One-way to Milan
My business coach had asked what was stopping me from going to Italy. “Nothing,” I had replied.
I left her office bemused, dazzled and totally overwhelmed. That night, the feeling moved towards excitement. Could I do this?
Could I… really… just… move… to… Italy?
Just… like… that?
I knew enough about astrocartography and my natal astrological birth chart that pretty much anywhere in Italy was bound to be better for me than Ireland, where my natal Sun, Mercury and Venus reside solidly in my 12th house.
Not seen, not heard, not valued.
I still had another two sick days plus the weekend, before I was due back in my part-time hotel marketing job.
With photography, I was sick and tired of people at all the craft fairs I had done, and the exhibitions I had arranged over six long years, telling me they loved my work and “some day I’ll buy”.
The bank and credit union had both approved loans and I went to yet two more photography exhibitions in West Cork that summer, neither of which sold any work. The second exhibition was my last straw. I was DONE with Ireland.
Neptune trine Neptune
My Neptune trining Neptune was pulled more and more to my dream of two international exhibitions coming up in northern Italy. Yes, I had to pay to attend. But I would be on the international stage. At last.
Looking at dates, I started getting both overwhelmed and excited. I could go to Italy in November for the exhibitions which I had already committed to, come back to Ireland, save some more money, then move to live there for three months early the following year.
But my practical Pluto and North Node in Virgo told me that was way too complicated logistically. This was before Airbnb.
I would have to pay rent in two countries. And it had taken me eight months to get my rented house in Clonakilty. A house I had outgrown as soon as I moved there. It made no sense.
So, more scared than I remember being for years, I booked a VIP day with my business coach. I also booked a week’s intensive meditation with the Clairvision School as I knew instinctively that I needed to be as grounded as possible before going to Italy.
Italy and Leo
That’s if I was really going to do it! Move to Italy. For good. A country I had always loved like no other. I now know that countries also have charts, and Italy is ruled by Leo (Ireland is ruled by Taurus, which totally explains our slow civil servant attitude towards life by the way!).
Italy loves to shine, as do Italians. And there is the minor matter that all the most important intimate relationships in my life were with men who were ALL triple Leos, but I had yet to learn that!
The following week I had my VIP day. We mapped out a plan of action for the next six months, figuring out that after I had paid for the photography exhibitions, there was not a huge amount of money left. Enough for a month, maybe two. The plan was to get a part-time job in a cafe. Stay in a hostel until I found somewhere more permanent.
Suddenly there were only two weeks left before my first exhibition. I had 10 large photos to ship, end of year accounts to do, flights to book, a lease to let go of, possessions to give away or store. I donated as much as possible to the local charity shop, arranged short-term storage with my beloved West Cork man for my excess photos, books and other stuff I was not ready to let go of yet.
Then I booked a one-way flight to Milan Bergamo with Ryanair.
A week’s intensive meditation a week before my ‘D-Day’ grounded me enormously. The day the course ended, I rang my family to let them know what I was planning. I told them I would be back in January to see everyone as I figured I would be well settled by then. I had a brief Skype conversation with my enigmatic Italian man and told him we would meet when or if I made it to Lucca.
I did not intend saying long goodbyes to anyone except my beloved West Cork man who supported my decision utterly. As he had done for every other decision I had made over the years.
Astrocartography: Choosing where to live
Most importantly, I had prepared two lists. Something I have often done when making a major decision. This Italian guy had a friggin’ seriously complicated personal life! I had to be utterly sure I was moving to Italy for ME, not for the possibility of a relationship which might well never have evolved beyond what it was.
So even without this enigmatic Leonian of an Italian, I was still going to Italy!
I quietly said goodbye to my beloved West Cork man, packed two suitcases, a rucksack, a laptop case and a tripod. Left my car with my mechanic, end of year accounts filed, excess possessions stored, lease let go of.
I boarded the Bus Eireann service from Ballinascarthy to Cork that dark and wet November evening in 2014, then waited hours in Cork city for the Aircoach to Dublin Airport, arriving about four hours early for my flight.
I was so utterly exhausted I fell asleep and missed the call to board. To this day I don’t know what woke me in time. I rushed to the Ryanair desk, pleaded my case and ran the length of Dublin Airport, making the flight with just 10 minutes to spare!
Milan Bergamo.
Andata solo.
I was on my way to a whole new life.
What happened next? Settling into Italian life via Switzerland!
End of Part IV… read Part V here, Part VI here and Part VII here!
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