Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to uproot your whole life and move your family to a small island in the middle of the Irish Sea? Or what would make someone leave the warmth and familiarity of South Africa for a place where summer might only last a few days?

In this episode, I chat with Alicia and Silvano Pizzocaro, a South African couple who decided to search for a safer environment and better future for their children, and chose the Isle of Man as their new home. We talk about everything from the notorious weather and the world-famous TT motorbike race, to what it really means to feel settled and build a new sense of community far from home.

I truly enjoyed hearing Alicia and Silvano’s story. Their honesty about the ups and downs of life abroad, as well as the humour in their day-to-day experiences – like walking home at 2am with a pizza in hand, something they’d never do in South Africa – was inspiring and relatable. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed our conversation.

“There is a better life out there than what South Africa has to offer.” - Alica Pizzocaro

00:00 Introduction

02:15 Experiencing the annual TT races

05:38 When and why they left SA

07:22 Lockdown on the Isle of Man

11:21 Their daughter was an alien

14:05 Visiting SA

16:31 Finding friends and community abroad

20:49 Feeling isolated

22:27 Sharing funny stories

24:02 Considering safety and loadshedding

26:01 Settling into their new life

27:41 Advice for anyone emigrating

This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency:

https://www.zapods.com