Hannah_reads_for_fun

I am a college student hoping to spend next summer (two-and-a-half to three months) in Europe. I've never been at all (well, I had a layover in Heathrow once, but that so doesn't count)
I thiiiiiink I want to go to Italy, but nothing's set at all. For the record, my foreign language is Hebrew, so wherever I go, I will need to learn rudimentary language.

I was thinking that I'd take like two weeks (end of May-early June) and "do the tourist thing", and then settle in Italy and just live there. Buy groceries, take walks, maybe even a job....The main goal of my trip is really to become a part of the Jewish community in the city I choose. Once I figure out the basic pieces of my trip, I figure I can contact the Chabad there or something and work out more, but I was hoping for some help from you all...

Which city in Italy would you choose to live in for the observant Jewish community?
Venice, Rome, and Florence are the big ones, but if anyone knows of an observant Jewish community in a smaller city, I'd be game to consider that...
How safe is it to do this on my own?
How much should I hope to budget? (My guess was that I would need $3000 over the summer, but I have no idea if that's right....)
Will I be able to find a part time job? (I speak English fluently, Hebrew fairly fluently, and I will learn Italian as best as I can before I go... but who knows...)
Will I need a visa?
Best way to access cash?
(Should I try to see other countries,too, or just concentrate on living and loving?)

I realize that there are a lot of questions here and even more variables, but everything that you can offer would be really appreciated. I want to try and work out the big picture before school starts in August and I lose a lot of free time....

Thanks so much!

suze

I would not count on being able to work legally in Italy.

Best way to get cash is to use a debit card in an ATM machine.

I think you need a LOT more than $3000 (but I'm not clear if you are talking US dollars or euro?). If it's USD & if you stay 2-1/2 months (75 days) that's only 40USD per day = 28 euro. If you stay 3 months (90 days) that's only 33USD per day = 23 euro. If you mean to pay for a place to stay, food, transportation, admission, from that budget, it's simply not sufficient.


Sorry I don't know anything about Jewish communities in Italy and hope others will chime in to help with that part.

LoveItaly

What country do you live in Hannah? If you are a citizen of the US you can stay in Italy for a total of 90 days. No visa is needed. But you cannot obtain work legally unless you obtain a work permit which I believe would be impossible. So finding a legal part time job would be impossible. An illegal part time job, paid under the table maybe, but I doubt it. Hopefully someone with more knowledge than I have can give you some good advice.

Jean

Here's a link on Jewish communities in Italy.

http://www.jewishitaly.org/

Pitigliano was once called Little Jerusalem.

http://www.pitigliano-toscana.com/pitigliano.html

http://www.slowtrav.com/anne/italy_t...pitigliano.htm

helen_belsize

Your citizenship and age are relevant. Most agreements are reciprocal between countries, therefore apart from the differences between those in the European Community and the European Economic Area and others, there may be specific agreements between your country and Italy. You probably need to research Jewish websites for information on jewish communities either in Italy or other European countries.

Hannah_reads_for_fun

Thanks so much for the quick responses.

suze: That was in USD. How much would you try to stockpile to make three months affordable, not counting a flight?

loveitaly: Yup, I'm a 19 year old US citizen. I don't know the visa rules very well: if I come to Italy, leave for a few days (and go to, I don't know, Switzerland) and then return, do my 90 days start again?

Are there types of work for which a work permit would not be required?

Jean: Wow. Sounds like Pitigliano is somewhere I will at least have to visit. It sounds wonderful. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
I'll be sure to check out the website you found for me.

helen_belsize: Yeah, I plan on researching the jewish communities in these cities better.... I was just hoping that perhaps the other details could be answered by the wonderful advice here.... Details like price,city, safety,working rights etc.

Cowboy1968

Well, you plan to stay 3 months, and you can legally stay 3 months. There seems to be no problem. (It's 90 days in a 180d period, so going to Switzerland for a day would not set back the clock anyway)

No, you cannot work without a permit. You are not an Italian citizen, or of any EU member state.
There may be work/live/exchange programs sponsored by your home country and Italy - but since this touches quite sensitive legal issues, I would ask the Italian embassy or check their website.

Cowboy1968

P.S. My bad.. Switzerland is part of the Schengen area as well now, so it would not work in either way

ira

Hi Han,

Even if you could find a hostel for as little as $30/nite (21.5E) that would add up to $2700 in 90 days.

RT air from the East coast of the US could be $1100 or more.

suze

The overall amount depends a lot where you are planning to stay. If you rent a simple apartment and stayed in one place would be less expensive. But for your two weeks to do the "tourist thing" you'll need a more generous daily budget.

It's hard to say for someone else, but I'd try to work out a daily budget according to your tastes, along the lines of (for example):
hotel 75 euro or hostel dorm bunk 30 euro
food 30 euro (5 breakfast, 5 lunch, 20 dinner)
admissions and public transportation 15 euro
and add those up.

And that's not for anything fancy, but it's a heck of a lot more money than what you asked about which is only 30-40USD per day for everything. I think even the most rock-bottom budget backpackers allow at least 50USD per day (you can check the forum called The Thorn Tree at www.lonelyplanet.com to confirm this).

Again... for the part where you stay in one place and live like a local, shop at the farmers market, get around on-foot, you can obviously get by on less.

LoveItaly

Hello again Hannah. We have a family member who at your age (a US Citizen) who went to Italy for something like 6 months. She donated her time to some Catholic orphanage in Italy and was able to get the proper visa through them. I don't know what if anything she was paid but I do know she was given board and room. Perhaps there is a Jewish orphanage in Italy? I don't know.

But having said that she was not happy with her six months in Italy as she only got something like one day off a week and so was not able to visit other areas of Italy. She evidently did not do her homework properly. And neither evidently did her parents although with their education that sure surprised me.

As Cowboy said, you are allowed to be in the Schengen countries 90 days within a 180 day period.

University students will sometimes have a period of time where they study at a university in Italy or elsewhere in Europe but it doesn't sound like you are a university student.

My suggestion is to save every penny that you can, work as many jobs as you can and go to Italy, or elsewhere in Europe, when you have enough saved to do so properly. Best wishes.

S

kismetchimera

The best and cheap way to visit a country, would be finding a job as AuPair,with a good family..

They will provide lodging in exchange of babysitting works.I imagine that the hosting family would do all the paperworks required by laws.

Perhaps the Rabbi of your community can help you..

Hannah_reads_for_fun

suze: I can be fairly frugal, but the breakdown you provided me was really helpful!

Loveitaly: Oh, I most definietly am a college student! (That's why I want to go during the summer). That being said, I go to a wonderful but unique school where all eight semesters are required to be done on campus. Our Program is quite different and intense.
I'd need more than one day a week "off"- Sabbath alone is one day!
Saving every penny that I can is good... I guess one of the things that I'm seeking to know is what I can expect to pay, broken down into categories (so much for housing, so much for fresh fruits, so much for utilities, etc.) Rome, Milan and Venice seem to have the most flourishing Jewish communities, but I'm still searching to look for others....
I'm also researching possible grants or scholarships.

Kismetchimera: Hmm... I wonder if there would be a Jewish and observant family in need of an au pair. I'd be allowed to work, then, wouldn't I? That would work out perfectly! Thanks for the excellent suggestion!!!!!

Alec

Even an au-pair would need a visa for Italy, which has to be applied prior to leaving US. You will need, among other things, a letter of employment from your host family, details of pay and duties to be performed, medical insurance etc. Many would-be au pairs go through an agency in their own country that arrange jobs abroad. Be careful, as some of them are just a money-making entity with poor customer service. Get a recommendation from someone who has done something similar in Italy.
Most au pair posts are for a year or longer.

helen_belsize

I think Italy changed its rules in 2004 so only European Community residents can now work as au pairs.

I think you should find out the visa and residential requirements from your nearest Italian consulate as soon as possible to help you plan.

Turin has the third largest Jewish community in Italy at 1000 people.

Costs and so on might be easier to find out from people in the same situation as you, ie students planning to stay in an area of italy for some time. If there is an Italian language programme at your University or a neighbouring university they would have a good idea of how much they expect students to budget for their stay in Italy. All one can say is that costs keep going up.

suze

That's another consideration about housing. Would you be willing to share an apartment with several other students? Or live in a dorm? That could be much more reasonable. Having your own place solo (anywhere in the world) is usually the most expensive option.

I understand "frugal" but there is a bottom line for cash you need to be able to sustain yourself for 3 months away from home.

I wouldn't worry so much about the price of vegetables (I say this kindly, with humor) because I believe anyone can basically stick to any kind of budget for food bought from markets (not eating in restaurants). It's the housing cost that will be your single largest expense you need to figure out.

Alec

Maybe possible for US students:
http://aupair-visa-italy.greataupair.com/

helen_belsize

I found this link which Alec cites but it is ambiguous. The point I quoted is in small print at the top. Have they just not updated the rest of the page? That is why I said speak to the the consulate. It may also mean you could work for an American family in Italy but it wouldn't help you to learn the language so well.

wsxxsw

Hi hannah,

I was just reading for curiosity because it's the first time I see this forum. Anyway, I think suze is right about the prices and in any case, consider always to spend more than less.
Milan, Rome and Venice are really really expensive, Turin is the less expensive of the four. I know it, Turin is my city also if I live in UK at the moment.
You have to consider also that:
- it's very difficult work like au pair just for 3 months in summer, because usually is an opportunity during the scholastic year period from september to june.
- it's difficult also finding someone that rent you an appartment just for 3 months and for a good price. Probably you could find something online but I guess the prices will be higher.
- it's difficult also finding a job in THIS period of high unemployment all over the EU without knowing what to do and where to do it but probably for you it will be the next year, maybe the situation will be better.

You can stay for 3 months just as tourist but it will be very expensive. The best thing is contact your jewish community in one city and ask them which opportunities you could have. Probably you could sleep with one jewish family and they could help you in everything. You could consider also to pay them a room and meals for a good price (around 500$-700$ per months depending on the area) so you could motivate them and it will be the best thing for you. It's difficult to say if you could find a job without regular permission. You can do it just if you know someone overthere very well.
Jewish usually they help each other.

I hope I gave you some information more.

good luck.

wsxxsw

I forgot to tell you that if you are invited by a family they could write you a letter of invitation. In this way, I guess you could have less problems to show that you can affort to live in Italy for 3 months as tourist without any problem. It could help. And maybe you won't need any insurance but I'm not sure because it depends on the bilateral agreements between countries too.