Life is a journey full of surprises and unexpected changes. Sometimes, the route we didn't anticipate takes us to amazing adventures. This is the story of how I followed my heart and embarked on a life-altering adventure that took me from Washington DC to Puglia, Italy. Moving
I grew up outside of Washington DC to two immigrant parents, my mom is Italian and my dad is Polish. Since I was a kid, Italy has been a special place in my heart and a place I've always dreamed of living in one day. Every summer, I eagerly anticipated the moment I could pack my bags and head to the airport to visit my extended family.
Growing up, my mom was determined to teach me Italian and signed me up for various language and culture classes. I am grateful for that now, as learning the language and becoming a dual citizen has only ignited my connection with the country.
My original post-graduation plans had always been to travel. I had been saving money since my first job in high school, and I was determined to travel all over Europe immediately after graduating college, and before settling into a career. This plan quickly changed when I graduated in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon graduating, I stayed at home to live with my parents, and began my first corporate job, working fully remote in marketing. Moving to
As the world slowly began to open up again, I couldn't help but feel discouraged in the direction I was headed. I didn't feel ready to throw myself into a career yet, and I was taking weekend trips and staycation where I could to make up for my "lost" post-grad travel experience. After months of feeling stuck and unfulfilled at work, I went on a vacation with a friend to Bari, Italy for the first time and completely fell in love. It had been 2 years since I was back in Italy, and I was overwhelmed with the familiar sensation of my second home.
I came back from that vacation with a flame ignited within me. I knew I wanted to go back and live there, and as soon as the idea came to mind, I simply couldn't get rid of it. At this point, I decided to share with my boss my big plan: I was going to continue working remotely from Italy, for only 90 days (or so I thought). After a bit of back and forth with HR, my plan was accepted, and I was off! Moving to Italy from the USA
So, how did I end up in Bari? Well after doing a lot of research, I decided on the factors that were most important to me in a new city: I didn't want to be in a place too touristy, I wanted to be near the sea, and I wanted to be in a city with a university scene so I could meet people my age. And that's when I remembered just how much I loved Bari when I visited.
The planning process was exciting yet confusing - I couldn't seem to figure out how to secure an apartment while still being in the US, and my spoken Italian was nearly non-existent. I ended up making a very expensive decision and booked a 1 bedroom Airbnb in the heart of the city... I figured I could splurge a bit, after all, it's just three months!
And for three unforgettable months, I immersed myself in the rhythm of life in Puglia.
This decision was truly life-changing, and my first experience of freedom. I had no structure from school, or a 9-5 office job, or living under my parent's roof. I was living all by myself for the very first time, and working my remote job in the hours I pleased. I threw myself into uncomfortable situations, forcing myself to practice my Italian with locals at the grocery store, and new friends I would meet later on. I was taking every weekend trip possible, dipping my toes into solo travel. I rode a high of excitement those first three months, and they were nothing short of magical.
As the three months drew to a close, I was growing more and more nervous to leave. For starters, I only booked a one-way ticket...looking back now I realize I always had the intention to stay past three months, I just hadn't convinced myself yet. I had just started forming some solid friendships and getting myself settled, and I found myself yearning for more (surprise, surprise!).
It truly took me weeks of discussions with myself, my family, and my friends to decide if I should stay. My job was only allowing me to stay 90 days for legal and tax reasons and I was faced with the decision to come back home to a life of stability or take a leap of faith. To be honest, every single person was telling me to come home. It was the safe option, I could keep my job, save up my money, and always come back in the future. But this option wasn't good enough for me, and my heart kept telling me to stay. It wasn't until one phone call with my friend living in Spain, who finally told me "Gaia, just do it."
I still remember that exact phone call and that exact day, when I finally decided that I was going to quit my job and stay. The next day, I put in my two weeks' notice with my only plan being to "figure it out along the way." That day was one of the most freeing and exciting days of my life. In July of 2022, I made the hardest decision of my life and decided to follow the unknown.
So, where am I now? Well, immediately after I quit my job, I caught a severe travel bug and was non-stop booking new trips. I had friends from home who wanted to visit me, friends living abroad whom I went to see, and some solo travels of my own, and I ended up adding 12 new countries to my passport in 6 months.
It's been almost two years since I moved to Bari, and I finally have built a community here. I have made many new friends, I'm in my first serious relationship, and I even started working at an Italian travel agency in the city. This experience has been challenging in every way possible, from making new friends to figuring out bureaucratic things on my own. I have been forced to grow so much as a person, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I cannot wait to see where this journey continues to take me!
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