Living Abroad

Many dream of pulling up stakes and living abroad. Spain, France, Italy - ah, that Mediterranean lifestyle. Warm sunny days, evenings spent on the terrace with a cool glass of wine and a view of the mountains or the sea. The excitement of learning a new language, the challenges of experiencing a new culture. Taking a tumble-down old place and turning it into the home of your dreams.

There are some wonderful stories to inspire your thoughts in this area. Stories which talk both about the challenges of living abroad and the wonders of it. Stories which tell about the day-to-day living and make you say, 'Oh, THAT'S what I want to do!'

My three current favourites are A Year in Provence, Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy, and A Good Year . All three are warm, funny stories about people who have picked up sticks and moved to Italy and France. They have each also been made into movies, A Good Year , A Year in Provence, and Under the Tuscan Sun .

Is it really like those movies if you take the plunge and start a life in a new country? Nothing is exactly like the movies, but some things will be similar, some can be more challenging and some can be better! I moved to England to start a new life and met my husband - sounds just like a movie, doesn't it?!

Anyhow, something for a rainy day and a little dreaming!