Political Moving to that Socialist Utopia, Italy

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Tin Foil Hat Equipped
I think it's kind of funny the who will pick our vegetables mindset. What if I'm a citizen and pick vegetables for a living? Before Joe opened up the border who picked vegetables? Does everyone that came across the border pick vegetables? I have looked at the price of vegetables and I'm quite sure it is high enough we could pay someone to legally pick them, I don't feel like I'm paying slave labor prices for my vegetables.

As for buying a house for a dollar in Italy... What do you have to do to get it livable? What kind of bureaucracy are you going to have to go through to live there? Will you be picking vegetables when you get there?
 

02SE

Well-Known Member
Location
Millcreek, UT
I think it's kind of funny the who will pick our vegetables mindset. What if I'm a citizen and pick vegetables for a living? Before Joe opened up the border who picked vegetables? Does everyone that came across the border pick vegetables? I have looked at the price of vegetables and I'm quite sure it is high enough we could pay someone to legally pick them, I don't feel like I'm paying slave labor prices for my vegetables.

As for buying a house for a dollar in Italy... What do you have to do to get it livable? What kind of bureaucracy are you going to have to go through to live there? Will you be picking vegetables when you get there?
The houses they showed in a mainstream media (I believe it was NBC) story I watched relating to this, were in small, remote villages where Italians had moved away, leaving abandoned houses. The houses themselves looked like good candidates for being demolished, and starting over from the ground up. Not exactly the windfall some would like to believe.

As I said, my neighbors love to go back and visit their family and homeland every couple years, but they are always grateful to come home, and are very glad to be Americans. The neighbors have stated that Hotels, etc have Air Conditioning, but very few Italians, especially those living in older buildings, do. The cost of electricity and energy overall, is a big factor in that.
 

Stephen

Who Dares Wins
Moderator
Don't forget, that Italy is run by literal FASCISTS, just like the US now! So factor that into your desire of socialized healthcare, better schools, and more freedoms...


(I'm being sarcastic, Meloni isn't a fascist in the same way that Trump isn't a fascist and Harris wasn't a Communist. Meloni is a lot better looking that Trump, though...)
 

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Stinkwater
no public land as a massive downside
You're not wrong, but the one upside to this, at least in northern Europe, is allemansrattan - every man's land. Private landowners don't have the right to stop you from crossing or using their land, as long as you're not doing anything that deprives them of their own use.
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
The houses they showed in a mainstream media (I believe it was NBC) story I watched relating to this, were in small, remote villages where Italians had moved away, leaving abandoned houses. The houses themselves looked like good candidates for being demolished, and starting over from the ground up. Not exactly the windfall some would like to believe.

As I said, my neighbors love to go back and visit their family and homeland every couple years, but they are always grateful to come home, and are very glad to be Americans. The neighbors have stated that Hotels, etc have Air Conditioning, but very few Italians, especially those living in older buildings, do. The cost of electricity and energy overall, is a big factor in that.
Ya, neither does San Diego or Hawaii lol. It's not like Italy is next to death valley. Rome is south ish and is comparable to Portland in longitude. Those mid 70s days will cook you.

No ac in Italy lol. You're lucky you can have all them guns because you're getting soft ;)

My close friend served his mission in Romania and married a girl he met there. They live here, and are talking about moving there because she already owns an apartment and a house there, and their daughter would get free school all the way through college and she'd be able to make a lot more money as a teacher there.

That said, he's on board and she's super hesitant. I think lots of people, particularly in rural European areas where access to jobs is limited and access to higher education and/or training in a trade is limited, don't want to give up the access to so much that you have here. We take it for granted, but I also think there are poeple that are fully burned out by being so plugged in and in a rush all the time and would happily move to a far flung corner of Italy to eat cheese, fresh food, and work remotely. Ya those free houses are not livable, but I'd bet you'd have a way cooler space spending $500k to rebuild/restore a place like that than what you could buy for that in most of the US.
 

02SE

Well-Known Member
Location
Millcreek, UT
Ya, neither does San Diego or Hawaii lol. It's not like Italy is next to death valley. Rome is south ish and is comparable to Portland in longitude. Those mid 70s days will cook you.

No ac in Italy lol. You're lucky you can have all them guns because you're getting soft ;)

My close friend served his mission in Romania and married a girl he met there. They live here, and are talking about moving there because she already owns an apartment and a house there, and their daughter would get free school all the way through college and she'd be able to make a lot more money as a teacher there.

That said, he's on board and she's super hesitant. I think lots of people, particularly in rural European areas where access to jobs is limited and access to higher education and/or training in a trade is limited, don't want to give up the access to so much that you have here. We take it for granted, but I also think there are poeple that are fully burned out by being so plugged in and in a rush all the time and would happily move to a far flung corner of Italy to eat cheese, fresh food, and work remotely. Ya those free houses are not livable, but I'd bet you'd have a way cooler space spending $500k to rebuild/restore a place like that than what you could buy for that in most of the US.

The lack of AC is just one data point, and in some areas it is a significant issue to quality of life. My naturalized American Citizen neighbors are the ones who told me that, and it was a big deal to them and their relatives who still live there. Imagine temps in the mid-90's or higher, with humidity about the same, but unlike most of the civilized world you can't just turn on your AC, and be comfortable. Apparently it's a big issue for lots of current and former Italian citizens. But, you'll believe what you like...

I have enjoyed trips through Italy (and throughout Europe) but I am always glad to come home.

As for guns, what are you talking about? I don't recall ever mentioning guns on here...
 
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N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
My wife spent a few weeks there as they have good family friends that live there and own a BNB. According to her not only do they not have A/C (most think it’s bad for you) but they also do not shower regularly.

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shortstraw8

Well-Known Member
I always thought the getting surgery in Mexico because its cheaper was funny, probably an ex American doctor that was sued for malpractice divorced and mexico is the only place they can afford.

Half price boobies and you can't sue me ever.
 

anderson750

I'm working on it Rose
Location
Price, Utah
I always thought the getting surgery in Mexico because its cheaper was funny, probably an ex American doctor that was sued for malpractice divorced and mexico is the only place they can afford.

Half price boobies and you can't sue me ever.
I am sure there are some of those. Her consult was done in San Diego, so was not the case with this doc.
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
The lack of AC is just one data point, and in some areas it is a significant issue to quality of life. My naturalized American Citizen neighbors are the ones who told me that, and it was a big deal to them and their relatives who still live there. Imagine temps in the mid-90's or higher, with humidity about the same, but unlike most of the civilized world you can't just turn on your AC, and be comfortable. Apparently it's a big issue for lots of current and former Italian citizens. But, you'll believe what you like...

I have enjoyed trips through Italy (and throughout Europe) but I am always glad to come home.

As for guns, what are you talking about? I don't recall ever mentioning guns on here...
That's fair. I guess I probably wrongly associate the more outward expressions of United States nationalism to those that are also very passionate about gun rights.

What do you consider "civilized"? Just curious. What percentage of the world would you consider "civilized"? What is your standard?

This is purely speculation, but I'd guess 6 of the 8 billion people in this world don't have ac at home. It's actually kind of interesting to consider. I wouldn't say 75% of the world is uncivilized though. Maybe 10%? 5? I suppose that depends on definition.

The public land thing is a big one for me too. I think things are just different in Europe, and that's not better or worse. There are us citizens that would/do love that lifestyle and there are Europeans that would/do love ours. They may not have as much public lands, but most of Europe (at least the places I've been) have a much more direct connection to their land. The food supply is more locally sourced and the communities have a lot of pride in themselves and their history and in their higher degree of self sufficiency. There are similar lines to draw, but it is different .
 

TurboMinivan

Still plays with cars
Location
Lehi, UT
Having already lived in Italy for two years (LDS mission), I know I could live there long-term and be happy. Sure, I'd need to make a few lifestyle changes from how I live right now, but it's nothing I couldn't manage without degrading my overall happiness with life.

For years now, I have told myself that when I retire I will sell my home here and move east--perhaps back to Ohio, but I am also open to many other states such as North or South Carolina, Tennessee, and so on. And because houses are so much cheaper out there, I could sell my Utah home today and--simply with my current equity--buy a home outright back east and also buy outright a not-perfect-but-definitely-liveable home in the central/southern Italian countryside as well. Then we could go back and forth every few months as we desire. My wife is similarly intrigued by this idea.

As for those $1 homes, I did look into them when I first heard about them years ago. Yes, they are total disasters which need complete renovation (if not flat-out demolition and just starting over). There are also many homes which, while perhaps needing some work, have not been condemned and could be lived in right away/very soon and could be worked on while we live in them. I've seen many for ~$50k or less (or at least I did back then).

Would we actually do this? I'm not really certain. I know we would definitely move east first, get settled in, and then evaluate our situation from there. My wife is not really into owning lots of stuff. Instead, she would rather travel and have experiences. Since we've been together, I have seen the light and am slowly morphing into the same mindset. I have finally begun going through my things, selling a few of them and just throwing out many of them. It has surprised me how liberating this feels. Perhaps someday this transition will facilitate my dream of multi-continental home ownership.
 
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