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.

Before leaving Bologna, we went to Decathlon together and one of the main purpose of going there was to buy a tent. So after a week of staying in Calabria, we left for our first camping trip, all the way up to Scalea, near Basilicata, the neighbouring region.

Why there? Because it was close to a place in the mountain called Orsomarso where we wanted to go rafting, and I saw a photo of Arcomagno on Instagram which looked very beautiful.

After 3 trains lasting over 4 hours or so, and a bus ride, we arrived in San Nicola Arcella, where we had to walk up and down the rock, in the afternoon heat, to this Arcomagno beach. It was hot, and the back was heavy, especially my beloved pink backpack Antonio was carrying which had like 4 litres of water and also a tent tied at the bottom.

He was cursing me inside, I knew it.


At last we arrived at the place and jumped straight into the water. To be honest, I much preferred the water at the beach in front of his house in Saline. It was much clearer and cleaner there, and less crowded obviously. But after being all hot and sweaty all day long, jumping into that water was the best thing we could ask for.

After the sunset, people started leaving, but we stayed. We stayed on a big long beach near the entrance of the cave. Full moon was a good natural light for us as the night creeped over the sky. We lay on a towel, watching the stars and snacking on taralli and toasted chickpeas.

Yes, toasted uncooked chickpeas.

There were only us on the beach, and it was amazing. We went skinny dipping at around midnight before coming back up to dry ourselves and called it a night.

It felt so liberating. That was my first time camping with anyone but my parents.




The next night, we slept next to a small river in Orsomarso, a cosy tiny village up the mountain. After rafting that morning, we found ourselves with 10 euros cash in for the day because the rafting place didn’t accept card. There was no ATM in Orsomarso, and only one shop that accepted card there.

We were dancing like children when the lady came and open that shop, almost half an hour later than the ‘opening time’. At least we knew we would not starve to death.

And Antonio went crazy. He bought like 3 different kinds of deli meat and cheese, beans, bread, tuna and stuff. Then we walked out of town to put our tent up before walking on the trail along fiume argentino.


The trail was lovely, and walking along the stream really reminded me of my dad. We walked and talked and stopped to pick berries or explore varieties of tree. There was a small medicinal garden in there, and they even had fern!

We headed back after the sunset and got a little terrified because of stray dog and a pair of animal eyes staring at us from the woods. Then as soon as we got into the tent, we ate.

That was probably the most memorable meal I had in the whole of Calabria, not because of the food but the experience itself, where I was and who I shared that meal, that hike, and that journey with.

I had never seen Antonio as a (stereo)typical Italian guy, let alone Southern Italian which somewhat would have an even stronger ‘Italian-ness’ (if that’s even a word) Originally from Calabria, he had, more or less, been brought up in Bologna and only spent a few years of high school in the region where his family was from.

Before leaving Bologna, I was told how traditional and conservative people in the village could be. It was seen as a norm to marry someone from the same village and such. I found it hard to believe, especially when I see him as this ultra open-minded person he was.


But what he said was true. Saline was a small village and it reminded me a little of my hometown in Thailand. Every knew each other and old people sat outside in front of their houses at night, talking. Big birthday celebrations, the importance of your family.

I wasn’t quite sure what I expected before I got there, but certainly not something as traditional as this. This place was like an authentic village, where locals and only locals lived, an mostly old people.

And I saw the other side of my boyfriend, something similar to who I would become when I go back home to my family.

In Bologna, he had it all in control; his place, his space, his kitchen, his life. He was a grown-man taking care of other people in the house.


Here in Saline, I saw him as a brother, as a son, as a grandson. He let his guard down, and he was more like when he was with me with other people around here too. His smile was sweeter, his laugh seemed happier, more genuine. He let other people take care of him, look after him. He would call his dad to check in when we went out hiking. He was more relaxed here, and I loved seeing that.

Though how conservative and religious people from there were surprised me a little. It would not have registered in my mind if he had not told me that by bringing a girl home, it would indicate that you two would be getting married. In that case, it’s expected that you bring her around ad introduce her to your whole extended family.

Otherwise no one would be really that interested in you. Well, you are not planning to get married and become a part of the family, so why bother?

Basically there were two types of relationship there, the one for fun and the one for life, nothing in-between. Although he did explained to his dad later what we were, and how I was important to him.

Learning about all these things, about where he grew up, about his background, his past, and a part of his childhood, it made me want to share mine with him too.