# Sicily!



## Jennyblaney

Hi everyone, 
I'm new to Expat Forum but thought I'd give it a go to try meet new people and get information! 
My boyfriend and I are currently living in Singapore but are moving to Sicily early next year.. Possibly around March. We were looking into living in Syracuse since it will be near-ish to where he is working (he will be working in Pozzallo). 
Anyone have information on renting a place, if there is an expat community, or general information?! 
Syracuse is not for definite where we will stay but thought it might be a nice place with a little more happening! 
Thank you kindly in advance! Jenny


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## KenzoXIV

Hi Jenny,

I am new to the forum too. I am in Cefalù desperately seeking work. I have found finding work desperately hard in Sicily. I can't speak for Syracuse but Cefalù, Castelbuono and Palermo I have had great difficulties. I have also really struggled finding an expat community around Cefalù which surprised me as I thought there would be plenty here as it is very touristy. I rented a place though an agency, you pay more this way but it was pretty painless for me and my fiancé. Immobiliare have lots of places which are available or casa.it. I hope I can post other websites here.. I am not sure.

Anyway best of luck hunting!


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## Jennyblaney

Thanks for the reply! 

I will be unemployed for a while I think, until I can at least speak Italian as I think further south there may be less English speaking locals. This worries me a little with being bored & meeting new friends.. Hopefully I can just throw myself into things! 
Thanks for the tip for renting, I will have a look  
If you are ever in Syracuse, get in touch & we can meet for a coffee! Ciao !


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## yukilemon

Hi Jenny and Kenzo,
my name is Yuki, I'm new here too. I live in Agrigento for more than a year now. Been to both Cefalu and Siracusa.

Finding someone to speak English here in Sicily is in fact not easy, not to mention about expat community. My bf is a Sicilian, and the very rare few that speaks good English. He told me that in Catania and Palermo (he studied in Palermo before) might be easier to find some expat communities or youngsters who speak English. My experience tell me that without Italian knowledge, it is almost impossible for you to communicate at public offices and social life might be zero. Even my bf is Sicilian, still people will give up talking with you because Italians find it difficult to express themselves in other languages. So, like my bf always said the best way to get a normal life here is to learn Italian (sad to say, i'm still unable to communicate in Italian). Oh and my bf said Kenzo, you are lucky u that you stay in Cefalu, a touristic city, because people understand better English. 

After more than a year here, I think the Italians that I speak to most of the time is the bakery man near my house. Very sad really, considering I'm a super talkative person  So, hopefully I can find something interesting to talk about in this forum ^^

Good luck to all of you..and we need to master the language in order to have a real Sicilian life...
Ciao Belle...

Yuki


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## Lorren

Hi I'm also moving to Sicily next year (pozzallo) we have visited and iv found it hard as even if they do speak English they prefer to italian but I hope to pick up more italin by spending more time there. Ill be staying with my partners family so I kind of have to learn fast as they don't speak English


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## lochsong

Hi to all 4 of you!! I'm very relieved to have found this page!! 

We are "maybe" moving to Sicily next year. Still waiting to hear details of the offer from husbands company! They like to leave it late. His contract is likely to be around 12-18months. I do know there will be my hubby's boss and his girlfriend/wife coming too. (If it all works out with offers that is )!

I've been researching like crazy as I have 3 boys aged 6,5 and 7 months. Can't seem to find a lot of expats there although I'm sure I heard Noto is popular with British expats. 

The job is also in Pozzalo so I've been looking there, Modica, Marina di Ragusa and Noto to name a few. Renting appears to be easier to do on the ground as such. Mainly I keep finding holiday villas!!!! I'm well aware the language barrier will be difficult and also that learning Italian isn't great as they speak Sicilian (not just a different dialect). We will be getting a tutor hopefully! 

Hopefully we will all be near each other and can help each other out!! Its so hard when the expat community is small. I have been to Batam, Indonesia and it was literally me and one Australian family on the whole island. Oddly enough I "met" my bud from Oz on an expat forum when researching Indonesia. We are still the best of pals . Jenny, I used to cling to the ferry on way back from Singapore!! It was so depressing leaving Singers to go back every time!!


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## KenzoXIV

Lorren said:


> Hi I'm also moving to Sicily next year (pozzallo) we have visited and iv found it hard as even if they do speak English they prefer to italian but I hope to pick up more italin by spending more time there. Ill be staying with my partners family so I kind of have to learn fast as they don't speak English


Wow, that stirred recent memories. I moved to Castelbuono with my partners family. It was an...experience.. It was a major lifestyle change and I have been to some very different places but there is nothing quite like here. The way things are done can be baffling at times and they are very stuck on "The old ways" I find. What I find most amazing is most Sicilians I have met will say things like "Yeah we know its strange, and not the best way to do it, but its how we do it and we have to live with it.."

I do love it here but I would say I am far from adjusted to it, just need to take every day as it comes, learning italian is a must though. I struggle just to buy bread. Also learn Italian not Sicilian. Most Sicilians will speak Italian and those who don't tend to be the elderly generation who won't have left their hometown from birth. Italian is more useful as you won't just limit yourself to Sicily in future as well.

K14


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## lochsong

That's good to know Kenzo. When searching online I got a lot of negative impressions thst even if you learned Italian its still not good enough! Obviously that is not the case!


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## Jennyblaney

Hi everyone, 

Thanks for all the information.. We've started Italian lessons but as we all agree, it's not Sicilian!! Especially learning Italian in Singapore!! Hopefully we will pick up more when we are there and get some help along the way  

We're still not sure on where to stay. Lochsong... I'm the same as you and just found villas everywhere but a few Italian websites that, of course, we don't understand! Again, hopefully my boyfriends company will help us in some way with getting set up. 

Lochsong... Are you Ross's wife by any chance?! I'm happy we will at least know each other when/if we move and can struggle together!!!


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## lochsong

Hi jenny! Yes!!

It wasn't until after I posted I realised it had to be you! I'll pm you later in. Just mad hour here at the moment!


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## KenzoXIV

Throwback Thursday.....(On a wednesday...)

Hey just looking back through old posts just wondering how everyone got on with their respective plans. 

We are still in Sicily (although moved back to UK for a while) We are now finally all set up and going well. It was a long old road to get to where we are!!

Hope all has worked out in your respective plans 

Kenzo


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