The English translation of Stef Smulders’s travel stories has 121 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.3 stars.
Living in Italy: the Real Deal – Hilarious Expat Adventure Stories by Stef Smulders
Would you dare to follow your dream and move or retire to Italy?
Stef & Nico did, although their dog Sara had her doubts. Now from your comfortable armchair you can share in the hilarious & horrendous adventures they experienced when they moved to Italy to start a bed and breakfast.
For lovers of amusing travelogue memoirs who like a good laugh. And for those interested in practical advice on how to buy a house in Italy there is useful information along the way, pleasantly presented within the short stories.
Glossary of Italian words included! Learn the true meaning of Italian phrases and expressions like “non ci sono problemi“, “di fiducia“, “persone serie“, “tutto a norma” and many more. Learn a bit of the foreign language before going to Italy.
- Reader Views 2016/17 Literary Awards Winner
- Readers Favorite 2017 Award Winner Travel category
- Eric Hoffer Award Finalist
- 2017 ELIT Award Winner Travel category
- IAN Book of the Year Finalist Travel & Humor/Comedy/Satire categories
- New York & Amsterdam Book Festival Honourable Mentions
In 2008 Stef Smulders, his partner Nico and their dog Saar emigrated to Italy to start a new life and set up their B&B Villa I Due Padroni. They sold their home, left their friends and family behind and took a leap into the unknown. Now Stef shares his experiences in a collection of witty short stories. The book treats the trials and tribulations of an emigration.
The reader is introduced to a full range of Italian characters, from the trustworthy to the rogue, from the gentle to the shameless, flesh and blood Italians. Some are stereotype, others unexpectedly original. Yet they never fail to amuse and entertain.
Meet the author of this Italian adventure story, Stef Smulders:
Stef is a Dutch expat who moved to Italy in 2008, accompanied by his husband and dog, to start their bed and breakfast Villa I Due Padroni in the Oltrepo Pavese wine region, just 50 km (30 miles) south of Milan. In 2014 Stef published his first book (in Dutch) about their life in Italy.
The English translation is available from November 2016 as “Living in Italy: the Real Deal – How to survive the Good Life” and has had raving reviews from editorial websites and readers alike.
For a sneak preview of several chapters visit http://italiaanse-toestanden.duepadroni.it/index-UK.html