After six weeks in Switzerland, we found that it wasn’t as easy to find work as we had hoped. With the high cost of living and no job prospects in sight, we decided to make a change. Since I’m Italian, it made more sense to head to Italy where it’s easier for me to find work, and the cost of living is more manageable.

We’re looking forward to settling into life here, reconnecting with family and friends, and exploring more of the country. Italy feels like the right place for the next step in our journey.

Sunday 02.03.25 

( Night at: Mio Hostel, Milano ) 

We woke up early, packed everything up, and headed to the bus station to catch the 7:35 AM Flixbus. The ride was long and uncomfortable, with the bus being packed, and our only stop was at the Novara autogrill for a quick food break. Carmel and I had been arguing since the night before, and she had already decided to book another hotel. When we arrived in Milan at Lampugnano, I took the metro and then a bus to reach my hostel, while Carmel went to her hotel. After settling in, I took a much-needed shower, relaxed for a bit, and went out to do some grocery shopping. In the evening, I reached out to Carmel and invited her over for a chat, since I hadn’t replied to her all day. We managed to talk things through and, thankfully, cleared the air and she slept over. 

First week in Milan from 03.03 to 10.03

( Pic Nic at Parco Sempione on Woman’s day, Milan ) 

Monday woke up did few calls to understand what to do for the marriage while Carmel went to grab her stuff in the other hotel then we had pizza for lunch, spent all noon together and then for dinner pizza again under the hostel which the name of the restaurant is Pizzeria dallo Zio and then we went to sleep spending the night at the Hostel. Tuesday woke up we went to lidl had lunch then Carmel went to do the lashes and I Supposed to have an interview in Lugano in a bar I didn’t go stayed home and when she got back we went to buy some notebooks and food for dinner and then we went to sleep as a last night in the hostel. Wednesday woke up early went to an interview at 10:30 am in Milan for an internship then back in the hostel packed everything and took an uber to the airbnb where we checked in. We had the noodles and then we went to visit the gym, went around for the Caf immigration offices stoped to have an ice cream then we went to penny to do groceries and then back home having dinner and sleep. Thursday I woke up early in the morning got ready and I went to Vignate to do an interview for a logistics interview and then I took the train and the metro to meet Stacy in duomo where we had lunch at Bar Principale Piazza San Alessandro then I took the metro back home and I went to Carmel to subscribe to her Italian school and then we started at the new gym doing the first trading and then had dinner at home together and sleep. We woke up at 7 AM, got ready to go to the gym, and then Carmel went to school. I stayed home to organize a few things and had two interviews: one at 10 AM for an accounting position and another at 12:30 for a buyer position. After that, I went to the Penny supermarket to buy a few things and cooked lunch for Carmel, who came back from school. We spent the afternoon together at home, chatting. In the evening, we had an aperitif and dinner while watching Il Gattopardo. We woke up at 8 AM, went to the gym, and then got ready for a walk around Milan, as the weather was amazing. We took the metro to the Bosco Verticale, walked to Piazza Gae Aulenti, and then continued to Corso Como, where we stopped at Grom for some ice cream while admiring the Gucci murals. I bought mimosa flowers for Carmel for International Women’s Day. Afterward, we stopped at Rom Antica Pizza for some slices of pizza and headed to the Sempione Park, where we had a picnic by the castle. We then walked to the Duomo, passing by Starbucks Reserve. There was no carnival at the Duomo, so we took the metro back home and spent the rest of the evening together. We woke up feeling very tired, so I spent some time on Instagram. After lunch, we tried to go to the gym, but it was closed. Instead, we went grocery shopping, had an aperitif at home and then dinner before heading to bed.

Second week in Milan 10.03 to 17.03 

( Stayed at the: Airbnb in Viale Monza 15, Milan ) 

( Fondazione Prada with Carmel, Milano ) 

Monday my week started early with a 7 AM gym session, followed by a virtual interview at 9 AM. Later, at 11:30 AM, I had an in-person interview near the Duomo. Carmel wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home. We enjoyed a quiet lunch together and spent the afternoon reflecting on our plans for the future. As the day wound down, we headed to the gym again in the late afternoon. Tuesday an early start, as usual, with a trip to the gym followed by a relaxing breakfast. Carmel went to school, and I had an online interview. Afterward, I cooked lunch and spent the afternoon updating my CV and sending it out to various opportunities. Wednesday the routine continued with the gym in the morning, followed by breakfast together. Carmel headed off to school, and I dedicated my morning to job hunting, I made lunch and in the afternoon I send out more CVs. Thursday I took the morning to prepare for upcoming interviews while Carmel was at school. In the early afternoon, I had an appointment to get my lashes done. Unfortunately, the technician wasn’t ready, so I returned later in the afternoon. In the evening, I met my friend Giulia for a lovely dinner at Signorvino and then headed home to relax for the night. Friday morning had breakfast and then Carmel went off to school and I spent my morning diving into the history of Chanel for an upcoming interview. After lunch I continued my studies and then squeezed in a workout at the gym and once we finished the training we grabbed a delicious takeaway pizza from Gennari and cozied up at home to watch The Godfather. Saturday took the train at 8:25 am went to Alessandria to visit my family where my mum comes to pick me up, and I went to her house where we had lunch all together the I grabbed some clothes and my mum took me to Vercelli to take the train at 17:49 back to Milan where Carmel prepared a lovely aperitif and then we went in bed to sleep after taking a warm shower. Sunday we slept in a little bit and we went to the gym later like 9:30 pm the we got ready, took the metro and went to Fondazione Prada which it was a very cool museum we totally liked it. Then we comes back home to have lunch and went chilled a bit in the noon and then in the evening we watched a random Italian movie. 

Third week in Milan 17.03 to the 24.03 

( Stayed at the: Airbnb in Viale Monza 15, Milan )

( Piazza della Loggia, Brescia ) 

Monday woke up early went to the gym then in the morning I got ready and i studied for the interview of the afternoon. The I cooked lunch Carmel went home and then at 5 pm I had an interview in Cordusio and then I went back home where we had dinner and helped Carmel with her Italian homework and then we went to sleep anxious for the following day. Tuesday woke up early went to the gym had an interview at 10 am online and then at 11:30 I went to Norino for an hair extension consultation. The I went to Milano central station get some lunch at L’antico Vinaio and then Carmel arrived and we took the train together to Brescia to go to the comune to the Ufficio matrimoni to sign the atto notorio where the witnesses was the family of Perla ( her mum, her grandma her brother and the girlfriend ) the after doing all the paper we went to Moma for an aperitif all together and then me and Carmel we went to the train station to take the train back to Milan at 6:39 and then we went back home for dinner and to chill and sleep tired from the day.  Wednesday I started the day a bit later than usual, enjoying a peaceful breakfast at home before jumping into a 10:15 AM video call with my psychologist. After the call, I spent the morning organizing interviews and applying for jobs. Once Carmel returned from school, I prepared lunch, and we ate together. In the afternoon, we headed to the gym for a workout and completed a medical check-up to officially get cleared for gym use. Later, we got ready for an aperitif at Radio Rooftop, which offered an incredible view during sunset. On the way home, we grabbed a quick kebab for dinner. Thursday I woke up early and kicked off the day with a gym session. The morning was spent organizing some tasks and preparing lunch. At 5 PM, I visited RH Boutique for a consultation about hair extensions. Friday after my gym session, I had an interview, then took a much-needed nap in the afternoon. Later, we went shopping before heading to Crazy Pizza for dinner. It was absolutely delicious, and we totally loved it! Afterward, we made our way to Armani Privé Club and didn’t get home until around 2 AM. Saturday we slept in a bit, then went to the gym. We had planned to visit the Pinacoteca di Brera, but it was sold out, so we stopped by a prosciutteria to grab a bite and took some time to organize our upcoming trip to Paris. We then returned home to relax, watching I Cesaroni to unwind. Sunday the day started with a trip to the gym, followed by a visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera at 9:45 AM. Afterward, we had a second breakfast at Galleria Iginio Massari. For lunch, we enjoyed fresh pasta at Na Vorta. In the afternoon, we visited the Osservatorio at Fondazione Prada, walked around the Galleria, and then headed home to relax for the evening.

Fourth week from 24.03 to 31.03

( Stayed at the: Airbnb in Viale Monza 15, Milan )

( Radio Rooftop, Milan ) 

Monday I woke up and headed straight to the gym. After getting a good workout in, I returned home for an interview at noon. Later, I had a video call with my psychologist at 5 PM. In the evening, we went to Penny for groceries before heading back home to relax and get some rest. Tuesday I started the day early with a gym session, then spent the morning at home. After picking up Carmel from school, we went out for lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Following lunch, we went shopping for a ring, where I decided to get it at Stroili Oro. Back home, I worked on creating a photo album for Perla. Wednesday I woke up feeling a bit under the weather, so I decided to stay home in the morning and rest. I spent the afternoon napping and just chilling in bed, taking it easy the entire day. Thursday I hit the gym early in the morning, then took the metro and bus to an interview with Elior Ristorazione, which was a bit outside Milan. The commute took longer than expected. Once I got home, I spent some time alone while Carmel was out with her schoolmates. When she returned, we had dinner, watched I Cesaroni, and went to bed. Friday we started the day with a gym session, then celebrated Carmel’s last day of school by having lunch together. Afterward, I did a henna treatment on Carmel’s hair. In the evening, we got ready to head out for an aperitif at The Roof, which offers an incredible city view. We arrived just in time for the sunset. While enjoying the view, we also took the opportunity to plan our upcoming trip to Paris. Afterward, we returned home to relax and get some rest. Saturday we woke up early and began the day with a trip to Penny, followed by a gym session. Afterward, we stopped by Aumai Chinese Shop and DM, then headed home for breakfast. Later, we got ready to visit Starbucks Reserve for a tour at noon. We then paid the deposit for the ring we’d been eyeing and enjoyed lunch at Luigi Panzerotti. By 5 PM, we were home, organizing everything for the week before winding down for the evening. Sunday we started with a gym session, then had breakfast and got ready for a day out. We took the metro to meet Perla and Vincenzo at 2:30 PM for a delightful brunch primaverile at Cascina Pizzo. By 6 PM, we were back home, where we spent the evening chilling, organizing a few things, and finally went to sleep to end the weekend.

Fifth week from 31/03 to 06/04

( Stayed at the: Airbnb in Viale Monza 15, Milan )

( Wedding favors, Milan ) 

Monday morning we woke up early, had breakfast, then went to get hair extensions together at 9:30. After that, we stopped at Victoria’s Secret to buy a bra, then headed to Decathlon. We treated ourselves to an ice cream at Venchi and had lunch at home. In the afternoon, I went to the gym alone, then had a session with the psychologist at 5 PM. Later, we went out for dinner at Meat Crew – American Burger, which was very cool. After dinner, we took a little walk and ended up at Navigli, where we stopped by Backdoor 43 hoping it was available, but it was fully booked, so we went back home. Tuesday we decided to go to Lago Maggiore to visit Isola Bella and explore the villa. We took the train around 8 AM to Stresa, which is less than two hours away. Once we arrived, we had breakfast at Café Savoy and bought the tickets for the boat ride to Isola Bella, which was absolutely beautiful. Once there, we purchased tickets to visit the villa. We had lunch at Ristorante Magnolia, did a last walk around, and then took the boat back to Stresa. At 15:23 we took the train back to Milan, where we got ready to go to Teatro alla Scala to watch the opera seria at 7 PM. It lasted over three hours, so we went home earlier, very tired from the day. Wednesday we slept in a bit in the morning, then got ready and went to visit The Last Supper at 11:45 AM. Afterwards, we did a little photoshoot around Milan and went home for lunch. In the afternoon, we did our nails, went to Lidl, and started preparing everything for the wedding – including deliveries of clothes and little gadgets. Thursday we woke up very early at 6 AM and took the train at 7:25 to Camogli – luckily it was a direct train. As soon as we got there, we stopped at Focacceria Revello to buy the focaccia di Recco. Then we bought tickets to go to San Fruttuoso, which is less than a 30-minute boat ride. We left at 11 AM and once we got there, it was amazing – very chill, not many people around. We did a little walk, took a few pictures, and by 12:30 we were already taking the boat back. Once back in Camogli, we had lunch at Osteria delle 7 Pance where we ate pasta with pesto – it was very good! Then we visited Camogli a bit, put our feet in the water, and on the way to the train station we grabbed an ice cream at Gelato e Dintorni. We took the train at 4:20 to Genova, then back to Milano, and once we got home, we went straight to sleep. Friday we woke up at 5:30 AM to go to the Duomo and Galleria Emanuele for a photoshoot. Then we went back home, had breakfast, and I went to do my lash extensions. After that, we picked up a package from Amazon and bought a bouquet of flowers for the wedding. I started writing and preparing the wedding favors. Then Carmel’s card got hacked, so I went to the Duomo alone to pick up the wedding rings at Stroili Oro. I came back home totally exhausted, took a nap while Carmel cleaned the house, and later she practiced doing my hair for the wedding. I went to sleep super nervous about the big day. Saturday we woke up at 5:30 AM and started getting ready. We took our backpacks and went to Lampugnano, where we met Perla, Vincenzo, and the photographer. Together we went to Brescia, to the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, where the wedding was at 10 AM. Perla’s mom and grandma were also there. After the celebration, we took some pictures at the museum, then had an aperitivo all together at Caffè Magenta around 11:30 AM. After that, the four of us went for lunch at Al Dossello – it was very nice and we had an amazing meal. We took a few more photos, then went to Gussago to Perla’s house to drop off the luggage. They dropped us off at Lampugnano station and we took the metro back to the apartment, where we cleaned everything up and rested a bit. Sunday we woke up at 4:30 AM, checked out of the Airbnb, and walked to Milano Centrale to catch the Terravision bus to Malpensa T2 at 5:30 AM. Our flight to Paris Orly was at 7:15 AM and went pretty smoothly – we even slept a bit. Once we arrived, since we didn’t have much luggage, we went straight to the Trocadéro, bought something to eat at the supermarket, and watched the Eiffel Tower. It was an amazing day, so we walked around, went to Champ de Mars, and had Nutella crêpes while enjoying the view. Around 1 PM, we tried to go to the YSL Museum, but it was sold out. So we took the bus to the hotel, waited for about half an hour, checked in, and took a nap. Later, we got up, got ready, and went on a romantic dinner cruise on the Seine starting at 7:15 PM. It was such a beautiful experience during sunset, just one day after our wedding. Afterwards, we walked back to the hotel and went to sleep.