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We know you've faced these challenges at least once…
…If you're an expat woman planning to move to Italy or who’s already been here for a while.
You carefully prepared everything: bags packed, documents in order, a thousand expectations in your mind. Maybe you thought moving to Italy would be the beginning of a calmer, fuller, more authentic life.
But when you found yourself stumbling through Italian while trying to explain why you can’t open a bank account or get a doctor’s appointment, something cracked. You weren’t ready for this.
Arriving in a new country can feel like a thrilling adventure, but all it takes is one missing detail, an unanswered question, a familiar voice that’s no longer there, to suddenly feel out of place. Many expat women who move to Italy describe exactly this: a departure filled with hope, followed by a reality that’s more complicated than expected. The desire to start fresh collides with unexpected, practical and emotional obstacles.
And it’s for those who feel this way that VenereSync was created — a social network designed to foster genuine connections, restore a sense of belonging, and offer real support among women who are going through, or have gone through, similar experiences.
Because living abroad as a woman — and doing it in Italy — is often more complicated than anyone wants to admit.
Join our community or download our app so you never have to feel alone again!
Some people come with great excitement, others out of necessity. Some have lived abroad before, others are moving for the first time. But almost all, sooner or later, come face to face with Italian bureaucracy — often described as an endless maze of forms, stamps, and never-ending lines.
If there’s one thing that tests the mental resilience of those who arrive in Italy, it’s the winding road of paperwork, queues, and documents. Getting a health card or a national ID can take weeks, sometimes months. The tax code — essential for everything from renting a place to going to school, from banking to healthcare — seems to constantly slip through your fingers due to red tape and crowded offices. According to the Patronato ACLI in Milan, many foreigners find themselves trapped in a limbo that blocks access to even the most basic rights.
In the meantime, you're forced to explain who you are, what you’ve done before — often in a language you’re still learning. Speaking Italian becomes a goal in itself, and every phone call to a public office or appointment at an institution can make your heart race. Even the simplest things — like booking a checkup or filling out a form — become sources of stress.
And if you’re a student trying to convert your residency permit from study to work reasons, you might find yourself in a paradox: the country welcomed you to study, but won’t let you stay to actually build your future.
On the outside, everything is new. On the inside, something feels broken.
Italy moves to its own rhythm. Slow, sometimes very slow. Unwritten social rules, lunches that last for hours, the need for personal connections just to get information. At first, it might seem quaint. But after a while — especially if you come from more structured or fast-paced countries — it can become frustrating. The contrast between what you knew and what you’re now facing can be disorienting.
Nostalgia hits when you least expect it: while grocery shopping, walking down the street, watching a mother play with her child at the park. Your roots feel very far away, and building new, meaningful connections doesn’t always come quickly. Real friendships take time, effort, and often a healthy dose of courage. For many expat women, loneliness is the hardest part to talk about.
In the meantime, there’s a home to find, decisions to make about where to live, which neighborhoods are best, navigating lease agreements and countless logistical details. If there are kids, there’s school to choose, integration to follow, trusted doctors to find. All at once, all right away — often without any real support network.
There’s a moment when you realize nostalgia is no longer an occasional feeling, but a daily habit. Your mother isn’t there, your friends can’t meet you for a coffee, your emotional anchors are far away. And if building new bonds is hard for anyone, it’s even harder in a setting where language, cultural, and bureaucratic barriers keep you one step behind. Making real friendships becomes a challenge — just when you need them most.
Even those who find work face difficulties they never expected.
In terms of employment, Italy ranks 41st out of 50 in the Working Abroad Index. And in cities like Rome and Milan, only 24% of expat women feel that moving has improved their career prospects. 31% of those surveyed in Milan say they can’t find fulfilling personal opportunities. The numbers speak for themselves: the Italian job market struggles to value those coming from abroad.
In Italy, getting your degrees or professional certifications recognized can take months, and in the meantime, you feel like you constantly have to prove your worth. Some women face rigid professional dynamics, environments that lack meritocracy, and salaries that fall short of expectations. Add to this the cultural differences that can confuse or hurt: slower rhythms, awkward jokes, still-prevalent stereotypes.
Many expat women arrive with impressive resumes, international experience, academic credentials recognized almost everywhere… except here. In Italy, your studies might not be legally valid until they pass through a long evaluation process involving consular declarations and university bureaucracy. Even professional certifications — in language, digital skills, healthcare — are often questioned.
In the midst of all this, emotional fatigue can creep in and show up in every part of daily life. Stress starts to affect your body: you sleep less, eat poorly, and feel constantly on edge. And when you try to find help, you don’t know where to begin. Some women seek psychological support, but run into language barriers, long waitlists, or the feeling of not being truly understood.
But you don’t have to go through it alone.
Having someone to talk to, to share experiences with, to laugh about the challenges and find new perspectives — it can make all the difference. Reclaiming small moments of joy, going out with new friends, feeling part of something: these things help bring back balance, step by step.
The secret, if there is one, is to stop chasing perfection and start embracing each day for what it is. Some will be hard, others lighter. Some full of nostalgia, others full of discoveries. Surrounding yourself with real people, who listen without judgment, is an invaluable gift.
That’s what VenereSync was created for: to help expat women reconnect with their authentic selves, build new friendships, and experience moments that lift the heart. Through meetups, shared activities, and an accessible support network, you can start feeling seen, heard, and welcomed again.
And if you're reading this with a lump in your throat or that feeling of being caught between two lives, know that you're not alone.
Even here, in Italy, there’s space for you.
A place to start over without having to be perfect. Where you can simply be yourself.