An American couple left New York City and bought a house in Italy for $13,000

My 5 year old daughter will start primary school in Italy this September. Watching him prepare for this next chapter made me think about how our lives have changed.

My husband, Alex Ninman, and I were born and raised in the US, but our daughter was not. We left New York City, where I worked at a tech startup and my husband was a butcher at Whole Foods, to move to Europe in 2019. We were living with my grandfather in the Czech Republic when we welcomed our daughter in 2020.

Today, we live in a small town in the Italian region of Abruzzo, about three hours outside of Rome. While many American expats are attracted to big cities or well-known places like Florence, we chose a place that most tourists have never seen.

We found a different way of life, and I don’t think about going back to the US for years to come.

Like most Americans, my husband and I grew up surrounded by the idea that success meant constant improvement – big homes, new cars, big successes, and busy schedules.

Over time, we began to question whether any of those things made us happier.

While we weren’t chasing a version of life abroad, we wanted more time, more flexibility, and a stronger sense of connection with the people around us.

Italy has given us many things that we felt were missing.

Living in a small town allowed us to buy a house with cash without carrying the kind of financial burden that often comes with owning a home in the US.

We paid 11,500 euros, or about $13,100, for our home — a two-story, two-bedroom house that’s just under 1,076 square feet, with a third basement and an attic — and I’d estimate we put in about another 15,000 euros, or about $17,100 for renovations.

Food, childcare, and other expenses are very affordable here. The low cost of living gave us some breathing room and allowed us to focus less on earning more money. I kept my tech job and worked remotely at first. But once we settled down, I felt free to let it go. I’m doing a little bit now doing marketing for an Italian travel company and creating content, but the business has benefited me.

My flexible schedule allows me to drop my daughter off at preschool in the morning, pick her up in the afternoon, and spend more time with her gift of childhood during the day. It also gives our family the freedom to travel, explore new rooms in Italy, and pursue projects that we are passionate about.

Our decision to stay here was more than financial. We were attracted to the sense of community. We wanted to be a part of the place and contribute to it, rather than looking for a temporary trip or an exit bubble.

Buying a house felt like a commitment to building a future in a community that welcomed us.

In my town, people don’t keep the same distance from each other that we used to when we were growing up in the US

Neighbors stop to talk in the street. Friends arrive unexpectedly. It’s not uncommon for someone to drop in for a quick visit or drop in just because they haven’t seen you in a few days. It is not considered interference; it’s part of looking out for each other.

That sense of connection is especially evident during the summer. When school is out, life turns into the piazza and the streets. After dinner, families gather outside while children run from one town to another playing games together. Local festivals fill the calendar and August often feels like one long community celebration.

It is common to see toddlers, school children and teenagers in the piazza at 11pm or midnight while parents and grandparents sit nearby chatting with friends.

When we first arrived, it felt completely unfamiliar. Now it sounds familiar. In the US, people may think that children are unsupervised. Here, we take comfort in the fact that they are surrounded by a community that knows and cares for them.

Our daughter started preschool just after she turned 2 and has spent almost her entire childhood immersed in the local culture. This fall, she will start elementary school along with the children she has known for years.

Along with English, Czech, and Italian, he is beginning to learn the local language — a language tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation in this region. Little by little, he is becoming part of the effort to carry that tradition forward.

My husband and I, Italy will always be our chosen country and Italian is the foreign language to work in. For our daughter, it’s just home.

Life here is not perfect. We miss our family and friends in the states. And Italian bureaucracy can be frustrating, as things tend to move at a slower pace than usual. Simple tasks often involve more paperwork, appointments, or follow-up visits than I expected. Once, I had to provide a copy of my health insurance card when setting up home internet service. I have learned that patience is often part of the process.

But we also found things that are difficult to count. We spend less time driving and eating, and more time walking, talking to neighbors, participating in local events and being in the community. Everyday life feels less focused on accumulation and more focused on relationships.

In our small town here in Abruzzo, we found a place where we can enjoy life and feel connected to the people around us. This is the kind of life we ​​want for ourselves and our daughter, who we hope will continue to grow up with a deep sense of belonging.

Cassandra Tresl is a writer, content creator and curious observer of daily life in the Italian countryside. She lives in the Italian region of Abruzzo with her husband, Alex, and their daughter, and they share stories Rootless in Italy about family, community and building a life that looks a little different from the one he grew up expecting.

Want to get ahead at work? Then you need to learn how to make an effective small talk. In a new CNBC online course, How to Talk to People at Workexpert instructors share practical strategies to help you use everyday conversations to gain visibility, build meaningful relationships and accelerate your career growth. Register today!