It has been almost 8 months since I landed in this romantic, food-obsessed country of Italy. Looking back now, I have changed so drastically from the beginning of this journey. I have travelled a lot and encountered many unexpected matters, both through travelling and simply living. I took a huge step out of my comfort zone, not just once but twice, and both times were great learning outcomes experiences.


First I stepped out of my creative bubble and decided to do something I have always wanted to and passionate about, yet too scared to actually make it happen. I decided to make a documentary about Couchsurfing, a platform that transformed the way I travel and perceive the places I visit, and allowed me to discover more places and cultures than I could ever have without it. The result was a 10-minute documentary full of food and smiley people, and beautiful blue sea, but more important than the documentary was the the overall experience of the trip itself, the traditions (and recipes) I learned and the people I met and became friends with. Even after I visited Sardegna, Calabria, and Sicilia, Puglia was still by far at the top of my travel experience. I have to admit that it was quite frustrating afterwards because nothing seemed to reach the point of my beautiful journey to Puglia.

Then, just after a couple of weeks I got back from Puglia, I took the second step. This time, it was something personal which led to self-discovery…well, it’s not as fancy as it sounds, I just opened myself up for a relationship for the first time in a very long time.

Having been travelling, moving from places to places (and living in England), I tried to avoid getting too attached to anyone. I loved my independency too much and even though sometimes I would feel quite lonely, I wasn’t quite ready to give up my freedom for a relationship.

I mean, I thought relationship was just relationship, how much can I learn from being in a relationship than travelling and meeting interesting cultures?

For that, I was wrong. Being in a relationship taught me much more than I could ever imagine. Not just about being with another person, but also about myself and all the issues that are buried deep inside me, something I didn’t even notice it was there. By allowing someone to be so close to me, I opened up myself bare and he saw it right through me.

On top of that, I also found my best friend in Bologna.

It’s been almost 5 months since we first got together, and so my experience in Bologna has been highly influenced by his presence, since we spent more time together than not. I have travelled less and been through more states of confusion and frustrations, and I have cried more than ever. He helped me grow in a way no one else could ever have, and I thank him for that.

So yes, my time in Italy as an Erasmus student ends today. I’m boarded on my delayed flight back to the wet and cold England like a new person, with a significant increase of my Italian-ness level and understanding of this beautiful-mess people, culture and country. All these not-for-sell experiences will stay with me forever, in the way I am, the way I live, and the way I view the world.

It’s is the beginning of a different version of me.

This, is what I find beautiful.