I moved to Florence after studying abroad: low salaries, but this is home

Kaitlin Landolfa first went to Florence on a college study-abroad program after switching plans from Valencia because she loved Italian food. Her initial semester in January 2020 was cut short when the first COVID case arrived in Florence, and she returned in January 2021 to a citywide 10 p.m.

curfew and famously empty landmarks like the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. After finishing her senior year, she and friends planned a 10-month stay and Landolfa moved to Florence nine days after graduating in May 2022. The 10 months were supposed to end in February 2023, but she extended her stay, dropped the timeline, and now has lived there for almost four years while working as an English teacher at an Italian school.

Florence hosts a large community of young American expats, and most Italians she’s met have been welcoming, though some locals resent the influx and blame higher prices on new arrivals. Landolfa says rent has increased astronomically, and she was shocked by how low Italian salaries are compared with American ones.

Italy, Florence

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