Meet Maria from Italy...

Hello everyone!

My name is Maria, and as the sound of it suggests, I’m from Italy, that lovely and picturesque country that both foreigners and Italians, recognize in the unique shape of a boot. Well, I know I am a bit biased, but I think it’s a wonderful place where to live, however sometimes the best things about the country can become boring when you always have them before you.

So, I decided to take the opportunity and have a go at building a new life. Is that scary? Yes, a lot.

Talking about me, at the start I was scared that this experience could change me too much, and when a friend of mine who just came from the same sort of adventure in America said “I want to have you back as a new person, let things change you”, I didn’t really get the point. “Why should I change?” I was thinking. Ehh, time makes your ideas develop, and through the beauty of the seven months apart so far, I finally understood what she was mentioning.

She was right, I am not the same person that stepped foot on that plane back in Italy in September a long time ago. You do change, and it is a surprising change but it becomes hard to not be involved in the innovation that comes with living in a new country.

I stay in Brighton at the moment, and I can affirm that it is a wonderful place to spend time. If you are a city lover, you can hang out in town and do all the shopping.

However, what about if you are a fisherman or you’d like to dip your toes, or even better, your entire body in the ocean in February? It’s simple, just go to the sea, which is what I’ve been up to. You can taste life in Brighton because you will never get bored, there are shops, hills and lots of green spaces.

My host sister and I actually had a crazy run on the hills last week, where we could enjoy the wonderful view, in the company of funny sheep with colored booties.

It’s always nice to bring your culture and share what your country could offer, so I sometimes prepare nice meals, as for example these pizzas.

I also have the possibility to experiment with English food, or just having fun making something with my host family. My host sister and I made a cake for the cat’s birthday, with abundance of glitters and ice.

Since I was living in Worthing before, I go to the college there. It means that I have to take the train every morning, and having a refreshing run from home to the station as I’m always in late! There I get to relax on a seat and see new hopefully friendly faces. Every day I meet new people, it’s something incredible and also enriching. Just the fact that I can speak English makes everything exciting for me and a sort of a game.

At school I can express my creativity and my spontaneity. I finish everyday with paint on my hands, and a bit of silly acting.

Each moment it’s a challenge, it’s a discovery and an adventure. There are also bad days and it’s not always easy, I can’t deny, but every time you can learn something new, or just have your moment of desperation. What do I suggest? Just take everything with a big smile and open heart, and I promise that each smile you’ll live will overcome every effort.