy property etc..) if and when we find the right spot. Italy is at the top of the list for us, we have visited the place many times and love the culture, climate and people. 

I would greatly appreciate any feedback from people familiar with the life in Southern Sicily, It is an area I never visited, I plan to go there on holiday. It may sound funny/stupid to some but I am a bit concerned about the impact of the Mafia/if any , on retirees/expats. I plan to lead fairly low key lifestyle (as I have always done)

Has anyone experienced problems with organized crime while trying to run a farm down there, that yields good crops that could become commercial, or Olive trees plantation.

Any thoughts/ideas will be welcomed


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## italy (Aug 21, 2009)

many will say there is no problem and to be honest its most probably true if you look at it as the ability to live without fear of having your house broken into or car stolen..

if you have a wider sense of view then virtually all the areas have distinct problem regarding water that is drinkable that is if you have a regular water supply, coastlines that are rife with radioactive contamination and high ..in fact super high levels of cancer.. and the prospect of anyone any time building a factory outside your front door..

all of the above is due to the variety of organized criminality in that area..and each region of italy from the heel to the roma / pescara border has pretty well the same problems.. super high levels of cancers and other diseases due to the dumping of highly toxic waste which then enters the local food chain and water supplies..

apart from that your posting suggests a farm business which would definitely be controlled via payments made or being forced to use various transport or other firms that you will have to use or the produce will remain on your farm..

ok i will get shot down for saying all the above too many people have too much interest in keeping it all quite or by making stupid jokes about getting gunned down in the street.. but its easy.. the sinking of ships carry radio active waste from the italian nuclear plants..yes they did have them.. were at the start all sunk off the sicilian/calabrian coasts and are now leaking into the sea.. thats the most dangerous of the substances.. but that area has been used for many years for less obvious controlled dumping with materails of highly toxic nature and if you read the report on where they were building say the new area for the G20 meeting that was moved from sicily there are reports there that the harbour they were building is unusable because the toxicity is so high its unsafe for human existence

or look up the owner of Turin football club and you will find that family has a hundred hectares or so of petro chemical refineries on the island where most of the people that live and work in that area die of cancers before even mid age..
thats the danger of the mafias .. 

the other point is they are now heavily involved in developing alternative energy sites.. windfarms and photos electric farms.. the industry is now largely run by mafia controlled companies that allows them to clean money.. the long term aim ..is another point altogether.. by getting permits to erect alternative energy solutions in areas that before would have never been allowed to be developed its sets a precedence of construction.. and they will go back in a few years time to the comune with plans for EU based grants for development areas to build useless factories in useless places.. so if you see a windfarm on the horizon there will be a lot more to follow in terms of development.. they have more interest in waste .building and transport than drugs...


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## observer-for now (May 2, 2011)

italy said:


> many will say there is no problem and to be honest its most probably true if you look at it as the ability to live without fear of having your house broken into or car stolen..
> 
> if you have a wider sense of view then virtually all the areas have distinct problem regarding water that is drinkable that is if you have a regular water supply, coastlines that are rife with radioactive contamination and high ..in fact super high levels of cancer.. and the prospect of anyone any time building a factory outside your front door..
> 
> ...


Hello, 
Many thanks for your insights. I appreciate that it takes years of observation to notice the fine shades in a society and I think you gave me plenty of food for thought. I will be interested to follow up on your leads with some studies on the health situation in the areas you mentioned, if one can get reliable figures at all.

We are simply looking for a low key place , a quiet corner that also does not cost a fortune.

Many thanks again


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## sheilamarsco (Jul 2, 2010)

*moving to italy*

try abruzzo.......... beautiful scenery and house prices relatively low.





observer-for now said:


> Hello,
> Many thanks for your insights. I appreciate that it takes years of observation to notice the fine shades in a society and I think you gave me plenty of food for thought. I will be interested to follow up on your leads with some studies on the health situation in the areas you mentioned, if one can get reliable figures at all.
> 
> We are simply looking for a low key place , a quiet corner that also does not cost a fortune.
> ...


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## enzocchio (Apr 23, 2011)

*movin to sicilia*

hello My name is Vince
If you lookin to move to sicily should look a vilage called Baucina wich is located minutes from palermo in wich i own property there I will be retiring in sicily also with 10years 






observer-for now said:


> Hello Everyone,
> My wife and I are on a mission to find that good corner for our retirement, we are still 10-15 years from realistically settling down for good, but could take some concrete steps soon (buy property etc..) if and when we find the right spot. Italy is at the top of the list for us, we have visited the place many times and love the culture, climate and people.
> 
> I would greatly appreciate any feedback from people familiar with the life in Southern Sicily, It is an area I never visited, I plan to go there on holiday. It may sound funny/stupid to some but I am a bit concerned about the impact of the Mafia/if any , on retirees/expats. I plan to lead fairly low key lifestyle (as I have always done)
> ...


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## observer-for now (May 2, 2011)

enzocchio said:


> hello My name is Vince
> If you lookin to move to sicily should look a vilage called Baucina wich is located minutes from palermo in wich i own property there I will be retiring in sicily also with 10years


Hello Vince, 

Thanks for your feedback. 

Any chance of you expanding a bit on your experience in Sicily for the benefit of the ignorant. Would love to hear how long have you been around visiting and what do you see as the strong and weak points of settling in Sicily.

Any thoughts and feedback are appreciated


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## enzocchio (Apr 23, 2011)

ooooh my friend at least 2/3 of life...An i have an italian citizenship and a 1 year of mechanical college i say the strong the see nary and culture and a slow pace of life FOOD the weak?? lots of corruption unfortunately pending wear you are... 




observer-for now said:


> Hello Vince,
> 
> Thanks for your feedback.
> 
> ...


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## Zen-Ghost (May 9, 2011)

Thanks you for the discussion. Very helpful as I am working toward residency in this coming year.

Thanks.
Alan


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## enzocchio (Apr 23, 2011)

*job*

finding a job there?near impossible 



Zen-Ghost said:


> Thanks you for the discussion. Very helpful as I am working toward residency in this coming year.
> 
> Thanks.
> Alan


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## Zen-Ghost (May 9, 2011)

enzocchio said:


> finding a job there?near impossible


Thanks, Enzocchio,

Actually I'm retiring with an income so I won't have to be seeking work. Thank you though, my understanding is the same that work for a non-Italian citizen is few and far between. Probably my biggest concern is the Euro-Dollar exchange rate over time.

Alan


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