🇮🇹 Living and Working Across Italy as a Remote Tech Lead - What I Learned

When I first moved to Italy, I expected a bit more friction. I didn’t speak Italian, I was switching cities every few months, and I was leading a remote team while figuring out life in a new country. But surprisingly, it wasn’t hard. In fact, it felt natural, like I’d just plugged into a different version of the same life.

A Slow Way Into Italy

I didn’t land in Rome and settle right away. I spent several months living in different cities, getting a feel for each one. Each place had its rhythm, but the process was mostly the same: rent a room, find a spot with decent Wi-Fi, walk the neighbourhoods, start building routines.

There wasn’t a big culture shock. I speak Spanish, and Italian is close enough that I could get by from day one. Within a few months, I reached a B2 level just from being immersed and talking with people daily.

Shared Housing, New People

When I eventually settled, I moved into a shared flat with an Italian roommate I didn’t know. It could’ve gone either way, but we got along fast, and now we’re friends.

Sharing a house as an adult in a new country might sound intimidating, but honestly, it made things easier. It helped me learn the language faster, understand cultural nuances, and feel less isolated. Plus, it’s always nice to have someone who can help you decode paperwork, utility bills, and the local food scene.

Work Life Didn’t Change Much

I’ve been leading a tech team remotely, and my day-to-day work stayed consistent across cities.

Sure, I had to shift my hours slightly for meetings and syncs, but the tools, processes, and responsibilities were the same. I used the same laptop, the same apps, and led the same kind of discussions, just from a different room (and with better coffee).

Most days, I worked from home. Some days, from cafés. As long as the Wi-Fi was stable, I could focus, contribute, and lead.

Life Outside the Screen

If anything changed, it was what happened outside of work.

Italy has a slower rhythm, and that rubbed off on me. I’d take proper breaks for lunch. I’d walk more. I’d talk to neighbours. Evenings were for cooking or having an aperitivo, not squeezing in more screen time.

That slower pace actually made me a better tech lead. I came into meetings more focused, less rushed. My async communication got clearer. I gave better feedback. I worked smarter, not just harder.

What I Learned

I didn’t move abroad to reinvent myself. I just wanted a change of setting, and it worked.

Italy didn’t radically transform my life. But it showed me that you can live somewhere completely new, speak a language that’s not your own, work in a fully remote tech role, and still feel grounded and in control.

You don’t have to “figure it all out” before moving. You figure it out as you go, and it’s usually less scary than it seems.

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