12/30/2020
Check out our story Steffi Freedman in her "Movers & Makers".
Question: If you had to choose Would you rather declutter your bedroom or kitchen?
For the last MOVER + MAKER of the year, we are so excited for you to meet Eddie and Jenna Peterson. Eddie, an original member of the Freedman Team, and Jenna came back from an extended trip to Portugal a few years ago with some news. They were thinking of moving there indefinitely. It’s truly rare to find people who have the chutzpah to actually do this. They did. And here is their story…which brings us to Italy. Read on and make great moves in 2021! Thank you for supporting our team this year - whether it was trusting us with a move, referring friends to us, or simply reading these posts. It means a lot. Happy New Year!
*From where to where? *
It’s complicated…but isn’t it always!
We midwestern transplants (Omaha + Chicago) quickly adapted to Philadelphia's Western suburbs, aka The MainLine, by forging friendships and learning about cultural touchstones like the Devon Horse Show, Ardrossan Estate and Mainline Arts Center. Oh yeah, (purposeful understatement warning) we raised a wonderful daughter, Mackenzie, along the way.
Our house instantly became quiet with Mackenzie living her adult life independently in DC. Wondering how to fill the silence, we stood at major crossroads. To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes, “A change was afoot”!
In 2019, after much consideration & roiling debates, we pulled anchor with coordinates set for Portugal. Weather, lifestyle, citizenship, food, and healthcare checked all our boxes. We lasted 5 months. Something didn’t click and the waters were choppy!
Despite Portugal’s seductive landscapes and well-groomed beaches, we longed for the vibrancy and warmth we recalled from our youthful visits to other European cities - especially in Italy. We decided to pursue our muse so trimmed our sails and fell into the arms of our old fling, Italy. Side note: Portugal was understanding and we remain friends to this day. “It’s not you, it’s us”.
Early 2020 found us back in the US applying for Italian Visas when COVID threw a viral laden wrench into our return plans. At first we thought the airline overreacted, cancelling our return flight due to a remote virus. Joke was on us! No getting back to Italy who knows how long.
For the next 6 months we bopped around spare bedrooms of family and friends covering Dallas, San Antonio, Berkeley, Mountain View, and Los Angeles. Finally on August 10, 2020 with masks on and fingers crossed, we flew back to Italy!
Now we reside in Conversano just outside of Bari, Puglia’s regional capital.
*Why did you move? *
We both had our “midlife moment” around the same time, then in 2017 Eddie’s received a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis. A very real reminder that youthful and healthful days represent precious & fleeting gifts. Our “Now or Never moment” had arrived…
Researching online, speaking with doctors, and a 6-week Portuguese test run confirmed Europe could ease RA symptoms. Moving could quench both our itching for a new meaning and ease RA symptoms, but, but, but.... Could we learn another language? Adapt to another culture? Adjust to a slower life pace? Rather than asking “Why?” we started asking, “Why not?”
*What was your biggest challenge during this search? *
People joke about Italian bureaucracy for a reason. In Italy the entry point to most things bureaucratic starts at the local Post office. This is a far cry from the run of the mill US post office! At the Poste Italiane you pay bills, pick up your pension, file immigration paperwork, and sometimes even pick up or send mail! As a result every citizen (& immigrant) comes to the Poste Italiane early & often.
Here are our observations as outsiders. Visits begin with lining up outside. No telling for how long, or if the office may close for an inexplicable reason. Next, to pass the time, immediately and loudly complain to the nearest set of ears about governmental inefficiencies. Quickly banter volume soars to 11. If complaining bores you, try cutting in line. And if at first you don’t succeed try, try, again!
We’ve seen this movie before and we’d buy tickets again every time. Plus we inevitably add to our Italian vocabulary - some of which we can even use in polite company!
Onto adventure #2 - buying a house. Property searching looks very different. For starters, a Zillow type platform does not exist. Instead, we met with many local agents, but also talked with shop owners, bar managers, wait staff ….really anybody! And once you find your new home, cross your fingers just 1 or 2 “inheritors” instead of 8 or 9 are the sellers. No doubt less efficient than in the US, but also an interesting adventure.
Moving countries wasn’t enough apparently. Jenna started a new home & office organizing business, SomeTidySpot. During Covid lockdowns she helped family, friends, then people in the neighborhood declutter, organize, rearrange, and redecorate their “spots” for better efficiency and comfort. The lightbulb went off. Realizing how enjoyable the work and how impactful a little decluttering had on people’s lives, she leaned in. SomeTidySpot launched!! With lockdowns and distancing, she works virtually via Zoom/FaceTime anywhere in the world, including the US, of course. If anyone wants to improve their space, you can find SomeTidySpot on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/SomeTidySpot)
*Favorite new neighborhood spot? This can be a restaurant, bar, park, etc.*
Like most places in the world, Conversano is locked down. That means bars or restaurants haven’t been on our menu...but we still go grocery shopping! Here’s a typical morning grocery run hitting our favorite spots.
Every morning we walk 5 minutes to the main square’s open air market and see local fruits and vegetables offerings. Because availability follows the seasons some ingredients make short cameos, while others like zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes always play a role.
We live 10 minutes from an Adriatic fishing town, so the fish selection is fresh. How fresh? One time a seabass we (almost) bought was still alive! Another 3 minutes walk brings us to our favorite focacceria. You’ll never guess what we buy. Focaccia topped with an Italian speaking lesson!! The owner SLOWLY lofts easy questions, like “How are you?” And “How many grams of Prosciutto do you want?” giving Eddie the opportunity to practice. Finally, we walk by Nimo’s market and hear shouting down the street, “Ciao Eddie! Ciao Jenna!”. We stop for small talk, last minute artichokes, and our favorite green olives.
*What does home mean to you? *
Evidence suggests home means a place Jenna constantly redecorates! The real answer is home is a feeling, a place we feel peace & comfort. Importantly home is the concept of sharing that relaxed & welcoming feeling with friends & family. Ultimately a comfortable guest is the best home decor.
*What is the first thing you are going to do to make your home feel like yours? *
Rearrange the furniture. It's how Jenna rolls and Eddie somewhat happily helps. Chairs, couches, lamps, beds, rugs...the list goes on and on. We’ll be busy for weeks once our furniture filled container finally lands in Italy.
*If you could live anywhere in the world for one year -- without worry about COVID-19, the minutiae of everyday life and logistics -- where would it be? *
Italy. Italy. Italy. The energy here is vibrant. Southern Italians focus on living well. People have a respectful sense of their history and culture. They care about others and have been incredibly welcoming to us. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention, Italy is beautiful and food is delicious!. Ci vediamo pronto!
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