They drove virtually all over the place once they lived in Miami, however since moving to the Italian metropolis of Rimini with their two youngsters and their canine, Gaston and Norma Galella have change into eager cyclists.
The couple, who’ve been married since 2005, ditched their automobile early on and love biking round their new hometown, driving to native seashores and the countryside of the encircling Emilia-Romagna area. Despite its small dimension, they say Rimini has every part they want.
Their favourite points of interest embrace the Fellini Museum, a former fortress devoted to Federico Fellini, the Rimini-born movie director of 1960 traditional “La Dolce Vita.” They additionally love exploring the paths at Parco XXV Aprile, a neighborhood park related to a 2,000-year-old Roman bridge.
While nonetheless new to Italy, the Galellas, who each relocated to the US from Argentina as kids, say life within the European nation fits them, and they’ve by no means felt misplaced.
“It was more like coming back home for us,” says Norma, noting that each of Gaston’s grandfathers emigrated from Italy to Argentina a few years in the past. “Which is kind of weird because we lived in the United States so long. But we never truly felt American.”
Although their family is prospering in Rimini in the present day, town identified for its sandy seashores and landmarks just like the Arco D’Augusto — the oldest surviving Roman triumphal arch — wasn’t even on their radar earlier than their transfer.
“We hadn’t even heard of that city before…” says Norma. “And for us, it was a blessing in disguise, because we love it here. We can’t imagine being anywhere else at this point.”
So why did they depart Miami two years in the past? Despite residing a “great” life working a profitable renovation firm collectively, the couple felt one thing was lacking and determined town wasn’t the proper setting to elevate their two youngsters.
A go to to Gaston’s family in Italy modified every part. They “basically fell in love with the place,” they say, and started planning a future relocation.
“The culture is very similar to Argentina’s and always felt like home to us,” says Gaston.
Both admit that they’d been “blindfolded” by the promise of life within the United States, formed by the experiences of their dad and mom, who “really did live the American Dream.”
Yet additionally they acknowledged the price.
“For us as entrepreneurs at that point, we realized, we do have the ‘American dream,’” says Norma. “But there’s a cost for it … the lifestyle. The stress. All those things came at a price.”
They needed their youngsters to have “a real childhood” free from the pressures and anxieties of the American college system. Leaving whereas their children have been young meant they wouldn’t be “too attached to friends,” easing the transition.
“They were really excited about it,” says Norma. “And the transition has been super easy for them.”
“We just took the chance,” says Gaston. The indisputable fact that he may get hold of Italian citizenship by descent helped to seal the deal for them. “All the pieces fell in place. And it was like, ‘It’s meant to be.’”
Initially, the couple thought-about moving to the traditional metropolis of Florence however couldn’t discover a appropriate residence. A relative prompt Rimini and inside per week they secured a rental in its historic middle.
Saying goodbye to their Miami life concerned discovering tenants, packing belongings, and paying for airplane tickets that price over $10,000, plus a further $3,000 to ship a few of their possessions.
Their largest expense was their lodging, which required a yr’s hire prematurely plus a safety deposit.
In June 2024, the Galellas, together with their two youngsters, aged seven and 9 on the time, and Australian Shepherd canine Teddy, flew into Rome, rented a van and stayed in Florence for a couple of weeks earlier than heading to a home in Rimini they’d rented with out seeing. The solely furnishings they’d on arrival have been mattresses.
They spent the preliminary months sightseeing, “eating gelato every day,” and furnishing their residence.
They have been instantly embraced by locals, who they describe as “very hospitable.”
In truth, the couple joke that they’ve most likely “met more people here in a year and a half than we’ve met our whole lives in Miami.”
“It’s like a little community within this little neighborhood,” says Norma. “And you start meeting people, and then they invite you for lunch.”
Finding work in Italy proved more difficult.
“We either were very overqualified or didn’t have the basic language to actually work on something that didn’t require much experience,” says Norma. “So we were kind of back and forth.”
After round a yr and a half in Italy, they offered their Miami residence, assured their transfer was everlasting. For about 470,000 euros — round $545,000 — they bought a “fixer-upper” close to their rental, consisting of two separate models that they plan to remodel into two-story, three-bedroom residence.
They’ve additionally reopened their renovation firm Duoma Atelier, beginning with their new residence, a challenge they estimate will price one other 450,000 euros.
The Galellas say they love the slower tempo in Italy and the work-life stability loved by locals.
”They have their lives,” says Norma. “And they work so that they can pay their bills, but their time off is very important.”
The couple love having the ability to purchase contemporary, seasonal produce and discover Rimini more reasonably priced than Miami. They additionally reward the Italian healthcare system, saying they really feel safer realizing they’re “not going to go bankrupt because of a medical bill.”
Rimini’s location permits straightforward journey throughout Italy and Europe or flights from Federico Fellini International Airport.
While they’ve tailored to life in Italy comparatively simply, they’re nonetheless combating the language. Their hope that their fluent Spanish would give them a head begin proved unfounded.
“The more we learn, the more we realize how little we know,” says Norma,
They additionally joke in regards to the nation’s “out of this world” forms.
Norma at present has a permesso di soggiorno, which permits her to reside and work within the nation, and will probably be eligible for citizenship as soon as she passes an language competency take a look at. The couple’s youngsters mechanically turned Italian residents as soon as Gaston’s citizenship was granted.
The Galellas haven’t returned to Miami since they left. While they miss family and associates, they’ve been inundated with guests for the reason that transfer, which has made issues simpler.
“They’re coming here, and realizing, ‘Oh, wow, that’s, this is why you guys moved here. Now I see,’” says Norma.
The couple can’t think about ever returning to the United States, and stress that they now have a “genuine sense of belonging” they hardly ever skilled residing in Miami.
“We’re happier and more united,” says Norma. “Because we’re able to spend more time together … We were already a very close family here having gone through this experience together as a family, has brought us even closer.”
The transfer has been transformative for their youngsters, who’re experiencing a childhood related to the one Gaston and Norma had in Argentina.
“It was a big thing for the kids,” says Gaston. “They learned a lot. And we’re much better off now than we were before.”