Courtesy of Judy Walling
- Judy Walling visited Europe for the first time in 2012 and returned whenever she could.
- After a few trips to Italy, she decided to move there full time. She now has an apartment in Como.
- She loves the slower pace of life and the lower cost of living, but she says dating is challenging.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Judy Walling, a 68-year-old retired real-estate agent living in Italy. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I grew up in a town of 1,000 people in Iowa. My dad owned the grocery store there. I always knew it wasn't the life I wanted.