Ladies and gents, it is time I told you what I get to hear because I travel to Italy so often. These are just random questions/judgements by friends, strangers, acquaintances and sometimes even family! This post is a mix of everything I’ve heard from 2013 (and I keep hearing) until now….It is an irony, a rant, a jeer, a truth, a laugh, a sarcasm, a satire…. But it is my life now!
A little introduction first:
I traveled to Italy with a friend in 2013 and completely fell in love with the country, people, language and culture. I barely had any understanding of the Italian culture back then and my knowledge was unfortunately limited to pizza and pasta.
After returning from my first travel to Italy, I felt as if there was something missing from my life. There was an urge to return to Italy every few months. I felt a connection with this country so deep that it was almost difficult to explain, it sometimes made me restless. So from 2013, every year I vowed to return and in 2015, I started learning Italian language. Read more here.
So you can imagine that ever since the time, people used to speak behind my back. They called me obsessed, crazy and stupid because I kept going to the same place again and again. Some were brazen enough to say that I was wasting money. (Excuse me, it was my money!!)
It was at first very hard to face it all. Living in the prying Indian society it almost made my doubt my decisions. Over the course of time I realized, there was no way I was going to change myself. I will do what I want to do. So I put my foot down and did what I loved- I kept returning to Italy every year.
I continued traveling to Italy for the love of people and the land.
Things I Hear Because I Travel to Italy
Here are 10 of the most ridiculous things people have said to me because of my Italian sojourns.
Right from my boss to my closest friends and relatives:
1. How can you afford a trip every year??
This is one of the most common of all questions. Initially on my first two trips, I traveled with my own money. At that time, my blog was new and I had little or no idea on how to take it further. However, with each passing trip, I found the confidence to connect, ask and meet. I saved a lot of my travel costs in this regard. This is the simplest answer to this incessant question! I could so I did!
2. You are wasting your money by going to the same place every year!
I don’t understand why people say this, it is a constant query I get. But I simply reply back that no kind of travel is waste and I also remember that I visit my village every year but no one counts that as a waste of time or money.
3. Is Italy the only country you have visited??
When people ask me this question, I take a deep breath 🙂
4. I’m so jealous of you because your husband “lets you travel”??
Another common question I keep getting is that my partner has been very compromising and easy on me because I travel solo. The fact that people even say this shows their true thinking. All I can say is that I am grateful to have found a partner who understands my love and passion and lets me be ME! My partner and I are two individuals and we don’t need anyone’s permission to travel alone.
5. Are you going to settle in Italy??
As much as I love Italy, I have no plans of settling in there at this point.
6. If you visit other countries, you will forget Italy!!
Oh why do I hear this!! Why would I ever want to forget Italy….! This country has been a life savior for me. It triggered something immensely deep inside of me. So why oh why would I compare two different nations and forget Italy??
7. A friend went to Venice and thought it was just okay. You like it??
This question makes me wonder about people in general. They text or email to say that they went to Italy and thought Rome was crowded or Venice was costly as opposed to what I blog. I understand people can have varying opinions but by proving this point, my thoughts on Italy won’t change and neither will I start a blog on things I dislike about Italy. I should also tell you that I do see the bad side of the country but I prefer to keep that aside.
8. Being an Indian, why don’t you write on India??
……Because my nationality is Indian I shouldn’t have to prove my love for my country by starting a blog on India! I love my country very much but I am very happy having a blog on Italy. It’s a new culture, a new language and new people.
9. You need to open your mind and travel elsewhere!
India, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, Hungary. Works?? Okay then!
10. Can you help me plan my trip to Italy?? Oh you charge a fee?? It should be free.
No words to this!!
What do you think about these points?? Have you ever been criticized by people for traveling too much?
52 Comments
Rosy
September 1, 2022 at 12:23 pmBrava! Che meraviglioso blog.
Italy is a beautiful and wonderful place. It is a peace of heaven on earth. Don’t listen to the nay sayers. It’s their loss and they don’t know what they are missing. Not everybody gets it. At least from personal experience, I can say that being in Italy does something inexplicable for me; it feeds my soul. It is a connection I haven’t felt in any other country that I have been to.
Keep doing what you do; your blog is great!
Italophilia
September 10, 2022 at 1:06 pmGrazie Rosy. Thank you for your thoughtful comments on this post. You are right, I dpn’t really care anymore. This is an old post but being ME is the best thing that Italy taught me 😉
Un abbraccio xx
m ravi.
July 27, 2022 at 7:40 am” MANY PEOPLE NEED MORE KNOWLEDGE AND LESS JUDGEMENT “.
Chanced upon your site accidentally going to devour it here on. Wishing you many more Happy and Safe travels.
” BE YOURSELF EVERYONE ELSE IS ALREADY TAKEN – ocsar wilde “
Italophilia
August 4, 2022 at 5:23 pmThanks so much!! I really appreciate it
Confessions of a Passionate Blogger – Italophilia
June 11, 2020 at 11:45 am[…] lost a few people whom I didn’t expect to lose and even wrote about something similiar here. Being fully honest with you, in real life today, I can count 2-3 people (barring my immediate […]
Belinda selby
November 9, 2019 at 9:31 amI also go to Italy often and get so many similar comments…so annoying!
Italophilia
November 9, 2019 at 10:51 pmIt is true! Learning to ignore them and by now I hardly ccare 😉
Divya Panda
November 7, 2019 at 9:36 pmYour blog makes me want to travel to Italy each time.
Italophilia
November 9, 2019 at 1:06 amSo kind of you, thank you for following along 🙂
Akanksha
November 5, 2019 at 11:30 pmPerfectly put! I think most of us regular travellers face these idiotic questions every now and then! Kudos to you for following your heart, and not giving a second thought to those pesky comments and snide remarks!
Cheers to many more travel stories from Italy and beyond!
Italophilia
November 9, 2019 at 1:06 amThanks for sticking around for so many years Akanksha!! Means a lot. AND cheers to you too 🙂
Laurie
November 5, 2019 at 7:28 amI love love love Italy and hope to live there some day. I know there are people who won’t understand this but frankly I don’t live for them so I don’t care. Italy is something you have to experience for yourself. Not everyone can open their heart to it like a lot of us have done. Obviously you have made going to Italy a priority. Often I do think there is a fair amount of jealousy. You go on doing what fills you with happiness. Stay true to yourself.
Italophilia
November 5, 2019 at 8:01 pmI really appreciate your comment Laurie 💕 thank you for stopping by on this post. We are kindred spirits🙌 that’s why not many understand our love for Italy. I have made it a priority and I don’t think Italy loving will stop. Like you said, iT could be jealousy or it could be intrusiveness but let’s keep doing what we want to xx
Ann Petricola
July 6, 2019 at 9:29 pmLooking forward to reading more about your travels through Italy!!
Italophilia
July 6, 2019 at 10:14 pmThanks so much Ann 🙂
Debi
February 25, 2019 at 8:46 amI traveled to Italy the first time in 1988 and have returned often with different people. It is always new and exciting! I cannot wait to see what I had to my “kitchen” collection on my trip to Umbria in May.
Italophilia
March 3, 2019 at 1:59 pmI couldn’t agree more. Every experience is different, Every trip is different nx
Joseph T Madawela
October 5, 2018 at 4:02 amthat was a great blog and I like the fact that you do your own thing regardless of what others say, I am from Sri Lanka and luckily I live in NY and have been here for about 50 years and it is easier for me to be free of peer pressure but many times I cave but you are strong! veryy admirable!
Italophilia
October 5, 2018 at 9:20 amThat’s very kind of you to say Joseph. I too have found this courage over the years 😊 thank you
priti
August 27, 2018 at 3:16 pmI enjoyed reading the post ! Just do what you enjoy who cares about anyone has to say !!
Italophilia
August 27, 2018 at 4:44 pmThanks so much for the faith 🙂
Gabriel
August 12, 2018 at 9:45 pmI really like this post 🙂 I get a lot of the same questions every day. While not specific to Italy they’re still very assuming questions that don’t take into account everything about having a passion, or interest beyond what you’re used to. Thanks!
Italophilia
August 12, 2018 at 10:08 pmThank you dear! I know what you mean, people are judgmental. Thanks for stopping by x
boosdiet
August 9, 2018 at 1:14 amTrieste is nice to
Debra Kolkka
July 13, 2018 at 3:17 amWe chose Italy when we decided to buy a place overseas. I like the language, the people, the food and I think Italy has more beautiful things per square inch than anywhere else. We do use it as a base to travel to other countries, but there is so much to see and do in Italy that it keeps us busy for several months every year. Buying a house in Italy is the best thing we have ever done, it has opened up a whole other world for us.
Italophilia
July 13, 2018 at 11:16 amVery true. Your decision was the best ever. I’d love to see your town one day. Maybe next year??
Greg Speck
July 10, 2018 at 4:42 pmI certainly agree.I am returning in the fall for my 16th visit to Italy. I can never get enough. Love your blog.
Italophilia
July 10, 2018 at 7:04 pmThank you Greg. It means so much!! 🙂 Happy travel planning
fkasara
July 4, 2018 at 12:56 pm“You are wasting your money by going to the same place every year!”
If you go just once in a location, people tell you that you know “too little” to write about it. If you go more than once, they tell you that you’re wasting your money. Lol, people are never happy, seriously! They have always to complain about something!
I won’t comment on that thing about the partner “allowing” the woman to travel…so sad, really, that according to people a woman has still to ask “for permission” in 2018.
Keep doing what you are doing, Ishita! 💪
Italophilia
July 4, 2018 at 1:40 pmExactly. You are so right!! They are never happy and always judgmental and I know a lot of us who write about Italy face it, because we go to Italy every year. It seems we aren’t opening our mind but closing it even more… Thank you cara.
livechicandwell
July 3, 2018 at 7:13 pmPeople make such ignorant comments. They just don’t know what they are missing!
I totally get you on the Italophilia- since my first visit aged 18 when I worked as an au pair for 7 months, I’ve returned many times to different parts as it’s such a diverse country.
I’m even writing a book right now about the style and beauty of Italian women as I found them so influential 😊
Italophilia
July 3, 2018 at 9:00 pmSeriously. It’s about judging all the time. I am excited to hear more about your book 🙂 They are very influential.
Dilyana
July 3, 2018 at 12:16 amI really like your point of view! And I like how you don’t get affected by what you hear, continue to do so!
Italophilia
July 3, 2018 at 12:23 pmThanks so much dear!!
emanuela
July 1, 2018 at 9:41 pmIt just happens that a place steal our heart more than other ones. Many times we don’t know why. I can only say that I’m happy you found all the beauty in my country. And…keep on searching!
Italophilia
July 2, 2018 at 10:14 pmSo true!! Italy does steal mine 🙂
Italophilia
July 4, 2018 at 11:24 amI wholeheartedly agree!
foodinbooks
July 1, 2018 at 7:39 pmPart of why I love your blog so much is because your love of Italy shines through in every post. I love Italy as much as you, and plan to return. Yes, there are other places I could go, and I’ve been fortunate to have visited many others, but Italy calls to my soul. It does your too, it would seem. So stick with Italy and ignore the naysayers.
Italophilia
July 1, 2018 at 9:41 pmAbsolutely 🙂 thank you for saying those beautiful words 🤗 I’m grateful for people like you .. !
brilliantviewpoint
July 1, 2018 at 5:18 pmSo many negative comments… sometimes people are envious that another person seems fearless and not a creature of comfort, so they make these kind of comments. That is when it is time for a new set of friends who have similar interests. Also, I would say, “Here’s the good thing about Life, we can all do what makes us HAPPY! You can stay home and I’ll continue to explore Italy!”…. Then say, “MORE COFFEE?” with a HUGE SMILE.
Italophilia
July 1, 2018 at 9:40 pmAbsolutely. But they aren’t only my friends! Acquaintances family are more troublesome. Agree 😊😂
Tanja
July 1, 2018 at 4:58 pmThe same thing with me and London:) why do you need to visit it so many times, how can you afford it, why does your husband let you go alone… And I say.. A love is a love.. No need to explain myself to anyone.. 😉
Italophilia
July 1, 2018 at 4:58 pmHaha absolutely. I wonder if people will stop! But let’s keep doing our thing
Tanja
July 1, 2018 at 5:01 pmYes😍
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
July 1, 2018 at 7:37 amYou love Italy. Keep loving Italy. 😀
Italophilia
July 1, 2018 at 4:05 pmThank you dear!
Lyn Douglas
July 1, 2018 at 1:02 amI totally get it Ishita and I am sure so many of us do. So, keep on loving Italy and doing what you do.
Italophilia
July 1, 2018 at 4:05 pmThank you Lyn. Did you like the new blog design??
Lyn Douglas
July 2, 2018 at 1:55 amYes, it looks fabulous. Well done. Have a great week. Lyn
Italophilia
July 2, 2018 at 12:32 pmGrazie cara 😍
Lyn Douglas
July 2, 2018 at 1:56 amYes, it looks fabulous. Have a great week Ishita. Lyn
Italophilia
July 2, 2018 at 10:26 pmThanks a lot 🙂 You too!!