First Three Months in Sicily. What It’s Really Like To Start a New Life Here.

Starting over in Sicily

Moving here was a dream, yes, but it was also our way out. We had reached a point where our old life felt heavy and stuck and we knew we needed a change. Sicily became that place for us. Where we imagined we could finally breathe, reset and build something that felt right for us.

If you have been following our videos or blog, you probably sensed it already. We are creative people in heart. Every blog post and every video still comes with this spark of excitement, because for a long time this part of us was forgotten. It was there, of course, just quiet and buried under everything else. Honestly, if someone had told us a year ago that we would actually make this move, live in this paradise, film for YouTube and write a blog, we probably would not have believed them. And yet... Here we are.

The truth about moving countries

Here is something nobody tells you in a cute Instagram “we moved abroad” post. Moving countries is always hard. You can be as organised, experienced and prepared as you possibly can be. The transition will still surprise you.

And, unfortunately, a universal truth for expats. In the beginning, you will always be the outsider. People will look at you strangely, make assumptions, come up with stories and blame you for absolutely everything.

Ireland was a great example of this.

I was working in the diplomatic service. Dublin was my first posting. We lived in Ballsbridge, which is one of the most prestigious areas of the city. We had an expensive apartment and a brand new car with diplomatic plates. We thought we were doing everything right and living life the way we were supposed to.

But the moment a random old car with foreign plates started parking in our garage, all eyes immediately turned to us. And not in the kindest way, I must say. Worst of all, for absolutely no reason other than the simple fact that we were foreigners. And young. Which, as I later figured out, is also apparently wrong.

Or take Sicily. People here rarely clean after their dogs. A lot of dogs walk around without owners at all. But when someone complains about dog poop, guess who gets blamed. Us and Mailo. Even when I am literally standing there holding a bag of his poop in my hand.

Here is the important part.
Most of the time, it is not personal. People react to anything unfamiliar. They don’t know you yet, so you become the easiest option.

This is also where I still make mistakes. It is really difficult not to take things personally when the situation involves you directly. So if you need to be upset, be upset. Let it out (in a safe way, please), breathe and move on. It does get better. And one day someone newer and stranger will move in, and suddenly you won’t be the bad one anymore.

So… what about Sicily

I assume this is actually why you are here. And yes, Sicily is incredible. The beauty still surprises us on a daily basis. The weather feels amazing, especially coming straight from Ireland. The sea, the atmosphere, the rhythm of life… Everything here feels brighter and calmer.

Life in Sicily can be wonderful. People are mostly kind, the food is on a completely different level and if you manage things well, your overall life quality can be higher than in many other places.

But let me be honest. The move itself wasn’t as simple as we thought.

We came directly from Ireland, where salaries are much higher. We had saved what we believed was a very solid amount for a new start here. Based on our experience in other countries, we expected that having good savings, a clean profile and a stable background would open most doors for us.

We moved to Cefalù for the first month and decided to explore different towns before choosing where we wanted to live. That part was smart. Everyone has different experiences and opinions, and we didn’t want to choose a town based on someone else’s story. After Cefalù we moved to Terrasini, which is still our favourite place in Sicily.

We honestly thought things would work smoothly, because usually money helps. Here, it wasn’t that simple.

The rental market reality

We really believed finding a home would be easy. We were wrong. So wrong.

We sent hundreds of emails on Idealista. In Italian. And I mean proper Italian. Not a single reply. Not even a “sorry, it’s taken.”

So these are the truths we learned the hard way.

1. Nobody reads your Idealista emails.
You can write the best message in the world. It will sit there unread.

2. The listed prices are not the real prices.
They change with the season and even with who you are.

3. If you want results, you have to call.
Even with broken Italian. Calling works. Emails don’t.

4. Real estate agents are actually the easiest option.
Most available apartments are not listed anywhere. Agents know what exists and can actually help. Yes, you pay a fee. After seeing how this market works, we believe it is worth it. Even the locals here often still go through real estate agents. That's just the specifics of this market.

5. The tax system is heavy.
Landlords pay a lot in taxes, which is why many prefer renting without a contract. If you need a legal contract, expect a higher price. And if you are a non-EU national, you will need a contract for residency.

It’s not as scary as it sounds

Once you move countries a few times, you understand that every real estate market has its own rules. Sicily is no different. Once you learn how things work here, everything becomes easier. And when you finally find the right place, life starts to feel lighter.

Despite the difficult moments, we are truly happy we moved. For us, there is no better place to live than Sicily. And all those challenges we went through became the reason we created the Spark of Sicily. We wanted to share everything we wish someone had told us. We want your journey to be easier than ours.

Why we stayed and don’t regret it

We love it here. The beauty, the calm, the people, the rhythm, the little everyday moments. Sicily is not perfect, but it is special. And once it finds a way into your heart, it stays there forever.

If you enjoy following our story, if Sicily speaks to you in any way or if you simply like reading about life abroad, we would really appreciate if you subscribed. We are still at the very beginning of this journey and sometimes it feels like our voice gets lost in all the noise. Every new subscriber genuinely helps us feel seen and keeps us going.

And if you would like to support our work a little extra, we do accept tips. It is never expected but always appreciated, and it helps us continue creating honest content. You can send us a tip by following this link: https://spark-of-sicily.ghost.io/#/portal/support

To everyone who already follows us here, on Facebook or on YouTube, thank you. We notice every message, every follower or a kind word. And we carry that encouragement with us. It means more than we can possibly put into words.

I hope you enjoyed reading our story. See you in the next one!