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I had some time to kill, so I may as well go through the list and see what I’d achieved.Just for fun…
I opened the page:
1) Learn Italian
Well, I was no Italian linguist, but thanks to Geli’s lessons, Lorenzo and living here in general, I could get by. I understood a lot more than I did before and could communicate on a basic level. Including knowing how to ask for desiccated coconut and tell someone where to go if they tried to insult me. Who knew you could learn so much without structured lessons and textbooks? Mastering the language was never going to be something I could accomplish in just a few months. It would takeyearsof practise. But I’d made a promising start and wanted to continue learning.
2) Make Some New Friends
Definite check. I know people always say they’ll keep in touch, but I genuinely felt like in Geli, I’d made a friend for life. I was so glad I’d met her.
When I’d made the list, I wanted to make friends mainly to have someone to talk to so I didn’t feel so isolated. But Geli had helped me realise not just the power of friendship but also the benefits of feeling like you had your own little community, which tied in with point number three…
3) Be More Independent
I’d always thought that to do better in this town I needed to be more independent. But actually, sometimes to beindependent, you needed todependon other people. Whatever I thought of her, without Marta looking after Leo, I couldn’t have gone to the Italian lessons. Without those lessons, I wouldn’t have met Geli and found an amazing friend who did so much for me. I wouldn’t have met Holly either and been around to help her. Holly was another friend I wouldtotallystay in contact with.
4) Sort Out My Sex Life
Ooooh,yes, yes, YES!Lorenzo and I were back in business in the bedroom in a big way.
When I thought back to those early days, I’d put way too much pressure on myself to be some sort of sexual goddess. In the end, letting things happen naturally and going at my own pace was what worked for me.
It may have taken longer than expected for my mojo to return, but Lorenzo and I had definitely been making up for lost time. Ever since Marta had left, we hadn’t been able to keep our hands off each other. Especially that night Geli babysat Leo and Lorenzo took me to Florence for a slap-up meal to celebrate the sale of the business. After dinner, we stayed at the same hotel we visited last time and let’s just say we put that giant bed (in fact, the whole room) to good use…
Yep. When it came to getting jiggy, it had been just like old times. Leo had very considerately been sleeping through the night, which has given us time to enjoy each other. As Bella had reminded me, babies could be unpredictable, so these hours of freedom to frolic probably wouldn’t be forever, but we were certainly going to enjoy them whilst they lasted.
5) Get Back Into Shape
When I’d written the list, I’d been obsessed with getting back my old body shape, when what I needed to do was learn to accept my new one. Now I found that taking a balanced approach and working out two or three times a week was a million times better than forcing myself to do it every day.
Was I always going to love what I saw in the mirror every single time? No. Of course I’d have my bad days, just like everyone else. But I was happy and healthy. I wasn’t going to beat myself up about eating the things I liked. What was the point of living in bloody Italy if I couldn’t enjoy a slice of my favourite crushed Florentine orange cake, a plate of pasta or some delicious gelato? It was all aboutla dolce vita, baby! And if I was really worried about the calories, there was always the option of doing an extra round of bedroom gymnastics with Lorenzo to help burn them off…
6) Have a Good Relationship with Lorenzo’s Mum
Hmmm… when I’d put this on the list I had been determined to make Marta like me, but that was never going to happen. Some people just aren’t meant to get along.That’s life. I’d accepted that Marta and I would never be best buddies. For starters, there was no way I’d be able to forget all those bitchy things she’d said. But we had an understanding.
Since she’d moved back to her house, I’d made it clear that access to Leo was on terms that Lorenzo and I both agreed on. Any time she’d spent with Leo was deliberately ‘supervised’, so one of us was always with her. After what she’d done, that wasmorethan reasonable. Even though she’d said sorry and done that awkward hugging stuff (which, let’s face it, was only because of the recording), she couldn’t expect me to trust her straight away. She would need to earn that back over time. But I had a heart. I knew seeing Lorenzo and Leo was important to her, even more so now we’d be moving away, so I’dtryand be as civil as possible. Within reason…
7) Get the Business Back Under Control
Ha!Well, this one hadn’t quite turned out as planned… I’d thought getting things back on track was the answer, when actually what I needed to do was let go of it altogether. Now I’d sold the business I was much happier. I wished I’d done it sooner rather than running myself ragged, trying to juggle all those balls, but everything happens for a reason. At the right time. In the right place. With the right person.
Rhonda seemed to be settling in well, and when I spoke to the clients and the team, they seemed to like and, most importantly, respect her. She had kept on most of the staff. Some took the sale as an opportunity to leave and pursue new career paths, including Harrison. He was getting ready to go travelling for a few months, which was something he’d never got to do as he had come to work with me straight after uni. Then once he returned, he’d consider his options.
Robyn was now working four days a week and was doing much better. She still had a while before she went on maternity leave. She wasn’t sure yet whether she’d continue working in PR after the baby was born. Time would tell…
As for me and my professional future, I’d decided that for once, I wasn’t going to overthink or make a formal plan.I know, right? Miracles do happen.
I’d spent so many years focusing on the business and now I wanted to take some time out to enjoy my son. I knew that wasn’t an option for a lot of women. I was lucky. Like Mum had said, babies grow up so fast and I’d be silly not to make the most of my situation whilst I could. I’d finally decided to rent out my house in London, which would give us an income. I had the money from the sale of the business, and Lorenzo would also have a salary. Who knew what the future would bring and how long it would be possible for me not to work, but for the moment, that was what I was going to do.
In the meantime, to keep my brain ticking over, I’d approached an expat blog about writing some articles on finding my feet in Italy. There wasn’t any money in it, but it wasn’t about that. I wanted to give myself a little hobby and help others. If one of my tips could help another person coming here for the first time to avoid the challenges I’d had at the beginning, it would be worth it.
If I was being totally honest, though, I knew myself. At some point I would get itchy feet and want to dive back into having a career again. In fact, there were a couple of business ideas I’d been mulling over, which could bereallyexciting for me and Lorenzo…
8) Enjoy My Life in Italy
Although of course all of my experiences in Chiorno hadn’t been perfect, Ididhave some really fun times. The lessons with Geli, Holly and even Daphne, the fun trip to Florence with Lorenzo, Roxy, Bella and Geli and a few other occasions.
