Thursday, February 16, 2006
The Sahara of Italy
Given the recent flurry newspaper articles on Sardinia, it's becoming a very popular place for people wishing to relocate overseas and it's easy to see why.
The mild winter climate, the gorgeous sandy beaches and tasty food and wine makes it an ideal spot for those looking to escape the rat race and enjoy a more relaxed and much cheaper way of living.
How to Italy's team of relocation consultants, who work across Sardinia, are already fully booked in June as people decide to realise their long-harboured dream of owning a summer house on the island.
But with reporters mainly writing about Alghero, the Costa Smeralda and Cagliari, most readers don't know that Sardinia has four airports. If you're willing to be up to 2 hours away from an airport, just about anywhere on the island is accessible.
Having homes on both the Costa Smeralda and the centre of Cagliari means I don't have to choose between the north's glitzy Porto Cervo and the more lowkey but just as wealthy Porto Rotondo and the tourist-free south which boats stunning waterfalls and nature reserves, 3,000 acres of sand dunes known as the Sahara of Italy and where a capuccino, croissant and my morning paper will only set me back Eur2.40.
It may be totally unlike Italy but why would I want to live anywhere else?
Emma Bird is the founder of www.howtoitaly.com
The mild winter climate, the gorgeous sandy beaches and tasty food and wine makes it an ideal spot for those looking to escape the rat race and enjoy a more relaxed and much cheaper way of living.
How to Italy's team of relocation consultants, who work across Sardinia, are already fully booked in June as people decide to realise their long-harboured dream of owning a summer house on the island.
But with reporters mainly writing about Alghero, the Costa Smeralda and Cagliari, most readers don't know that Sardinia has four airports. If you're willing to be up to 2 hours away from an airport, just about anywhere on the island is accessible.
Having homes on both the Costa Smeralda and the centre of Cagliari means I don't have to choose between the north's glitzy Porto Cervo and the more lowkey but just as wealthy Porto Rotondo and the tourist-free south which boats stunning waterfalls and nature reserves, 3,000 acres of sand dunes known as the Sahara of Italy and where a capuccino, croissant and my morning paper will only set me back Eur2.40.
It may be totally unlike Italy but why would I want to live anywhere else?
Emma Bird is the founder of www.howtoitaly.com
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Looking for work in Italy
There was an interesting piece in the Italian national newspaper Corriere della Sera yesterday (Friday, February 3, 2006).
It was about the growing importance of Personal Assistants in Italy and the career progress they can be expected to make, along with salary increases.
And unlike other industry sectors which are experiencing decline in Italy, a study commissioned by the Camera di Commercio in Milan shows that the hiring of PAs has risen by 60pc in the last year.
According to Page Personnel, PAs to CEOs and managing directors earn the most: from Eur23k to Eur26k per annum without experience and over Eur60k after 10 years experience.
PAs to senior managers can earn between Eur19k and Eur22k in their first position but this is likely to rise to over Eur44k after 10 years.
Further down the scale, a PA to marketing managers normally enters on a salary of around Eur18k which goes up to around Eur33k.
Being able to speak at least two foreign languages fluently (English essential) is one of the key requisites to advancing your career.
Emma Bird is the founder of www.howotoitaly.com
It was about the growing importance of Personal Assistants in Italy and the career progress they can be expected to make, along with salary increases.
And unlike other industry sectors which are experiencing decline in Italy, a study commissioned by the Camera di Commercio in Milan shows that the hiring of PAs has risen by 60pc in the last year.
According to Page Personnel, PAs to CEOs and managing directors earn the most: from Eur23k to Eur26k per annum without experience and over Eur60k after 10 years experience.
PAs to senior managers can earn between Eur19k and Eur22k in their first position but this is likely to rise to over Eur44k after 10 years.
Further down the scale, a PA to marketing managers normally enters on a salary of around Eur18k which goes up to around Eur33k.
Being able to speak at least two foreign languages fluently (English essential) is one of the key requisites to advancing your career.
Emma Bird is the founder of www.howotoitaly.com
