‘I love the Sicilians. Our two islands have much in common’

Walking into Bar Italia in Dublin one April evening in 2018, I was completely unaware that the first-date I was about to embark on would end up changing my life in ways I never could have imagined.

I grew up in Rathfarnham in Dublin and when I was four years old a new family moved in next door. A family with a French mum, Martine. I loved listening to her speak. I loved the way she dressed, the food she cooked. I was intrigued.

And so began a lifelong love of France and everything French. I always imagined that some day I would move to an idyllic, sleepy French town where I’d walk to the boulangerie each morning to buy my baguette and converse with the locals.

And then I met Fabrizio!

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As we chatted and laughed and chatted some more, we discovered a shared dream to retire somewhere warm and slow-paced. Of course, on that first date, we couldn’t have imagined that we’d end up doing exactly that, and together.

Covid arrived and all our lives changed. I think we each found different ways to survive it – some baked sourdough or banana bread, others sang in amazing online choirs. We started looking at houses.

We came to Sicily in the autumn of 2021. My beautiful mum had passed away after a long and harrowing illness, so it felt like the time was right to start anew

We had holidayed in Sicily in 2019 and it was love at first sight.

Fabri knew exactly what he was doing, whisking me off to Cefalú on our first night. It’s totally captivating and by the time we’d finished dinner I was sure that Sicily was where we’d make our new home.

Making shortlists

We began trawling through property sites, making shortlists, agreeing on priorities, changing our minds, starting over and finally we found ourselves in the Val di Noto, sure that this was the area for us. We decided to move our plan along by retiring early and agreed that we’d enjoy the challenges and the rewards of opening a small, luxury B&B in our new home.

We came to Sicily in the autumn of 2021. My beautiful mum had passed away after a long and harrowing illness, so it felt like the time was right to start anew. We looked at so many houses but, a little bit like when we found each other, as soon as we went to view the house outside Pozzallo, we were sold – when you know, you know.

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And so, in January 2022, newly married and newly retired, off we set for our little corner of Sicily.

There’s so much here that’s wonderful – the weather, the beach, the lifestyle, the food. Summers are a little too hot for me, but oh I love the other three seasons so much. Our house is 800 metres from the sea and out in the countryside, yet only a stone’s throw from town.

I love the Sicilians. I think our two islands have much in common, beginning with the warmth of the people, the kindness.

Our house is still undergoing renovations. I don’t know how we could have tackled this project without Fabrizio’s patience, determination and dogged perseverance. Italian bureaucracy is challenging and I’ve a feeling that Sicily adds a whole extra layer of its own. We are getting there, though, and, all going to plan, we’ll be able to move in before the end of the year.

We got such a thrill last summer, harvesting olives from our own trees and having enough olive oil to see us through to this year’s harvest. We have lemons, pomegranates, passion fruit and even almonds in the garden, with more to come when Fabrizio has time to grow all our veggies. These are the things that make us happy here.

Homesickness

Our plan is to open Farfalla Blu, Pozzallo, on St Patrick’s Day, just in time to welcome guests from next Easter.

It has all been a little bit of a whirlwind and at times I’ve missed home more than I ever could have imagined. It is not only the tea bags, the Tayto and the Kerrygold; more than anything, it is missing the people I love that makes homesickness kick in. Now coming home is such a treat and catching up is my favourite thing to do.

Together, Fabrizio and I have made some really beautiful friendships with Sicilian people. That mix of expats and locals brings great richness to our life here

Making friends has been the biggest factor in my settling in here and starting to see Sicily as home.

I have new friendships – to add to my precious friendships in Ireland – with incredible women from all over the world who for one reason or another have found themselves making Sicily their home.

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Together, Fabrizio and I have made some really beautiful friendships with Sicilian people. That mix of expats and locals brings great richness to our life here.

I may have had to let go of my dream of an idyllic, sleepy French town, but I couldn’t have replaced it with anything better than the life we’re making together here.

• Yvonne Farrell is from Dublin. She is 58 years old and studied for a BEd in St Pat’s in Drumcondra, which is now DCU. She retired from Caragh NS in Kildare. She lives in Sicily with Fabrizio Bucarelli, who is from Rome. Yvonne’s blog is See You in Sicily where she writes about her and Fabrizio Bucarelli’s life there.
• If you live overseas and would like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, email abroad@irishtimes.com with a little information about you and what you do.