Living in Italy: The Real Deal - How to survive the Good Life

In 2008 Stef Smulders, his partner Nico and their dog Saar emigrated to Italy to start a new life and set up a B&B. Stef sold his home, he left his friends and family behind and took a leap into the unknown. Five years on, he shares his experiences in a collection of witty short stories describing the trials and tribulations of their emigration: what it was like to buy and renovate a house, to import a car, to gain residency, and much much more... In the end, all obstacles are overcome, albeit sometimes with a surprising Italian twist. The reader is introduced to the full range of Italian characters, from the trustworthy to the rogue, from the gentle to the shameless... all of them endearing. They are all flesh and blood Italians, sometimes conforming to the stereotype, at others unexpectedly original. Yet they never fail to amuse. Italians and their ways... Trouble and strife are guaranteed when you decide to live amongst them. But Stef is undaunted. He manages to turn his Italian adversity into entertaining stories, warming the readers' hearts to the charms of 'la vita Italiana'.