The Expat SnapShot Italy Contest: The Winners are...

CONGRATULATIONS to Paul of The Clue by Four, FigCharlie of Figs and Lemons, Willym of Willy or Won't He, and Emma Bird of How To Italy (who wrote 2 of the top 5!). Their contest submissions were chosen by the Expat Snapshot Italy panel of judges as providing the top 5 best responses when asked to finish the sentence:

You know you are in Italy when...

Before I share the winning submissions, I would first like to thank our fabulous judges!

Michelle Fabio, the author of the Bleeding Espresso blog, is an American freelance writer and attorney who moved to her family's ancestral village in Calabria in 2003. In her blog Michelle discusses her writing career as well as life and love in southern Italy--and, of course, her adventures in the Calabrian kitchen.

Christine Cantera, Miss Expatria is the Internet's leading enabler of travel addiction, inspiring others to follow their dreams to the arrivals gate at their favorite destination. She splits her time between her gay mafia in Rome and her adoring boyfriend in the South of France; but, between you and me, she thinks Italy is way better.

Cherrye Moore is a Texas-born freelance writer and B&B owner living, working and writing in Catanzaro, Italy. She blogs about her Calabrese adventures and shares budget travel tips and Italian and Texas-influenced recipes at My Bella Vita.

Tina Ferrari of Tina Tangos is an Italian-American girl in Buenos Aires, where she has happily lived for the past seven months, dancing Tango and working from home as a freelance translator.  Her first passion, however, is Italy, where she has both traveled and lived - and will live again, when she can bring herself to leave Argentina, that is.

Megan Fitzgerald (that's me) is an expat career & entrepreneur coach and author of the Career By Choice Blog. When at work, she helps fellow expats build careers or businesses to support their life abroad, wherever they call home. When at play, she enjoys exploring her expat hometown of Rome, international travel, film, photography and a caffè macchiatto to start her day.

Each of them have fabulous blogs, so be sure to visit!

And here they are...

You know you are in Italy when...

…you ask for cappuccino after lunch and they all look at you funny.  (by Paul of The Clue by Four)

…you are 34 years old , dragging along a stubborn child, feeling a right mess and a 24 year old waiter eyes you up and calls, "ciao bambola!".  (by FigCharlie of Figs and Lemons)

…the only remedy for a bad stomach is white rice, olive oil and parmesan cheese washed down with hot chamomile tea  (By Emma Bird of How To Italy)

…two cars and one motorino are neatly fitted into one parking spot. (by Willym of Willy or Won't He)

...the dangers of tanning are unheard of. Where else would you be described as white as a mozzarella or, even worse, as palid as a corpse.  (by Emma Bird of How To Italy)

Congrats to all the winners....your espresso is on it's way!