Fabio has just successfully graduated from university and throw himself into his working life. First job and right away abroad. Fabio told us not only what it was like to start living in a foreign city hundreds of miles from home, but also how he dealt with finding his accommodation.
At first, tell us something about yourself, please. Where are you exactly from? What do you like to do?
So, I am 26 years old sunny guy. I have used the word „sunny“ because I come from a city near Naples and people from there „have the sun in their hearts“. Now, I live in Brno, the Czech Republic, where I work for Honeywell. Otherwise, I really like to do sports, from volleyball to swimming.
So, you are from Italy, but now, you are working in Brno. How did it happen?
I studied at University of Naples Federico II, a world-wide appreciated university with really great courses and teacher. I took a master’s degree in computer engineering, (embedded systems and digital design). To make it clear, this master’s degree is very requested abroad, but not so much in Italy. Therefore, as soon as I graduated, some international recruiters called me in order to hire me abroad. Finally, I had to choose between work in the romantic and hot south of France and cold Czech Republic.
Why did you choose Brno?
The job offer in France was good and well-payed, but it didn‘t match with what I want to do in the future. So, in this aspect, Brno was much better for me. Thanks to this job I can do what I really like and because of that, there is a higher possibility I could accept another job in the same field in the future. For example, if my girlfriend will take a job abroad in the future, I have the possibility to follow her and apply for a new job with a strong experience in my favorite field.
I heard, you have taken this job abroad, mainly to save money for your wedding. This is a very romantic act!
Yes, in two years or less, I would like to marry my girlfriend with a good economic condition and work which I love. Maybe, I will not be the richest man in the world, but the guy, who have his favorite job and his dream girl as a wife. What is more?
How did your girlfriend and family accept your journey abroad?
My parents always support me. My girlfriend as well, but for both, it's difficult to be so far for a long time.
It is very difficult to leave your home and start working in a foreign town, in a foreign country. How do you handle it? How do you feel now?
Basically, it‘s not difficult. It depends on your approach. I think, if you go abroad, the main rule is to accept this change in your life. You make a mistake if you think it will be the same as in your country, because you will always feel like a foreigner and it is much harder to integrate. The change can be good and bad at the same time, but it is always beautiful.
It can be also quite difficult to find accommodation abroad. How did you manage it? Was it also difficult for you or vice versa?
Definitively yes, it is really difficult. First, the owners are usually older people, whose don't want a tenant who speaks English and after 6 months or 1 year maybe move away. Also the prices are going to be crazy. So, after 2 months of 8-hours searching per day on the internet, I wasn‘t able to find something not too much expensive.
Finally, you found your apartment on Flatio.com. Why did you choose Flatio?
Yes, I did. At first, let me explain my situation at 29th October. I have to start at my job at the 1st November. My deal with a real estate agency was horrible, because they told me the apartment will be available after 15th November. So I was in Brno and afraid of being homeless for a few days.
Finally a solution emerged. Just one click on Flatio webpage and the problem disappeared. I checked available apartments, chose one and just pushed the request button. Et voila'. It was like an Amazon order, fantastic.
Has the whole rental process on Flatio gone fluently without some complication?
Not at all, just a quite little problem when the landlord told me that the apartment is available from the 4th November, not from the 1st. But I think it is a problem of the landlord who didn’t update the availability of the apartment.
Now, you are a few days in Brno. Do you like this city and also people living there?
Yeah, I like it! All people are gentle. They respect their city and you can still feel it when you go around the city.
At the end, I would like to ask you if you have some advices and tips for people going abroad because of new job?
Well, if you are going to Brno from abroad for a longer term, I have been suggesting to take a mid-term rental for 2 months and then search for a long-term. Also, do not follow some city guide. Just walk without any map and loose in the city. As soon as you will be tired and ready for a beer, go to the first pub you meet.
