Last year, at the beginning of March, my university (London College of fashion) gave me the opportunity to spend a semester abroad in Melbourne, Australia. Even though I had just turned 18 and recently moved to London by myself from Italy, my passion for Australia and my curiosity for new realities pushed me to go for it. And somehow I found myself at the Milano Malpensa Airport, at 6 in the morning, saying goodbye to my dad and getting ready to live on the other side of the world.

 

When I first landed in Melbourne it was cold and rainy, everything felt so unfamiliar and distant from the life I’d known. Thankfully, my mom joined me for the first week, helping me settle into my new city and home. As weeks went by, I started university and was immediately drawn to how friendly and open minded people were. I met some incredible classmates who quickly became friends that I’ll always be grateful for, they made every week brighter. After a month I found a part time job, it was tough at the beginning as I felt unexperienced compared to the other employees. But as time passed my workplace became a second home. I got attached to the people I worked with, they made me laugh and some really helped me grow as a person. Some of them will truly stay in my heart forever. I owe so much to this exchange and to my university for giving me the chance to live and learn in a reality so different from my own. 

 

I owe so much to Melbourne, in only a few months this city has seen me going through some of the best and hardest moments of my life. I’ve experienced loneliness, heartbreak, hope, belonging and above all, gratitude, for both the highs and lows this journey brought me. 

From this exchange I’m coming home with a level of independence I’ve never felt before, but also real friendship, countless memories and the comforting feeling of having built a new life of my own in a place so far from my roots.

What brings me peace is knowing that I can always come back, that Melbourne will always feel like a second home, shaped by all the experiences and emotions I’ve lived through in these intense unforgettable months. 

After all, “You can take the person out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the person”

 

Thank you Australia