Living like romans do - any tips?
 

I will be in Rome for 7 days in mid October. Besides main atractions (all listed and planned), what kind of things I should do? I'm 40, and will be traveling alone. Maybe I have the possibility to work and live in Rome, and first I would like to know a bit about the city and italian people - not as tourist. Any tips or suggestions? Thanks.

Jessie, <BR>there are two books I have found of interest. <BR>Culture Shock Italy and Culture Shock Rome. <BR>They both deal with alot of things basic to the culture, and food, regulations, <BR>Informative. <BR>Easy to find or have your bookstore order. <BR>nancy

Highly recommend you read "As The Romans Do" which was published in the last year. I don't recall the author's name (Epstein, I think), but you can find it at Amazon.com. The author and his wife moved to Rome a few years ago with their two children. He very effectively describes the day-to-day joys and some frustrations of being a foreigner acclimating himself to Rome, and he unequivocally loves living there.

Jessie, <BR>I have been having the same thoughts for a couple of years. We are going late October to check it out again, this time more with a view towards potentially moving there. The book Greg mentionned was written by Alan Epstein. He was in LA this summer at a book signing and I had the chance to meet him and his wife and two sons. I have heard from him since his return and he said that after living there five years, then coming "home" for about six weeks, he couldn't wait to get back to Rome. Definitely read his book!!! Another couple of good books about life there are "The Seasons of Rome" by Paul Hoffman and "When In Rome" by Robert Hutchinson, both written in the past couple of years and widely available. Maybe we will end up neighbors there! <BR>ciao, <BR>luigi

Thank you all for the recomendations. I am reading one of the recomended books, and it is helping me with valuable information. I am going to look for the others. I am just finishing my packing to leave for Italy (Florence first, Venice and then Rome)in a couple of hours. Nervous.... I hope it will be a nice visit. Thanks for all the inputs, and Luigi, hope to meet you there one day as neighboors! Ciao...