In the photograph are two of the most kind people I know- Tony and Marg. It has been wonderful having all their tips for living in Reggio Emilia and taking trips to other places. We have had fascinating conversations about life in Italy and a good laugh at the things I have found challenging and frustrating. Often the conversations end with, ‘IT’S ITALY!!”. They have returned home to Canada now and I am still living at their house while I continue to apartment hunt.

The other day I was relaying some of the other kind acts which I have experienced to my sister Rob, who said to me, “you will have to write about some of these things”.

So I have decided to take her advice and share a couple.

Apartment hunting has been a massive learning curve. It is a complex web of intricacies.

First things first…where exactly is Reggio Emilia? It is up North, situated between Milan to the North and Bologna to the South.