When Kacie Rose Burns left New York City to move to the charming city of Florence, Italy, with her fiancé, Dario, in 2021, she felt like she was about to live out a real-life fairytale.
She envisioned endless pasta and wine, stunning architecture, breathtaking scenery and most importantly, a chance to slow down after over a decade of living in fast-paced Manhattan.
But she quickly learned that life in Italy wouldn’t be as picturesque as she expected and adjusting to the relaxed lifestyle in the European country turned out to be incredibly difficult for her.
Burns, 32, an influencer and former professional dancer, laid bare the harsh realities of moving across the globe exclusively with the Daily Mail, admitting that she was hit by immense ‘culture shock’ that left her feeling ‘incredibly lonely and isolated.’
She said she struggled with seemingly normal tasks like buying groceries or getting a birthday card for her fiancé and was shocked to discover that there are so many differences in day-to-day life that had never occurred to her.
‘The biggest surprises were the things you’d never think to Google or ask beforehand,’ she said.
‘For example, soon after we moved to Italy, it happened to be Dario’s birthday, so I wanted to buy him a birthday card.
‘In the US, pharmacies are often like mini convenience stores where you can buy almost anything, so I walked into the pharmacy across the street and spent several minutes searching the aisles before finally asking the pharmacist where they kept the cards.
Kacie Rose Burns moved from New York City to Italy with her fiancé Dario in 2021
While it may look picturesque, she said adjusting to life in Italy was extremely difficult
‘She looked at me like I had three heads. I later learned that birthday cards are typically sold at a cartoleria, or stationery shop.
‘It was such a small thing, but it perfectly captured the feeling of realizing that what feels normal in one country doesn’t necessarily exist in another.
‘[And during] my first solo trip to the grocery store, I filled my basket with produce and brought everything to the cashier, only to discover that I was supposed to weigh the fruits and vegetables myself and print out the price stickers beforehand. I had never seen that system before and had to do basically the walk of shame back to the produce section.’
Burns explained that she first visited Italy in 2018 during a solo trip, during which, she not only fell in love with the country, but she also fell in love with her now-fiancé, Dario, who lived in Florence at the time.
The two met while she was walking around the city and ultimately spent three magical days together. When she went back to New York City they continued talking and eventually decided to enter into a long-distance relationship.
‘After a year of long distance, he moved to New York in December 2019 on a one-year visa, and we spent all of 2020 living together there,’ she explained.
‘When COVID hit, the performing arts industry completely shut down. For the first time, I was forced to step away from the career I had spent years pursuing.
‘That period made me realize that I wasn’t as fulfilled as I thought I was, and it gave me the opportunity to reevaluate what I wanted my life to look like.’
Burns, 32, an influencer and former professional dancer, laid bare the harsh realities of moving across the globe exclusively with the Daily Mail
She admitted that she was hit by immense ‘culture shock’ that left her feeling ‘incredibly lonely and isolated’
She kept thinking back to how happy she was during that trip to Italy in 2018, so in January 2021, she enrolled in an Italian language program, obtained a study visa and moved to Florence with Dario.
But Burns struggled immensely after she arrived in Italy.
‘No matter how excited you are, moving to another country means starting over in a place with a different language, culture, traditions and social norms,’ she explained.
‘I was fortunate because I had a support system through Dario and his family, but there is still a huge element of the unknown.
‘You have to figure out how life works all over again, and that can be intimidating. Even with support, there’s no way around the fact that it’s a major leap into unfamiliar territory.’
While she was initially drawn in by the idea of a slower lifestyle, she admitted that adapting to Italy’s ’emphasis on well-being and rest’ has been the biggest adjustment for her.
‘Coming from New York City’s fast-paced hustle culture, learning how to slow down and appreciate life has been a major shift,’ she said.
‘While American culture often emphasizes individual achievement and success, Italian culture tends to place a greater focus on community, family and enjoying everyday life.
‘Italians have a remarkable ability to embrace life fully. There’s a stronger sense that life isn’t something to constantly optimize, it’s something to experience.’
Burns said that even with Dario by her side, she found the experience ‘incredibly lonely, isolating and frustrating.’
As for the positives, Burns said the best part has been the ‘sense of community’ she gained, adding: ‘Of course, there’s also the incredible food, beautiful scenery and the wine… not too shabby’
And despite the hardships, Burns, who has since written a book on the move, called You Deserve Good Gelato, insisted that she has no regrets
She explained that she was ‘left feeling stupid a lot’ and felt like she was ‘five years old again’ while ‘relearning how to do life’ out of her comfort zone.
In addition, the language barrier was extremely difficult, and despite her taking lessons she was often left feeling ‘misunderstood.’
‘Language is filled with nuance, humor, slang and personality that you learn the full scope of as a native speaker. When you don’t have access to all of those tools, it can feel incredibly limiting,’ she added.
‘I also struggled with having to rely on other people. I’ve always been extremely independent, and suddenly I needed help with tasks that would have been effortless back home.
‘Over time, though, I realized that accepting help wasn’t losing my independence, it was learning how to be vulnerable enough to rely on community, which is something Italian culture does exceptionally well.’
As for the positives, Burns said the best part has been the ‘sense of community’ she gained, adding: ‘Of course, there’s also the incredible food, beautiful scenery and the wine… not too shabby.’
And despite the hardships, Burns, who has since written a book on the move, called You Deserve Good Gelato, insisted that she has no regrets.
‘I’m happy, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t come with challenges, because it certainly has. But challenges are part of life, no matter where you live,’ she said.
‘For me, Italy feels like home. We’ve built a life here, created a community here, and this is where I feel happiest. I don’t regret the move at all.’
Her advice to others who are considering moving to another country?
‘Be willing to put on your humility cap and accept that there will be things you need to relearn. Lean on other people for help, embrace the local culture, and stay open-minded,’ she suggested.
‘Most importantly, understand that it won’t always be easy. There will be moments of frustration, loneliness and discomfort. But if it’s something you truly want to do, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.’
