PSA: You Can Now Get Paid to Take a Summer Vacation in the Italian Countryside

Hi, hello, ciao, there's someone I'd like to introduce you to. It's future-you—more specifically, it's five-months-in-the-future you.

Five-months-in-the-future you lives in a charming countryside village in Southern Italy called Grottole. (It's in the part right between the sole and the heel of the boot.) You start every day with a cappuccino and a lesson in Italian language, before moving over to the vegetable garden to get acquainted with local produce. Next up is a cooking lesson, and a homemade lunch (fingers crossed that it's pasta). Save some room for a sundown aperitivo, though.

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One quick clarification: This could be be five-months-in-the-future you—if you apply for, and win!—one of four spots in the Airbnb Italian Sabbatical program. According to the company:

"Airbnb is sponsoring a unique opportunity for four people to move to the small village of Grottole for three months and experience authentic rural life in Italy. Selected candidates will become temporary citizens of the village and will volunteer for a local non-profit organization called “Wonder Grottole” whose aim is to revitalize the town’s historical center. The small village of Grottole, with only 300 inhabitants and more than 600 empty homes, is at risk of disappearing and is asking for your help!"

I mean, you really don't have to twist our arms on this one. Hang on, what's that, it's all-expenses paid? And a €900 monthly expense stipend? Okay, we're double in. Make that triple.

And now that we've reeled you in with that video, we'd like to present the following stream of daydream-inducing photos of Grottole, in an effort to distract you all until you miss the application deadline (Feb. 17). Meanwhile, we'll be racing to get our essay submissions in! (And pondering how to answer the application question, "Why would you like to take a sabbatical in Grottole?" Forced choice response options do not include photos of our tiny, drafty New York apartments.)

Allora:

To learn more about the program or (ugh! If you must) apply, check out Airbnb's Italian Sabbatical page.

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Do you ever daydream about taking a sabbatical to Italy? Let us know in the comments!