Mercnbeth
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Hard to believe the day is here. Leaving the USA today for the trip to Italy where I'll be filling out the forms, picking up the Italian version of a 'green card', and applying for citizenship. Its expected in a few years I'll be an ex-patriot.
What started as a joke, a fun exercise associated with beth's genealogy hobby has brought us to boarding a 12 hour flight later today. When we met she had her family traced back to the 1700's and going further was difficult. Me, on the other hand, being a second generation immigrant was much easier. Going through the research she found out I met all the qualifications for Italian citizenship. What started as a lark became more serious when all the details started to come to light. The current economic and tax trends of the US make the decision pragmatic. Still I can't believe I'm doing this, and never thought I'd feel this was the best thing I could do. I don't feel like the rationalized; "I didn't abandon my country, my country abandoned me." It's more similar to how I feel when I terminate an employee based upon performance; I didn't fire them - their results did. Ummmmm, same rationalization I guess, except in business terms. Oh well...
So, there it is. Sure it will take a couple more years for the process to be completed. This is just their first trip of many. Some paperwork, some property shopping, some tourist stuff; a trip to the Sistine Chapel on Saturday morning, a side trip to Pompeii, weather permitting a boat ride to Capri and of course the tax write off meeting at a bank and insurance entity to discuss 'business'. Yes, it's selfish; however from my perspective the money I'm managed to save throughout my life has already been taxes a few times. Working just as hard, if not harder, in this economy and generating more money for the government than myself or even my employees just doesn't make sense. The government entitlement programs are running out of revenue. To fulfill existing obligations they'll need to raise taxes. At the same time they are taking on more obligations, like heath care, needing more revenue and adding more tax obligations from the few remaining successful individuals and companies; compounded at each taxing, bureaucratic bloated entity Federal, State, and Local. The concept is counter-productive and counter-productivity; but that's the way it is in the USA and I see no change in that trend forthcoming. The PAC matrix of government doesn't allow for anyone to change it. Political parties only differ in name, the objective for both is serving their special interest paymasters while keeping people distracted by feeding them non-issues like media bias. I've chosen not to be a part of it.
It's still hard to believe that accountants from both sides of the pond, confirm that the same amount of money wouldn't last in the USA but will suffice quite nicely in Italy, even with their socialist identity. I'll pay my VAT, but consider it whenever I buy anything. I'll participate in the community 'co-op' giving product and assess to my neighbors in lieu of cashing in another CD to cover perpetually rising property taxes. I don't care what the politics are called. The BL is I can afford to retire there and live well - I can't afford to do that here.
I don't know all the details, that's the purpose of this trip. I hope to be able to get a satellite dish to still follow the Yankees. Weirdly, beth speaks and understands as much if not more Italian than I do, a function of her discipline with the 'Rosetta Stone' program. I've been told the villa we've rented doesn't have wireless access, but I've also been told that pretty much the entire continent is set up for 'free' internet wireless access. We'll find out, but if you don't see us on-line that's the reason. This trip is only for 10 day we'll live without the web and I told my employees that this will be a good opportunity to see how they do without me looking over their shoulder through the web. I plan on turning over my company to them when I leave for good.
Bittersweet - I now know the emotions if not the definition of that word.
Ciao USA! Ciao Italia!
('Ciao' works both ways.)
Ciao!
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