I'll be moving to Italy at the end of August, and I'm currently looking for a plane ticket. The cheaper the ticket the better, since I'll be on a college student budget. would it be cheaper to go through a travel agent, or will I have better chances of finding a cheap ticket on my own online searches. If you know of any websites, please post them. also, what kind of things do they not have in Italy that I might be interested in bringing with me??

Hi. Go to the SlowTalk Living & Moving to Italy board:

http://slowtalk.com/eve/ubb.x?a=frm&...p;f=7416073943

You'll get lots of info there.

Hi angel,

Is this a permanent move? If so, I suggest you go to www.slowtalk.com and check what the expats have to say.

For cheap tickets check www.orbitz.com, www.expedia.com, www.tiss.com and http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm.

Ciao Angel,
I'd reccommend starting at www.CTS.com . They are the student travel site that has the most discounted prices you can find. You might need to book an open ticket if you don't know exactly when you're going back to the states. They know all the rules about this and can help you out. Remember at check in at the airport, if your return date is more than 3 months from your departure, they'll ask you for proof that you'll be living legally. Bring something from the school that shows everything is legal and you have permission to be in the country for so long.
As for things to bring, I'll tell you what I stock up on when I go back to the states...
1. Tylenol, Excedrin Migrane, and Sudafed. If you want any medicine (including plain asprin) you have to go to the pharmacy here, and sometimes it's just easier if you already have some of the basics at home.
2. "Secret" deoderant (sp?). I just like "Secret" and they don't have it here.
3. Make a photocopy of your passport and keep it with you. When you arrive put the real passport in the safe. I know a million people who've lost/had stolen their passports, and it's not fun. There is no need for you to carry it around as an i.d., because at disco's and bars no one ever asks to see it. Therefore, keep a copy of it on you and write down who to contact in case of emergency. You never know. Also in the safe write down all your credit card info with the numbers of the people to call in case these get lost/stolen. It's not fun to have to wake your parents in the middle of the night to have them worry about this stuff. It happens often that things get lost, and it's really better to be prepared. I speak from my friends experiences.
4. In Milan there is a monthly paper called Easy Milano that comes out for the expats who live here. It's full of ads for apts. for rent, language lessons, organizations of events, and furniture for sale. Might come in handy www.easymilano.it
That's all I can think of now. If you have more questions. Post them, we'll try to help.
Ciao,
Melissa

Orbitz was running a really rediculous Airitalia sale, though i'm not sure whether it still is... you might want to check the website just in case.

As for things to bring with you, any of your toiletries/ hair products you can't live without-chances are you won't find the same brand or formulation there-it took me 4 days to find tweezers in Tuscany!

that must have been a hairy experience for you.

Highledge will be here through next Tuesday, try the veal.

higledge, actually I wax before every trip! But I had a splinter that would not come out of my finger, which finally I "dug" out with a nail clippers. One day later I found the tweezers!