Once upon a time

Once upon a time, in a lovely and typically Italian town called Bergamo Valentina was born. As a young girl Valentina started appreciating this lovely town, the long walks along the city’s walls, the sun shining all day long.

One day, however, the same young pretty girl, sitting on the walls of that same beautiful town, started looking at the horizon in front of her. What could the town in front of her eyes be? so far away from her reach…It was in fact not a town, but a big city, full of lights, excitement and new adventures.

Off you go, after a couple of months, the decision was made. I moved to the big city for my studies. Milan was intense. For the first time I found myself very far away from my village reality. I discovered the tube, the city buzz and the sushi! I remember very vividly experimenting new things and coming little by little “out of the shell”. Despite these amazing discoveries, Milan was also a chance to soon experience industrialisation, consumerism and the city’s self-obsession with fashion. Nothing wrong with it. Some people love it, some other hate it. For same strange reasons, I tend to fit in the second category. Therefore, as the first occasion for escaping was presented, I took it and I ended up in another so called “land of opportunities” called England.

I expected the country to be prettier, but never mind. To add to this, I have to admit the constant rain in any of its forms (splash, drizzle, shower, heavy shower) doesn’t help.  It took me a while to get used to the semi-detached houses, the red bricks and the pound coins, but I feel now pretty settled.

After 1 year in Nottingham, 6 months in London and 2 years and half in Sheffield I am now able to recognise different accents, despite still retaining my melodic Italian pronunciation, which results in random conversations with Yorkshire strangers typically starting with: “Where does your accent come from, love?”

Well, I have to admit, this journey has been fantastic! It’s been very eye-opening and it made me get in touch with new cultures, embrace new beliefs and, more importantly, experience freedom. It has certainly contributed to shape a new Vale, stronger, more mature and more ambitious. It has been an enriching journey, contributing to widening my horizons very much, so that now, when  I happen to close my eyes, I can picture more cities, more adventures, more options in front of me.

I have now the feeling nobody can stop me, as there is still so much to explore and so much to do. That’s why, in this moment in time, I have decided to take a new challenge on board, called Africa.