Today, we’re diving into the transformative power of life in Italy, how traveling has impacted us, and how this journey has been nothing short of magical and eye-opening. There are so many experiences in Florence that we can’t wait to share with you. But it’s not just about the places we visit or the things we do there; it’s about personal growth. You will experience the unexpected as you are immersed in the art, food, and history here.

We also explore the beauty of Florence and the profound connections we forged with each other during our trip. Listening to passionate chefs speak about their craft made us feel truly alive. Tune in to learn more about The Ultimate Italia Experience!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

[0:00] Travel, relationships, and personal growth.

[2:25] Italy trip experiences and emotions.

[7:50] Exclusive experiences in Florence, Italy.

[10:50] Travel experiences and personal growth.

[15:50] The beauty of Florence, Italy and human connection.

[18:15] Travel experiences and personal growth.

Get more information about Rob + Kim’s Italia: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6352c7416c4cf33281b5ee8f

Get additional podcast content here: https://www.patreon.com/fridate

Get the Vision Board Course for Couples: https://fridateacademy.thinkific.com/courses/Ultimate-Vision-Board-Couples

Work One-on-One with Rob Here: https://nextchaptershow.com/coaching/

Connect with Rob on Instagram: @robmurgatroyd

Connect with Kim on Instagram: @kimmurgatroyd

The post 523: A Magical Journey of Transformation and Connection in Italy appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

We’re diving into the adventure of moving to Italy, sharing our own experiences and some valuable logistical tips to make your Italian dream a reality. First, we discuss the logistics and visa requirements for moving to Italy. Kim and I have had the pleasure of working with an immigration attorney to build a course to help guide you through the legal aspects of moving to Italy. In this episode, Kim provides a high-level overview of the visa options as well as paths to citizenship. Consulates have strict requirements for visa applications, so you’ll need to come prepared to avoid complications.

Speaking from our own journey, we talk about the cultural differences and expectations you’ll encounter when you move to Italy. We’ll help you avoid constantly questioning why things are done a certain way in Italy and instead, embrace the system and find workable solutions to make your transition smoother. Beyond that, language barriers can be daunting but learning Italian to connect with the local community is so important. We share our recommendations for effective language learning AND building community in Italy.

If you’re dreaming of a life in Italy, this episode is a must-listen. We’ve got all the insights and advice you need to turn that dream into reality. Don’t miss out!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

[2:25] How people often prioritize long-term goals over short-term enjoyment

[5:35] The importance of living intentionally and designing one’s life

[8:25] How people often try to have it all, but ultimately, they can only have what’s most important to them

[8:40] The importance of identifying priorities and pursuing them

[15:25] Rob’s retirement goal: automate income through investments, freeing time for enjoyable pursuits.

[18:10] Kim’s upbringing in New Hampshire and how it differs from the lavish parties and expensive taste

[22:20] A course that can help individuals clarify their vision and purpose

Get more information about Rob + Kim’s Italia: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6352c7416c4cf33281b5ee8f

Get additional podcast content here: https://www.patreon.com/fridate

Get the Vision Board Course for Couples: https://fridateacademy.thinkific.com/courses/Ultimate-Vision-Board-Couples

Work One-on-One with Rob Here: https://nextchaptershow.com/coaching/

Connect with Rob on Instagram: @robmurgatroyd

Connect with Kim on Instagram: @kimmurgatroyd

The post 520: Your Path to Moving to Italy appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

For us, a month in Mykonos allowed us time to truly relax, visit local farms, be beach bums and actually unwind and be on holiday. It took us out of day-to-day life, exposed us to things that are new and different than the other 11 months per year. It gave us inspiration for new businesses and seeds for new passions.

The Common Traveler

This year I’ve watched many of my social media friends come to Italy, spend just a few hours in Florence and say that they saw everything. Cue a massive sigh from Michelangelo and his famous friends. Maybe they saw the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge, took pictures of the Duomo, ate some pasta, cooled off with gelato and walked past the fake David in front of Palazzo Vecchio, assumed the real one looks the same (so why bother with the line, right?).

This is the most common type of traveler. Their goal is to make the most of their trip and see as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. I understand getting the bang for your buck. Travel is expensive and you want to see as much as you can. But is seeing the highlights of a city really bringing you the value? You go home with a few pictures, a t-shirt of David blowing bubblegum and vague memory of the pasta dish you ordered at the tourist trap.

This may sound harsh, but from my perspective, you’re missing the point of what travel is all about. When you travel, you have an opportunity to grow, learn about a new culture, develop new passions, get inspired to try something new and it can completely shift your lifestyle and bring a deeper sense of joy and passion to your day-to-day life.

How can you do that in a day? How can you do that on a tour of 100 people with a tour operator spewing facts in an earpiece? That’s not engaging. And, from the look I see on most of the exhausted tourists faces, it’s boring.

Action vs. Observation

Think back to school. Where did you learn more and have more fun – Biology CLASS or biology LAB?

Hands down, the studies are clear – you retain more information, have clearer memories and more FUN when you DO THINGS vs. observe. And yet, on vacations, the average tour is observational only.

However, immersive experiences are hands-on, interactive and ACTION oriented. When you engage in a new, hands on experience, studies have shown it gives your brain rest, improves your mood and challenges your brain to work in a different way.

Plus,immersive experiences provide a new perspective and tap into all of your senses – what you see, the sounds you hear, the new tastes and smells and most importantly, how it makes you feel.

Lifestyle Changing Immersion

A friend ours used to eat every meal in a restaurant. Life was busy, building a business takes a lot of time and bandwidth and cooking was the last thing on their mind. Then, he visited Italy. Instead of seeing the sights, he did a hands-on cooking class and learned about making pasta from scratch. It was meditative and fun. It inspired him. Then, he traveled to another region, and learned from a local piazzolo about the art of making pizza, the importance of fresh, quality ingredients and how to properly cook a pizza in a wood burning oven.

Fast forward a few years, he has tapped into a new passion for cooking. He now cooks and eats most meals at home, from scratch (including pasta), and has a real, wood fire pizza oven at him home in the USA. How do you think this improved his overall life and fulfillment?

This didn’t happen because he took a few photos of a major landmark. He immersed himself into an experience and it quite literally, changed his day-to-day life. Additionally, this new passion has brought massive joy and created an entire new dimension to his lifestyle.

THAT is exactly how an immersive experience can change your life.

Our Experiences

Rob and I have been traveling in an immersive way for almost twenty years. Whether it’s finding the local, restaurant with no-electricity and no sign in Mykonos, learning how to blend wine in France or being invited into Nonno‘s kitchen, on a lesser known Sicilian island, so he can show us how Granita and Gelato are very different – our travel is always immersive. We know how important this type of travel has in changing our life, and we want to share this style of travel with as many people as possible.

Over the last five years, we’ve brought full, immersive experiences to our Work Hard Play Hard and Platinum Experiences, such as driving a Ferrari in the city in which they’re created, on our way to a private lunch at Chef Massimo Bottura‘s villa. Sounds bougie, but there’s so much more depth to the flash. As we drove, we stopped along the way to learn how the local parmesan and balsamic vinegar are made. And, not just any factory, we learned from in the exact places that the famed Chef sources his ingredients.

We cracked open a wheel of parmesan, taste-tested the multiple aged options, and went through a similar process with the vinegar. Seeing the process, the art and the time that goes into these ingredients elevated our understanding and gave us much more appreciation for the meal that we devoured.

That’s just one, simple example.

Rob & Kim’s Italia Experience

Since moving to Florence, we have changed so much. The daily immersion is causing us to question so many aspects of our life and make positive changes. We’ve never been happier, more fulfilled and enjoyed our life more than we do today.

And, we want to share this life with people who are ready for a shift. We realize that not everyone can move to Italy, but you can visit us! We are dedicated to creating bucket-list, immersive Italy-based experiences for our upcoming Rob & Kim’s Italia Experiences in October 2023 (2 spots left) and May 2024 (Early Registration is OPEN!).

Our Experiences aren’t your normal vacation. And, they’re not for everyone. If you’re looking for the cheapest way to see the most, we’re not for you. If you prefer to just snap the sights and move on, again, we’re not for you.

But if you’re looking for an experience that will make a lasting imprint on your life, bring you new passions, joy and a new perspective – then we’d love to see you in Italy.

The post Travel Can Change You, If You Let It appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

Kim and I have been sharing our journey on this podcast, bits and pieces spread between various episodes. However, I recently had the opportunity to share my story in depth while being interviewed by my friend Chris Harder for his podcast. I feel that the way Chris structured the interview and crafted his questions allowed me to express my story in such a relatable and clear way.

Since the release of the episode, I have received overwhelmingly positive feedback so I wanted to share this with all of you to create a deeper connection with you! I hope this episode will help you better understand my vision to help others reach their next chapter.

This is a repost of my interview with Chris on https://chrisharder.me/rob-murgatroyd-the-chris-harder-show-episode-730/

Get more information about Rob + Kim’s Italia: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6352c7416c4cf33281b5ee8f

Get additional podcast content here: https://www.patreon.com/fridate

Get the Vision Board Course for Couples: https://fridateacademy.thinkific.com/courses/Ultimate-Vision-Board-Couples

Work One-on-One with Rob Here: https://nextchaptershow.com/coaching/

Check out other blogs: https://fridate.blog/

Connect with Rob on Instagram: @robmurgatroyd

Connect with Kim on Instagram: @kimmurgatroyd

The post 495: Fighting for My Dream Life – My Interview with Chris Harder appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

The Italians know that one of the most important rituals of humanity, longevity of life and true fulfillment is eating together. 

The riposo or long lunch with family/friends is a tradition, if not an art form in Italy. The riposo is essentially the Italian equivalent of a siesta, a midday break when shops close and workers go home to have a long lunch or even take a refreshing nap before heading back out to finish their day. Long lunches are an integral part of local culture and are not compromised by obligations such as work.

This may puzzle or annoy the American arriving at a shop at 1pm only to find it closed until 4pm. However, if you can look past your own inconvenience and think about the positive impact this can have on a community and families. 

The working mothers head home to make a delicious pranzo for their children, home for lunch from school. The working fathers get to take a break from their lavoro (job) to enjoy time with their family, a beautiful lunch and most likely a nap. Employees arrive back to work, refreshed, fulfilled and ready. Isn’t that an important tradition worth a little shopper inconvenience?

As an expat living in Italy, we learn to adopt this strategy ourselves, taking a midday break for lunch, connecting with friends and family, or even a nap, senza (without) the guilt.

The Italian Long Lunch is an Artform

On the weekends, long lunches are transported from the city streets to the Tuscan countryside often with tables of 10-20 amici e bambini (friends and children) gathering to celebrate nothing more than a beautiful day with their family and friends. 

These long, countryside lunches unfold as if there’s a director in the wings. 

As each family arrives, you hear “Ciao Amore” senza any reference to their tardy arrival. Each guest is, of course, impeccably dressed, as if there’s a spring countryside lunch section of the local department store Rinascente. Their children gather excitedly and together explore the gardens or vineyards. To the joy of the parents, not one child is asking for an electronic device. 

As the wine glasses are filled, no one wonders who ordered it, however their review will be provided after the first few sips. At the perfect moment, il cameriere arrives and orders are placed – pasta pesto, pomodoro or ragu for the ragazzi. Then the antipasti, primi and secondi are carefully discussed, as if it’s a matter of national security. 

Finally, the selections have been made and it’s back to the conversations. The conversations range from the new seasonal foods that have appeared at the market and local politics, to recanting stories from the past or making group travel plans for the summer. There is one subject that is considered brutta figura if brought up at the table, and that’s… business. 

Il cibo arrives in perfect Italian timing, as if the director in the wings gently says, cue the gnocchi. Nothing is rushed. The conversation and vino flows effortlessly. You hear the adults suggest to the children, mangia per favore. The children oblige. They eat, then play, then eat, then play. They’re free to explore, roll down the grassy hills and just be kids. Until… il dolce arrives, often it’s gelato on a warm day. 

Before you realize it, four hours have come and gone and the cafe has arrived. There’s only one thing left to discuss, what will you eat for dinner.

“A tavola non s’invecchia” (At the table, one does not grow old.)

The post Life Lesson from Italy: The Art of the Long Lunch appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

I came to Florence at 16 during a school trip and instantly felt a special energy, almost like I was home. At such a young age, I couldn’t really process or understand the feeling I had walking these ancient cobblestone streets.

Unknowingly, one of the photos that I took of a sunset over the Arno River became my first “vision board”. It was pinned to every cork board in high school, taped to every mirror in college and framed when I bought my first house. There was just something about Florence.

In our first year of dating in 2004, Rob and I came to Florence as our first overseas trip together. Although we had both been to this magical city previously, it felt different together. It blew our minds that there were sandwich shops that were 600 years old, or a pharmacy that has been in business over 800 years. How is that even possible we would question. We became obsessed with the fruit and vegetables, somehow they tasted so much bolder and sweeter than anything we had tasted before. We loved strolling the empty getting lost in maze of medieval streets at night.

MAGIC MOMENTS

On our first trip to Florence, we stumbled into a restaurant one night that instantly became our favorite. It was dark, candle lit and welcoming. The owners were an eclectic father-son team, the father with white hair and a big personality, his son with layers of jewelry, and a bit more reserved. The father took me into the kitchen, showing me how he made his famous pear and pecorino pasta. Rob asked the son, who was our waiter to choose our meals. For me, he chose the famous pasta, for Rob, he chose ‘the goat’. Rob looked at him and said “I don’t eat goat.”. The son looked back, “What are you not a man?”. Rob replied, “I guess I’m eating the goat tonight.”

Over the years, any chance we could, we’d come back to Florence, even if just for a day, we’d make a reservation. In January 2014, we met our travel besties in Florence for one night, and booked a dinner at our favorite place. As the owner came over to pour me a glass of prosecco, I covered my glass. Instantly my friends erupted, knowing this meant that we had a little munchkin on the way.

Spoiler alert for Italia Experience attendees… This fall, during our Italia Experience, we will be welcoming you to this magical restaurant for dinner. We want you to see and experience OUR Florence. You’ll meet the son, who now wears even more jewelry, taste the famous pear and pecorino pasta and hopefully, fall in love with it, just like we did.

A REBIRTH

Florence is home to the Renaissance (rebirth). Coming out of the dark, middle ages, Florence became the center of changes in art, new inventions and thinking. The Renaissance period changed the way the people thought. Humanism was the theme of this period. Florentine’s adopted this progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good.

For us, Florence is a place of pure inspiration. Walking the literal same streets as the poet Dante, the artist Michelangelo, and the brilliant master of almost everything, Leonardo Davinci. When I look at the watercolor skies, I wonder if these same skies spoke to them the way they speak to me? These skies trigger a creative side that I didn’t even know existed. When I see the dome of the cathedral, once an impossibility, it reminds me that truly anything is possible.

Many that come to Florence experience their own personal Renaissance or re-birth. The palpable energy, the organized chaos, the humanism, the beauty, the art and the SUNSETS. If you allow it, it’ll provoke a deep sense of self-reflection. The deep red and orange sunsets demand your attention and are a great reminder to rest and reset our hearts and minds at the end of each and every day.

Spoiler alert for Italia Experience attendees… You will experience the famous Duomo (the cathedral) in a way that is not open to the public. And, it will leave you breathless.

THE SWEET LIFE

The biggest lesson we’ve learned, living in Florence, is that life is truly meant to be enjoyed. It’s easy to say “live everyday as it’s your last”, but few actually do it. We’ve learned to allow the magic to unfold in each day. We learned to say “yes” more often than we say no. We’ve learned to allow the inspired actions to take the lead, and stress less about “getting it done”. We’ve learned that extremes aren’t necessary, and all-or-nothing is a myth. We’ve learned that HARD doesn’t equal better. Most of all, we’ve learned to slow-the-f-down and enjoy the sweetness of each moment.

For those coming to Italy for our Italia Experience, we can’t wait to share our La Dolce Vita with you and hopefully, inspire you to live your version of La Dolce Vita too.

If you are interested in our Italia Experience, jump on our list here and we’ll send you the details!

The post Finding Our La Dolce Vita in Florence appeared first on The FriDate Blog.

It’s funny to me when I post about traveling with our daughter Sofia, the comments that I get. When she was three years-old, we took her to South Africa. I remember getting a comment like, “Why do this now, why not go when she’s old enough to remember it.”

I responded, “Sofia remembering it, is not my priority.” Here’s why:

Basically, every expert in the world of children development agrees, the first years are the most important in life of every child as they set the basis for overall success in life.

Think about what you do/did with your little ones between ages 0-5. The play groups you put them in and all the little experiences from music class to apple picking to art. Why put them in these types of environments or experiences if they aren’t going to remember it?

Because it imprints on who they are, exposes them to new things, sets their senses on fire and is the foundation of who they become. Right?

Same for travel.

Travel with young kids improves brain development by exposing them to new and unfamiliar environments. It is an assault on all five senses. And, yes, is especially important in a child’s development (hello moms who obsess over sensory activities).

The exposure to different cultures, unique flavors, new sounds, different languages and experiences encourages flexibility, adaptability, empathy, new communication skills, social skills and cultural appreciation. It helps mold the people they grow to become and improves their life skill toolbox.

Benefits of Traveling with Young Kids

Here are 5 benefits I’ve seen in my own daughter through traveling.

Benefit 1: Travel makes kids more adaptable and flexible

Travel, by nature is an uncertain beast. Flights can be delayed, trains can be cancelled. Hotels may not meet expectations and it’s probably going to rain. By traveling with young kids, they learn (from your behavior) how to manage these expectations, problem solve and make the best of any situation.

Last week, were headed to Sicily with friends. We all met at an airport in Rome to take a flight at 8pm. That flight got cancelled and we had to re-book on another airline, and fly from a different airport. We wouldn’t arrive into Sicily until midnight and didn’t get into our hotel room until 1am. Sofia rolled with it. Was she exhausted, absolutely. But she knows that plans change and that her throwing a tantrum won’t make it better.

This type of flexibility translates outside of travel. She’s more adaptable, loves to help solve a problem and doesn’t let the changes in schedule or life throw her for a loop. Travel with young kids will inevitably make children more open to new experiences throughout their life.

Benefit 2: Travel with young kids promotes empathy and cultural awareness

In a world where the divide is often based on ignorance of other cultures or religions, I believe that raising our children to appreciate other cultures is a necessity. By exposing children to other cultures, religions and foods at a young age, it “normalizes” having experiences with people who look different, talk different, pray different etc.. It was incredibly important to my husband and I to create a Global Citizen in our daughter. We want our daughter to be curious and appreciate other cultures and communities.

Benefit 3: Travel with young kids increases communication and social skills

Do you want your kids to be able to make friends easily and have great communication skills? Toss them into a playground in Rome or onto a beach in Greece and let them figure it out. Kidding, but not really.

Since Sofia could walk, she’s wanted to make friends on every beach, in every playground and even randomly in restaurants. As we travel often, she quickly learned that she doesn’t also speak the same language as her new bestie. So, she has learned how to interpret non-verbal cues and other emotional signals. She learned that play and laughter are in fact a universal language.

When you travel with young kids, they learn how to communicate in ways other than language, they become more observant of social cues and overall develop new skills that will translate into solid life skills as they get older.

Benefit 4: Trying new foods, flavors enhances their palate

In 2019 we spent 3 months in Florence, Italy. My daughter was five at the time. It was truffle season, and as most menus are seasonal, truffles were on everything from eggs to pasta to steak. One day at a restaurant, my daughter looked at her plain pasta pomodoro and compared it to my pasta with truffle. She was curious and asked for a bite. Needless to say, she ate the rest of my pasta and I was stuck with the pasta pomodoro (which was delicious by the way).

This one experience was the tip of her journey into unique foods. Now at eight years old, she loves truffles, sushi, artichokes and even pasta with sea urchin. We get compliments on her unique palate, but really, we just exposed her to new and different foods.

TIP: Trying new foods usually starts with trying something off my plate first. This way she doesn’t commit to a full meal, not knowing if she’ll like it.

Benefit 5: Builds deeper family bonds

Travel with young kids will activate the brain differently, than when you’re in a daily routine. When families are traveling, playing and exploring new things together, it stimulates the production of oxytocin, a feel-good chemical, known to reduce stress and promote brain development.

Play-based learning during travel stimulate a children mind by boosting their creativity and imagination. Parents and children engage differently traveling vs in your daily routine at home. You’re less distracted, doing things that are new and fun together. Maybe it’s playing a game in a local park, building a sandcastle on the beach in Spain or taking a gelato making class in Italy. Activating all five senses, in a fun and interesting way together, creates deep bonds and makes a lasting imprint on their soul and the footprint on your family.

Conclusion

Traveling with young kids is not easy. But, the benefits are undeniable. Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime or annual tradition, share the gift of traveling the world with your kids, you won’t regret it.

P.S. The hardest part is actually managing your own energy and expectations. Maybe I’ll do another blog on that topic!

Here are 3 Instagram Reels my husband and I did on why travel with young children, enjoy!

The post Why Travel with Young Kids appeared first on The FriDate Blog.