My name is Isabella. I am a Brazilian from São Paulo, and I moved to Italy just five months ago. Having the opportunity to share my experience and perspective as an immigrant is a wonderful situation. My family and I moved here because of my father’s job: he was transferred from his company in Brazil to one in Piacenza. For me, that meant an incredible opportunity, as well as a complete recalculation of the route toward my personal goals and future.
Until a few months ago, I had never visited another country, which made the cultural differences stand out all the more. The people, the house I am living in, the food, the school system, the weather, the fashion, the bureaucracy, and even the daily rhythm are all completely different.
That shift in rhythm was definitely the biggest change during my first months, especially because I arrived right at the end of the work year. São Paulo is a massive city of over 11 million people, so moving to a city of around 100,000 like Piacenza is quite a contrast. Getting used to shops closing by 8:00 p.m., businesses taking an afternoon break, restaurants serving only during specific meal hours, and having to reserve almost everything in advance was completely new to me. Brazilians, especially Paulistas like me, are always running; we hardly ever slow down. Living in a place that actually stops, even just for a few moments, is refreshing—though certainly hard to get used to! It forces me to plan ahead much more.
In my experience, that extended somewhat negatively to bureaucracy. It was extremely complicated to get appointments and sort out all the necessary documentation to stay in the country. Fortunately, no major complications arose. In Brazil, the process is quite similar, but a higher level of digitalization really helps speed things up a bit.
I have to complete two years of Scuola Superiore here, and after spending the last three months in school, I can say it is a whole different level. The time school starts, the fact that I don’t have many afternoon classes, not having a uniform, having oral exams, and the different dynamic with teachers are all completely new, and at times they make me feel like a little kid. This is even more true because I didn’t have much time to learn the language before coming to Italy: I am mostly capable of understanding everything that is said, but not yet fully comfortable speaking and writing in Italian.
I also noticed a huge difference between Italian students in Piacenza and students of the same age in Brazil. While my peers here care about school, they truly focus on living in the moment. Back in Brazil, my friends and I were already stressed about college, training for entrance exams, and practicing how to handle them. We had fun, of course, but high school was basically a direct preparation for university. Having to learn to slow down in this respect is something I still haven't quite managed to handle.
My classmates are very kind people, though a bit more reserved than most Brazilians I know. I suppose part of this comes from regional culture and my own limited communication skills in Italian, but overall, every Italian we have met has been wonderfully nice and welcoming to me and my parents. They were all very friendly, patient, and helpful. I am especially grateful to those who invited us to dinner or out to hang out; those were extremely pleasant experiences and a great way to learn more about the culture.
The food is amazing. Even though it differs greatly from our daily diet in Brazil, I have nothing to say except that it is the best pasta I’ve ever had, the antipasti are out of this world, and the prices for groceries and dining out are much more affordable compared to Brazil—which is a huge plus for me. Another thing I truly enjoy is the level of culture, history, and the constant flow of events, even in a small city like the one I live in. In São Paulo, events happen all the time, but in smaller Brazilian cities, that is rarely the case. It is also much easier to travel within the country than in Brazil, which is fantastic.
I am still getting used to the weather and figuring out how to dress for it without freezing or overheating, as it always seems extremes—either too hot or too cold, based on the months I've spent here so far. Having a home heater is also completely new to me, a totally fresh lesson. I am learning how to practically never open the windows, how to manage the heating system, and all of that.
Basically, this is a very new, culturally rich experience, and my impressions so far have been overwhelmingly positive. I haven’t had much time yet to travel around the country or build a large social circle to weigh all the pros and cons of Italy. However, as someone privileged enough to arrive with stability and possessing basic language skills to buy things and ask for information, the journey has been delightful—despite the expected difficulties of relocating across continents.
© Punto e Virgola
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