I had never heard of Cyclothymia so had to look it up in the DSM…I love the shaman point of view when I find my self unsure…I’ve got no affiliations with this web sight… I just sometimes think we are so hard on our Selves…our inner children…our inner self…
I know of Malidoma and have two of his books here at home. I have studied shamanisn too and, I may already have told you this Helen, I was the first white European to be admitted to membership of the Association of African Traditional Healers, at the invitation of its president Dr Vongo, during my years in Zambia.
My understanding of ‘mental illness’ is informed by a wide range of perspectives including Tibetan Buddhism and Bon shamanisn, the work and practices of regression specialists including William Emerson of USA, and many other esoteric practitioners, both women and men. I recognise you as an adept in this field too.
It is sometimes necessary to draw on western medical paradigms of health and illness in order to leverage other interpretations, as there are points of contact and synergy that add value to debate and discussion, and make it fruitful.
I am reconciled to the existence of my own contradictions and do what I can to work with uncertainty, which pervades everything, and is perhaps the only kind of wisdom one can have a little confidence in. Chicken wisdom works for me, they repay one’s respectful attention. Dogs obviously work for you. I prefer cats and insects. 
Keep up the good work and your chin too.
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And thanks to you Pete…I now know the French for delighted…x 
The lack of ex-Tories in Abruzzo probably explains why we’ve been told to eff off and freeze.
Not a prob. Heartened to discover expats in France can still afford food and wine…
Semi-seriously, just curious whether initial life/bureaucracy in France will be any easier/exactly the same arriving from another EU country with a full set of necessary documentation, rather than the UK.
penso che non cambi niente, è lo stesso 
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Capito…grazie…
prego
David,I’m really not sure if it will make a lot of difference where in the EU you arrive from but (just a thought)will the fact that you are no longer resident in Italy hinder your application for Italian citizenship ,or are you keeping an adress in Italy ?
I have a feeling that that is the case with French citizenship but know that criteria vary widely from country to country.
Thanks Carol - that’s a really good point, but one that nobody seems too sure about.
We applied for Italian citizenship in Jan this year. We’ve gone through all the initial vetting processes and been approved, so normally, we could’ve expected the summons from the local comune to come in and see the Mayor late 2019/early 2020. Except the goalposts have now been moved and the waiting period has been doubled from 2 years to 4.
So we’re minded to just let things ride and see what happens, as there actually seem no provisions I can find that cover our own circumstances. What’s of more immediate importance in the short term is to be actually in France and on the radar before Mar 29 - which we will be - and then just go with the flow…
The only thing that made me wonder whether our full house hand of Italian documents might be handy after Mar 29, was that an existing permanent right of residence in one EU country might be more useful than permanent right of residence anywhere else.
David… in France… one has to prove/swear that one has not been absent for more than *** months per year (I think)…
Does something similar exist in Italy… since your long-term French visit might spoil your chances of Italian citizenship… 
almost a Catch 22 … ???
I think you have to demonstrate a commitment to living somewhere in order to get citizenship, so it has to be your habitual residence, which seems fair enough really. You do have freedom of movement but the rules are probably stricter for people asking for citizenship than for born citizens, again fair enough because born citizens didn’t actively choose to have a particular nationality, so they don’t have to jump through the same hoops.
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Far as I know - and this could be utter hooley - there’s no requirement for an Italian citizen to spend any time each year in Italy. But if you’re away for 5 yrs, then your citizenship could be in jeopardy.
But as it’ll now be ages before we become Italian, it’s a bridge to cross a long way over the horizon. Our prime concern right now is to be legally established in France by the end of next March…
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After 11 years paying rapacious Italian taxes - not to mention heroic single-handed efforts to boost the local wine industry…and not forgetting running a tourism biz which aids the local economy - think my commitment is there for all to see…
I don’t see it and I’d be surprised if the Italian authorities will either. Taking on a nationality is seen as a huge step.
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I think that is probably the case for a born Italian - but if you actively choose to take on citizenship the onus is on you to demonstrate attachment to the country etc
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I may have missed something along the way but if you are really keen to live in France then why bother going along with the Italian Citizenship route ?
Either you want to stay in Italy, in that case it’s good to have, or you really feel that France is vital for you.
A commitment to one or the other is surely the first thing to decide ?
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Agree - while some nations (e.g. Malta) see it as a convenient way to generate some foreign income most require you to want to fully immerse yourself in terms of identity, culture and residence. Not as a handy tool to acquiring “European” rights.
Not for nothing do many nations require you to relinquish any existing citizenship before taking theirs.
David, I did read somewhere(can’t remember where and its not at all typical of Italian bureacracy)that obtaining citizenship in Italy was relatively straightforward compared to France once you have all the documents required,( though 35 years ago pre internet days my sister found it very challenging having to go back and forth to Milan,each time bringing another doc that hadn’t been asked for originally)So with any luck they won’t make life difficult re residency .if it wasn’t for Brexit I’m guessing you would have stayed long enough to obtain citizenship there anyway.there wouldn’t have been the same urgency to get to France?
Simple answer is that should worst fears be realised post-Brexit, it’d be a damn sight easier living in France as the citizen of another EU country - freedom of movement and all that - rather than as a 2nd-class Brit.
Seems some here take exception to what they see as cynical opportunism, but faced with a UK Govt that’s shown it clearly doesn’t give a rat’s rear end about the million-odd (or more ?) of us EU expats, it just seems foolish to sit back and wait to see what happens, rather than proactively explore every avenue that might help. And if I’m entitled to become a citizen of another EU country - which I am - I’m expected to somehow pretend that’s not a benefit to be claimed ?
After 11 years, Italy’s run its course for us. France awaits. I have no idea - and neither does anyone else - whether this permanent move will scotch the ongoing Italian citizenship application. If it does - then such is life. If it doesn’t - then good…
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