A New Life in Italy

Moving to Italy changes a lot more than your address.
It changes your routines, your relationships, your sense of belonging, and even the way you see yourself.
In this episode, Samantha sits down with psychotherapist Camilla Jackson to talk about the emotional side of building a life abroad. They explore why expectations can make adjusting harder, why it's normal to feel out of place even when you've achieved your dream, and how understanding Italian culture, building community, and giving yourself time can make all the difference.
If you're planning your move, or you've already arrived and are wondering why it feels harder than expected, this conversation will remind you that you're not doing it wrong. You're simply doing something that takes time.

Guest:
Camilla Jackson is a UK-trained psychotherapist who has called Italy home for more than 16 years. She works with individuals and couples navigating anxiety, relationships, major life transitions, and the emotional challenges of living abroad.
Learn more about Camilla
Find Camilla on Facebook
Follow Camilla on Instagram

Resources:
Samantha's free Move to Italy Bootcamp takes place September 15, 16, and 17.
www.smartmoveitaly.com/movetoitalybootcamp
Smart Move Italy offers guidance on visas, Italian citizenship, residency, and building a life in Italy. Learn more and start planning your move to Italy today.
www.smartmoveitaly.com
Want to keep the conversation going? Join Vivace, a place for people who are curious about life, open to change, and haven't decided that the most interesting part of their story has already happened.
www.vivacenetwork.com
Ciao for now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026

If you want to move to Italy in 2027, now is the time to start figuring out what would actually have to happen to make that possible.
In this episode, Samantha breaks down the five things you need to figure out first, and what you can leave for later.
Because you don't need to know everything. You just need to know what to figure out next.

Resources:
Samantha's free Move to Italy Bootcamp takes place September 15, 16, and 17.
www.smartmoveitaly.com/movetoitalybootcamp
Smart Move Italy offers guidance on visas, Italian citizenship, residency, and building a life in Italy. Learn more and start planning your move to Italy today.
www.smartmoveitaly.com
Want to keep the conversation going? Join Vivace, a place for people who are curious about life, open to change, and haven't decided that the most interesting part of their story has already happened.
www.vivacenetwork.com
Ciao for now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network

Twenty-two years ago, Samantha came to Italy with her mother, who was turning 60. She had no idea that the trip would change the course of her life.
Now, one week away from turning 60 herself, Samantha is thinking about that first trip, the life she built in Italy, and what it means to reach an age you once thought meant you had already lived most of your story.
Because she doesn't feel finished. Not even close.
In fact, this is only just the beginning...
Resources:
Smart Move Italy offers guidance on visas, Italian citizenship, residency, and building a life in Italy. Learn more and start planning your move to Italy today.
www.smartmoveitaly.com
Want to keep the conversation going? Join Vivace, a place for people who are curious about life, open to change, and haven't decided that the most interesting part of their story has already happened.
www.vivacenetwork.com
Buon Ferragosto, friends. And happy birthday, Sam!
Mentioned in this episode:
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026

What does it really mean to experience Italy through a local lens?
In this episode of A New Life in Italy, Samantha speaks with Martina Arezzini, a licensed tour guide and founder of SunFlorence Tours, about the people, customs, and everyday moments that reveal the character of Italy.
Born in Tuscany and based in Florence, Martina shares why Italy cannot be understood from the outside alone. She explains how local knowledge, cultural context, and personal connections help us see a deeper side of everyday life in Italy.
Together, Samantha and Martina explore how understanding the character of a place can change the way we experience it, from the traditions that shape daily life to the small interactions that help us feel more connected.
They also discuss why slowing down, returning to familiar places, and building relationships with local people can reveal a different way of experiencing life in Italy.
In This Episode:
Why Italy is shaped by many different local identities and ways of life
What a local perspective can reveal that we might otherwise miss
Why understanding customs and everyday interactions changes the way we experience a place
How relationships with local people create a deeper connection to Italy
Why slowing down and creating routines can transform your relationship with a city
The difference between a licensed tour guide and a tour operator

Resources:
Explore Italy through a local lens with Martina Arezzini and SunFlorence Tours, offering private tours and customized experiences throughout Italy.
https://www.sunflorencetours.it/
@sunflorence_tours
@martina_sunflorence

Smart Move Italy offers guidance on visas, Italian citizenship, residency, and building a life in Italy. Learn more and start planning your move to Italy today.
www.smartmoveitaly.com

Want to keep the conversation going? Join Vivace, a place for stories, ideas, and connections that inspire a life lived fully.
www.vivacenetwork.com

Ciao for now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network

Italy has a way of making us see our own lives differently.
People visit for a week and come home asking questions they weren’t asking before.
Not just about Italy, but about themselves.
Why am I always in such a hurry?
Is this really how I want to spend the next twenty years?
When did life become something to manage instead of something to experience?
In this episode, Samantha explores why Italy has a way of making us reflect on time, success, connection, and the kind of life we truly want to create.
Maybe Italy doesn’t change us. Maybe it simply introduces us to the person we’ve been too busy to become.
If you’ve ever returned home from Italy feeling a little different, this episode is for you.
In This Episode:
Why Italy seems to stay with people long after they leave
The two competing philosophies of time: efficiency versus experience
How Italy challenges the invisible rules we inherit about success and adulthood
Why seeing another way of living can make us question our own choices
How travel can reconnect us with curiosity, adventure, and growth at any age
Why people often fall in love with the version of themselves they discover in Italy

Resources:
Smart Move Italy offers guidance on visas, Italian citizenship, residency, and building a life in Italy.
www.smartmoveitaly.com
Want to keep the conversation going? Join Vivace, a place for stories, ideas, and connections that inspire a life lived fully.
www.vivacenetwork.com
Ciao for now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Listen Vivace
A life well lived is never finished. There is always another version of yourself waiting to emerge. Vivace exists for women who believe the most beautiful part of life is not what has already happened, but what comes next. https://vivacenetwork.com/
Vivace Media Network
Move to Italy Bootcamp 2026