Lucerne native has lived in Rome for 20 years "Locals withdraw from the tourist crowds"

Markus Muff from Lucerne has lived in Rome for 20 years. The expatriate is convinced that this year's summer heat is no more exceptional than all the years before. He tells us what it's like to live in Italy as a Swiss.

Today, people often talk about record temperatures, heatwaves and peak values. But even 20 years ago, it was incredibly warm in Rome, notes Markus Muff (65) in a telephone conversation with blue News. Born in Lucerne, he has lived mainly in the Italian capital for two decades and has no plans to return to Switzerland.

"When it comes to the perception of the heat, the main difference compared to the past is that the city was almost deserted from mid-July to the end of August, from midday until around 4 or 5 p.m.," adds Muff.

Siesta time was also common in the city, but thanks to the widespread invention of air conditioning, it is no longer an obligatory part of the daily routine.

For Muff, moving to Rome was a professional decision at the time. He works as a Benedictine in the office of Director of Development for Europe for Sant'Anselmo, a university with a residence and reference point for other Benedictine universities. He is responsible for project work and the financing of Benedictine tasks - especially at the locations in Europe. Because the center of the Catholic Church is in Rome, Muff also lives and works there.

When asked what fascinates him so much about Rome, the Lucerne native first has to do some soul-searching. "There are so many things: all the history, all the phenomenal culture, all the people you meet here - Rome is simply one of the many focal points of the world."

When it comes to driving, Markus Muff is a true Roman

The 65-year-old, who travels a lot around the world for his job and is rarely actually in Rome, doesn't really miss Switzerland. Muff says: "The concept of home is probably very different for me than it is for many other people. For me, home is where I am right now."

For him, the term "home" would also include all the people Muff meets and works with. "Of course, I also have many friends and people in Switzerland who I know and appreciate, with whom I communicate regularly and who visit me from time to time or whom I visit - but Rome is often my current home."

Nevertheless, Muff says he has not quite become a true Roman. "Except perhaps when driving a car, where you simply have to adapt to the rhythm of Roman traffic, otherwise you'll end up with a fender bender," says the project manager with a laugh.

Markus Muff has lived in Rome for 20 years

Markus Muff (right) oversees a number of construction projects in the Italian capital. He has had to work hard to establish his position in these circles.

Image: zVg

A Benedictine monk from Lucerne, he works as Director of Development for Europe for Sant'Anselmo. He is responsible for project work and financing Benedictine tasks.

Image: zVg

Markus Muff has lived in Rome for 20 years

Markus Muff (right) oversees a number of construction projects in the Italian capital. He has had to work hard to establish his position in these circles.

Image: zVg

A Benedictine monk from Lucerne, he works as Director of Development for Europe for Sant'Anselmo. He is responsible for project work and financing Benedictine tasks.

Image: zVg

It wasn't easy to be taken seriously as a foreigner right from the start. As Muff explains, he is responsible for a number of construction projects in the Italian capital, and it was in these circles that he had to work hard to establish his position. Muff adds: "But that's probably the case everywhere in the world - even in Switzerland."

"A lot remains hidden from tourists"

Anyone who comes to Rome as a tourist only has a very superficial understanding of the city and its soul, Muff believes. "It's always been like that. You visit museums, see sights, eat in typical restaurants, maybe go to a concert, but you don't get beneath the surface."

The Romans themselves are successfully trying to protect themselves from the masses of travelers and pilgrims. "According to estimates, up to 50,000 people come to Rome every day in a normal year, which is roughly equivalent to the number of inhabitants of a small town," says Muff. It is therefore quite understandable that the locals withdraw into their own social structures once their work is done.

"Tourists don't get to see much of the real everyday life of the Romans, most of it remains hidden from them." According to the Lucerne native, the city's residents spend their free time in their own circles, which are not so easily accessible to tourists.

When tourists stick to their program at 40 degrees

Muff is convinced that people who go on vacation to southern European countries during the hot summer months also have to adapt to the weather conditions in order to endure the midday heat, for example.

"In my view, it's not so much the temperature or the climate itself that is a problem - it's often us humans who do little to prepare for an unfamiliar climate. We often don't take the right precautions or don't know how to adapt to the weather conditions of midsummer."

The 65-year-old repeatedly sees travelers who stoically go through their to-do lists despite high temperatures of 40 degrees in the cities. They don't take it easy and often don't seek out the shade.

Extreme heat in ItalyMaking the summer vacations almost torture

In addition, the heat builds up in certain areas of the city. This is also because people no longer pay as much attention to the natural requirements for a good living climate when building as they used to: "Asphalt is now largely replacing natural stone and the many cars with running air conditioning systems also heat up the squares and streets."

Other countries, other habits

Muff advises Swiss people planning to emigrate to another country to familiarize themselves with the language of their chosen destination beforehand. By this he doesn't just mean "the spoken or written language", but also "the cultural and linguistic environment".

"Cultural behavior is also a kind of language that can be learned. Just scratching the surface of a different reality of life, as the mass tourist often does, is unfortunately not enough when dealing with the idea of living abroad."

Muff also recommends recognizing your own entrenched habits and leaving them behind. It is worth trying to give other ways of looking at life and other cultural circumstances a chance - this is the only way to ensure successful emigration.

A final tip from Muff: "It is also essential to actively get in touch with the local people. You can't just wait for someone to approach you."

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