Florence, the birthplace of the Reinaissance. Certainly, with the Wandering Writer

Florence, located in the middle of Tuscany is the most breathtaking cities in Italy, and in my humble opinion also in the whole Europe. I was lucky enough to be born in a city close by this jewel to be able to visit it with a certain regularity.

Florence, likewise the rest of Italy has a long history, but it shone as bright as a star during the Middle age and the Renaissance. Originally it was a city founded by Julius Caesar, with the name Florentia – the flourishing one, because of the fertility of its land. Because of its geographical position, located on a route connecting Rome to the northern territories of Italy, it became an important commercial hub.

However, its economic strength continued to grow and reached its climax during the Renaissance when the city became famous for the exportation of high-quality goods, towards all Europe. Also, it was the center of the main artist production, where great names like Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci, whose paintings, sculptures and architectures can be still seen in the city and attract every year tourists from around the world.

Its artistic nature didn’t stop there, and it continued following an old heritage that confirms the nature of its name. 

Walking its streets on a summer evening can be the reason for enjoying not only the fresh air, a nice gelato, listening improvised live music, and take suggestive pictures of the monuments.

However, don’t get the false idea about Florence that her beauty is revealed only by night. Quite the contrary, it just reveals the other side of her charm. By day, you will be amazed by the further details you can get from the architecture, and enjoy more of the spectacular Tuscany’s landscape.

It will be sufficient a stroll along the Ponte Vecchio to make you feel like one of those beautiful Ladies portrayed in the famous paintings, or one of those rich merchants. You will be walking those very same streets, where famous people walked on their way to the church or for an afternoon stroll. You will walk the same path as Leonardo da Vinci while he thought about the flight of the birds to conceive a way to allow humans and do the same. You will be brought back in time to a place in your fantasy yet to be defined, and you will be charmed by a timeless beauty that will remain in your heart for the rest of your life, or at least until the next time you will be back to Florence.

With a deep dreamy sigh, I leave you to enjoy your weekend, hoping you enjoyed this shorter-than-usual blog post.

Why I do not consider myself an expat - confessions of a Wandering Writer

Welcome once again to this Saturday morning blog. Recently, during a dinner with other friends who, like me moved away from their native land, we started to talk about life abroad and particularly sharing our experiences as an expat.

Now let’s start with the definition:

An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship.

In common usage, the term often refers to professionals or skilled workers sent abroad by their employers, who can be companies, governments, or non-governmental organizations. However, the term 'expatriate' is also used for retirees and others who have chosen to live outside their native country. Historically, it has also referred to exiles.

We also examined the difference between expatriate, migrant, and immigrant.

A migrant is a person who constantly moves from Country to Country to find something better. Meanwhile, an immigrant is a person who establishes permanently to another country acquiring the residence permit.

However, besides the definitions, there is one thing that hasn’t been taken into account, and that is the way a person feels with the fact of moving away from their own land. Many people (and in this case, I do not talk about refugees) consider this as a necessary step to be done, but they would rather remain close to their family and roots (eventually they come back every time they can and plan to come back after retirement), others, just like me do not consider it either a move.

I have never identified myself with a single nationality, particularly after having lived for 28 years in Italy, moving from city to city, 3 years in Germany and for 13 years in Finland. In fact four years after my stay in Finland I obtained the citizenship, so legally I am both Italian and Finnish. To be honest, I consider myself belonging to both the places.

I also realized having quite much in common with the different cultures.

I am as positive as an Italian, always ready to see the bright side even in the tragedies.

I am reserved and lover of the quiet, solitude and nature like a Finn.

I’ve found myself at ease with all the people I have met in my lifetime journey, enough to make me say that I am not bonded to a place, in particular, but I absorb what I think fit for myself and carry with me for the rest of my journey.

We talked about roots, thinking about how some people feel like trees. Once they are transplanted to another land with another soil, they will try and survive, but they will long for their home.

As for me, I considered myself like garlic, which has very short roots and it is easily adaptable to every soil condition. I carry with me my curiosity, and with that, I discover the world.

Now think about yourself, if you have to imagine yourself as a plant, what kind of roots you have? As large and deep as a walnut tree or are you small (or nonexistent) rooted like garlic or spring onion, or perhaps, you are something in between?

 

After some thoughts about the definition of expat, migrant, and immigrant, I couldn’t find myself fitting into any of those definitions. I just feel I do belong to this planet and perhaps one day I will move towards another destination.

In the meanwhile, I love to travel and discover new places, people and who knows, perhaps also a new place where to settle.

I am not sure whether I have found the place where I would like to live for the rest of my life. One thing for sure is that I am in love with Finland, even with its long and dark winters, with the moodiness that accompanies the change of the seasons, the rainy weather of certain summers or the lack of nights during those months. I love the silence and quiet in the forest, where you might find yourself eye-to-eye with a deer or a moose, or you might get the first “good morning” from a hare or a squirrel crossing your path. I love Italy with its amazing diversity in micro climates, sceneries, and lifestyle. With the fertility of its land and the scent of its earth. Although, I loved all the places I have visited and all for so many different reasons.

Indeed, the Wandering Writer doesn’t feel like she has a real citizenship, she keeps in her heart every little place in the world like it would be her own home.

Cheers, and have a great time, wherever you are!