A couple of months after quitting my job and selling my house in order to start my own law practice in Rome in the middle of the worst international economic crisis of my lifetime, I joined Twitter. My best friend Jonathan, a television journalist, has been telling me for years I was made for Twitter. My Facebook messages are usually deadpanned one-line commentaries on things like the legal profession and pop culture. But I didn’t join because of a beneficent desire to spread my humor around. Rather, the idea was to promote my law practice and website www.LizInRome.com, as well as this website, which hopefully will promote the other website, and both of them together will bring me world domination! Or just help me pay the rent.
Within the first few tweets and followers/followees, it turned into something unexpected. A real community of people I feel like I know. Maybe I do know them? Many of them are expat Americans or Brits in Italy, because the giant Twitter Brain suggests them to me every morning. I do not remember how I became in contact with @TianaKaiMiami, but soon there she was and we were sending messages to each other and with others about funny experiences here – good and bad. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her blog and seeing her pictures, here. When she wrote the other day that she was coming to Rome for a day and would I like to meet for lunch? I was flattered. Who, me? Was she sure? Of all thing fun things she could be doing in Rome!
We met at the Colosseum and walked to a nice place near there, Taverna Dei Quaranta, which is not too touristy, and was filled with Italians (a good sign). As soon as we met by the subway stop and started walking, we breathlessly tried to condense 30-plus years of life into as few spoken paragraphs as possible. Lots in common! Italian men…New Orleans…Colorado…Goals. Lunch flew by – not only because it was delicious – house wine, crunchy bruschetta, savory pastas, plus an extra carbonara thrown in because it was made for us by mistake! We talked about everything, until the restaurant started getting ready for dinner service.
Taken yesterday. I used to meet people for lunch in Dallas in an underground food court with no windows.
We both remarked on how important it is for women to have real friendships. Not just online or on Facebook, or even confined to meetings of expat organizations, but to really get together one on one and talk. And here, there is no one who can understand you like another American woman living and trying to forge a career in Italy: the frustrations, the roadblocks, the incomprehensions with your partner, and the glory of living in such an intensely beautiful country.
Lunch was over, I had to rush home for a work call, she had to get back to Florence. And BAM! In three hours, a new friendship was born. I can’t wait to see where we both end up in the world.
Anyone else made a good friend online? Do expat men need the friendship of other expat men like women do? So many questions. What do you think?
Yes, Twitter was made for you! Thanks for a smashing time! I haven’t closed down a restaurant for lunch in way too long, well deserved!
Love this post! Especially your photo caption–well said! I despise the tunnels!! So happy you found a fun expat friend!
Nice! It’s not always easy finding Americans on this side of the pond. Sometimes (depending on who’s in Office) we avoid each other so as to leave our assimilation efforts undisturbed. Ah, and nothing is better than a good long lunch. Don’t forget to pass through Geneva!
This is awesome! I sure do hope to meet both of you Twitter gal pals and bond over lunch, life, law and Italia when I arrive this summer!!