I moved from Italy to California two years ago for university and now I’m at the point where I need to start looking for a job. My boyfriend is in Italy and my project has always been to eventually go back and live with him. Now I don’t know if I want that anymore. He’s the person of my life and all my family and friends are in Italy, but I don’t want to leave California. I’m attached to this idea of big opportunities I have here in California. I belong both here and there, I have the feeling I’m giving up on my future if I go back. Also I feel it would be somewhat a personal failure to go back to the small italian city where my boyfriend lives. Has anyone had a similar experience?
My wife has had a similar experience. In retrospect, she has no idea what to think of this. Both going back and staying have their pros and cons. It’s not an easy decision at all and I don’t think reading others’ experiences would help a lot since it varies so much from one person to the other.
I’ve lived in Italy for a while so I’ll just say this: if you don’t have very real job prospects back home, don’t go back. I guess you know already, but the job market there sucks and if you have good opportunities in California, at least try to have a job there for a while before deciding at least.
Also, I assume that you’re still very young, meaning that you’re at the age when you have to experience life to the max. Going back to a small town in Italy may not be the best option for that too.