Back again for another chat with a local that I love – a very dear friend of mine, Megan! I met
her a few years ago and was very thankful I did since we both had very similar life situations. She makes living and working in Florence, Italy look easy when it is anything but, and I have always held a really high respect for her refreshingly honest East-Coast attitude and fun personality. Plus she also happens to make one of the best fried eggplant and cheesecake I have ever tasted. What better time than the present to harass her with my questions! ;-).

Introducing Megan: name – nationality– profession – favorite drink

Megan DeAngelo- American- Personal assistant, Peach vodka, soda, lime

So megs, How long have you lived in Florence and where are you from originally?

I’m originally from Massachusetts and have been living in
Florence for just over five years now.

I love that so many people I meet in Florence are from around  the Boston area! What brought you to bella Firenze and why did you decide to stay?

I have Italian roots on both my mother and father’s side so I had always been interested in coming to Italy. I studied abroad as an undergrad and then made plans to come back for just six months…that turned into a few years of many different jobs, getting my Master’s in Italian and then finding a job, two actually, that I really enjoy. I don’t think I ever made an actual decision to stay in Florence, I always said I would stay as long as I was happy and could make it work.

What are you up to in Florence? Work, daily life, passions?

I work as a personal assistant for two different people, one is the president of a wine
company and the other is a journalist specializing in food and wine.

Food and wine… so I am a little jealous! What annoys you about Florence? Tell
me the truth!

Don’t ask me, just ask any fiorentino- they’ll be glad to tell you all about it!

That has to be one of the best answers you could give, brava! Do you think life in Italy is for everyone? Why does it work for you?

I think if you’ve made the decision to move to another country, you are already curious and interested in a different place and culture …don’t ruin it by criticizing the whole thing. That said, I know how frustrating it can be at times to accustom yourself to certain ideas and situations. I think there’s a fine line between respecting life in Italy and knowing when to question it, I try to find that via di mezzo. Inoltre, ho imparato subito a non uscire mai di casa della mia suocera senza ‘sciarpina’ (anche in agosto ci può essere un po’ di vento) e non provo mai a contattare il mio fidanzato quando c’è la viola- figuriamoci!!

So that is why Americans get funny looks when they wear flip-flops in the summer.. What advice would you give a newbie?

Learn the language, spoken and written. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, embarrassing
moments always make for good stories, at least in my case.

I am pretty sure sharing our ‘most embarrassing moments in Italian language
stories’ was how me and you bonded! Three finds/places everyone should know about in Florence?

The Chiesa di Ognissanti , Teatro del Sale and the view of Florence from up at Bellosguardo. Neither of them have anything to do with the other, but they all can’t be missed! There are a few more good ones, but I have a to keep some secret!

As long as you take me to the ‘secret’ places.. What’s the weirdest thing you have
seen/experienced in Italy?

In 2010 I was on a Ryanair flight from Pisa and to Valencia and people were actually smoking on the plane, and the best part was the pilot asked them politely ‘to refrain from doing so!’

If that was anywhere else, those people would have been courtmarshled! What can you do here and nowhere else?

Florence’s location is really ideal. A few hours north and you can go skiing in the Dolomites and then a few hours south-west over to Elba and you can sit on a white stone beach and swim in turquoise water. And of course all the spring and fall activities in between; tartufo festivals, a picnic at a local farm, wine tastings.

How did you make friends and assimilate?

Once you’ve lived here for a few years, you realize how small of a city it really is. I’ve met a lot of people through friends we have in common, Florence kind of operates in that way, it’s nice.

Favorite food {or recipe}:

There are a lot to choose from but one that stands out is baccalà alla livornese. It’s one of those dishes that I truly enjoy eating out, I never make it at home.

Thanks Megan for sharing with me a little bit about you and your life and outlook in Florence. I am eagerly awaiting our next girl date complete with a bottle of vino and maybe some of those cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles {love saying that name} you make ;-). Arrivederci!