My husband and I are both Italians, but we spent half of our lives in London. Although we speak Italian, the locals call us "the inglesi", and since we moved to Zurich, "the svizzeri". We were both professionals in the City, but grew tired of the fast-paced rythm of life and were looking for a place to relax, unwind and show our children what it was like to live in the countryside.
We have found in our house the ideal combination: it is countryside, but very close to the sea and the mountains, quiet but still close enough to a city if you get nostalgic. We love going there, and listen to the local people talking about porcini mushrooms and grapes. The children love it too, they are always out exploring, and in summer spend the entire day in the pool.