On Not Overthinking It (and doing it anyway)):

Lately, I’ve been asked a lot about how and why Fritto Misto Comune happened and why moving to the other side of the world felt not just appealing, but doable.

The honest answer?
I didn’t overthink it. At least not at the start.

I’ve been interviewed a bit recently, and it’s forced me to reflect on what actually made this move possible. Not easy just possible. And I keep coming back to a few simple things.

First: timing.
It was the right moment in my life. I wasn’t running away from anything. I was just ready to try something different. So after my studies at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, I was just like “fuck it” I don’t need to go back to Australia.

Second: curiosity.
I wanted to see what would happen if I slowed things right down and paid attention. No polish, no performance… just real life, somewhere unfamiliar. I figured if it made sense to me, it would probably make sense to others, too.

And third (maybe the most important)
If not now, when?

People often assume there must be something special about those who pack up and move overseas, renovate old houses, or start again somewhere unfamiliar. There isn’t. Australians, Americans, Europeans, even the Brits… people have been doing this forever. and Lucky them!

Nothing about this makes me unique…. the number of groups I have found with people just like myself is amazing.

There are thousands of stories of people moving across the world to build lives that look nothing like the ones they grew up imagining. It’s been happening for generations quietly, imperfectly, successfully, and unsuccessfully. That’s the point.

What helped was not trying to solve everything before I arrived.
No perfect plan. No five-year roadmap. Just enough information to start ,and the willingness to work the rest out as I went.

And one thing I’d add, because it comes up a lot, don’t treat every experience as a comparison to your home country. It’s not helpful, it’s rarely accurate, and honestly… no one gives a fuck. If you’re constantly measuring, you’re not actually living it. You’re just observing from a distance.

And if all of that still feels a bit much if you’re not ready to move, renovate, or blow up your life just yet, there’s always the softer option.

You can live vicariously through people like me.

Come and stay for a while. See how it actually feels. Walk the town, eat well, sleep deeply, listen to the river, watch how days unfold here without rushing anywhere.

Sometimes, trying it on is enough.
And sometimes it’s exactly what tips you over the edge.

Either way, the door’s open.

That said, if you’ve been following along for a while and feel that familiar itch, whether it’s for a part-time base overseas, a longer stay, or a full-blown move, here are a few things that might actually help:

Earlier this year, I was featured in an article that touched on some of this, and the wider Magic Towns Italy platform is genuinely useful if Italy is on your radar. For Australians in particular, there’s also a very practical, no-nonsense e-book coming out later this year that outlines the realities of visas, processes, and the bits no one glamorises (because they’re not glamorous). TBC launch of this e-book.

All of that is helpful. But if I’m honest? The biggest thing is this: don’t overthink it. Don’t overplan it. At some point, you just have to do it.

You can always adjust later, pivot…haha

And sometimes, that’s where the good stuff actually starts…..

“If you’re doing this by choice, that’s something to be grateful for.”