It’s difficult to meet people in a country where making friends isn’t a cultural norm; however it’s pretty easy to make acquaintances. Simply say hi (or ciao) to the lady behind the check-out counter or the guy who stocks the pasta section at the supermarket. Say hi, and then continue to say hi. By making … More quick tip: make acquaintences
Have a car? Wonderful! Don’t have a car? Well, then you’ll have to learn your public transportation system one way or another–so this is a great excuse. Either way, make running errands fun and exciting, by choosing a nearby city on a map (using AOL mapquest or another directions website beforehand) and drive into town … More expat quick tip: run errands in a new city
There’s no greater frustration than when someone tells you something is “50 meters away” and not knowing what that means. When you’re just about to cook a meal and you see that the oven should be on 200*C OR, when you’re at the gym at pick up an 8K weight–and have not idea what that … More expat quick tip: download a units conversion app
I’ve never been one to watch television–in fact, when living in NYC, I would have to text my husband to remind me how to turn on the cable box, TV and sound system (and the proper order). But, since I’m alone all day and no one speaks my language, sometimes it’s nice to hear English … More expat qucik tip: netflix in the kitchen
When there was a heatwave this summer, I quickly learned the bus system. Not only was it way too hot to walk around, with all of the hills and such, but the bus had air conditioning which was a luxury in Lugano! On the bus, I saw new ares of the city and learned about … More expat quick tip: ride the bus!
I went to the Lugano tourist office way too long after being here. I didn’t want to initially because I didn’t want to know about the cheesy-overpriced-toursity things in Lugano. Rather, I wanted to learn as a local, search and find all of the non-toursty things. That was silly. The tourism office not only has … More expat quick tip: your tourism office has more than just tourist information
famiglia o'neill 