About Me — Rosario Licodia

“Be Water My Friend”

Eric
About Me Stories
8 min readMar 29, 2024

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Me In Rome (Villa D’Este)

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Where to start…? 😅

First of all, hello everybody!

Or as I would say in my native language Ciao amici! 😄

Yes, I’m Italian 😜

I’m thrilled to be here! Thank you Quy Ma for creating all of this!!

It turned out that writing about myself is more challenging than I thought it would be, but let’s get started!! haha

Born and raised in the land of pasta and gelato, I inherited a love for good food and warm weather from my Sicilian roots. But being the curious soul that I am, I couldn’t resist the allure of exploring new horizons. So, off I went traveling across Europe like a modern-day Marco Polo.

My “Nomad” Period

Photo by Kym Ellis on Unsplash

Many people would describe me as a sort of nomad, as in the last five years, I have been moving from one country to another in Europe.

I have never found my feet in Sicily; I used to feel like a fish out of water all the time.

I reckon everybody feels this way at some point or another…

So I took my bag pack and left! I had to take a few more baggage to be fair, one wasn’t nearly enough lol.

I traveled around Italy, Germany, Serbia, Georgia, Poland and the UK. That was intense but definitely worth it.

Traveling opens the door to a world of endless possibilities and breathtaking beauty. There’s something magical about stepping foot in a new place, and immersing yourself in its sights, sounds, flavors, and languages!

I have truly left part of my heart in those countries!!

As Jamie Lyn Beatty says:

“Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul¹.

Where I decided to settle, so far...😅

Poland. Our Garden & my Car. -27°c or -16.6° F.

As weird as it may sound, I passed from the sunny (maybe too much) Sicilian beaches with their 49°c (120.2 F) to let’s say, a quite not-so-sunny weather.

POLAND!

A country where rich history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes meet an unnecessarily complicated language!!

Here’s an example which has become some sort of meme

FullStruggle. Reddit

Here you will find some of the world’s hardest words to pronounce such as:

Szymankowszczyzna

Bezwzględny

Dziewięćsetdziewięćdziesięciodziewięcionarodowościowego

PS: Be careful while trying to read them out loud. I’ve lost a friend this way….haha

Why would I do all this to myself, you may wonder..

well, the answer is LOVE!

During Covid-19 I decided to learn Polish. I downloaded a language-learning app, and that changed my life forever!

I decided to write to a sweet Polish girl who soon after became the love of my life!

I didn’t think twice before moving to Poland. I have never felt anything like that before!

So I am more than happy to freeze in winter as long as her hugs will keep me warm 😍
yes, I’m quite a romantic one as well lol

Are any Pets in the House?

Fredzio. Author me.

Say hi to Fredzio! (His name is hard to pronounce if you are not Polish..)

Also known as the sweetest dog in the world!

This little guy is a bundle of energy, always on the go and ready to play. Whether he’s chasing his favorite ball (he’s got around 157..) or zooming around the backyard, Fredzio’s hyperactive nature is impossible to miss.

Underneath all that excitement is a heart of pure gold. Once I pretended to be eaten alive by the vacuum cleaner, and he saved me! It took him a while to be fair (he’s scared of it), but eventually he did save me!

He’s a total love bug, showering everyone he meets with kisses and cuddles, except for white dogs…I don’t know why, but he hates them..!

I could talk all day about him, but this story should be more about me.. So next stop, my hobbies!

My Hobbies!

  1. Sport: I have always been into sport! When I was little I played all I could: football, basketball, tennis, etc., but then I tried volleyball, and I loved it!! I soon became a professional player and carried on for about 7 years. Sadly I do not have many chances to play it now, even though I would love to :(
  2. Martial Arts: My love for martial arts started by chance. While recovering from a bad volleyball injury, one of my schoolmates introduced me to this new world, and the more I discovered, the more I wanted to learn. So, I officially left volleyball to start this new path. There’s a beauty in martial arts that transcends the physical movements. It’s a profound expression of discipline, focus, and respect. It’s about mastering oneself and cultivating inner peace. In martial arts, every movement has purpose and meaning, reflecting the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. So, after many years of training and studying, I became an Instructor of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do (Bruce Lee’s martial art), and I was awarded Master of the year by the Martial Heroes Council in Venice.
Me receiving the Master of the Year award by the Martial Heroes Council in Venice.

3. Magic: This is another passion of mine. Started only a few years ago, magic has literally become my world. I like training sleight of hand and mentalism. I love creating moments of pure impossibility and wonder. Transporting audiences to a realm where the impossible becomes possible is my goal. Like all magicians, I’m also obsessed with the show Penn and Teller Fool Us! I can’t have enough of it. Maybe one day you will see me there too 😁 I will start my YouTube channel on magic soon enough, so stay tuned if you are interested in it !!

4. Hiking: Hiking is my thing — it’s my way of connecting with nature and leaving the hustle and bustle behind. With each step, I feel alive, surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors and the freedom that only woods and hills can give.

5. Languages: My love for languages started long ago. I have always seen languages as a means to connect with people and different cultures. People do behave differently when speaking their own language, in some ways they show the inner part of themselves. I speak English, Italian, and Polish every day, but I have also studied French, Mandarin, and Arabic. I find it hard to keep up with all of them, but I won’t give up! So if you speak any of those languages, and would like to practice, feel free to drop me a message 😊

6. Gym: I regularly run and go to the gym. I need to stay active since my main job often requires me to be in front of a screen all day.

7. Writing: Writing is my hobby and my passion. It’s a way for me to express myself, explore my thoughts, and unleash my creativity. It’s a hobby that allows me to escape, to learn, and to connect with others. I also like poetry. I have written quite a few poems so far and cannot wait to share them here.

Philosophy

“Be water my Friend²!” (by Bruce Lee)

It is the subtitle of this article and the main philosophy I follow.

In a nutshell, it is all about being adaptable and flexible in life. Bruce Lee compared our mindset to that of water, which can adjust to any situation. Water doesn’t resist; it flows around obstacles effortlessly. Similarly, he encouraged us to embrace change and go with the flow, rather than rigidly sticking to a fixed plan. By being like water, we can navigate life’s twists and turns with ease, finding balance and harmony along the way.

Work stuff, and Accomplishments

If you would like to know something about my professional life then:

  1. I graduated in Political Science and International Relations in Italy
  2. I completed my MSc in Diplomacy, Business, and Trade at Loughborough University in London.
  3. I was the Vice President of AIESEC in the committee of Palermo where I was responsible for creating B2B opportunities for international students.
  4. I worked in the Consulate of the Republic of Ghana in Italy where among other things, I got to be the interpreter for the King of one of the many Ghanaian villages during B2B meetings.
  5. I worked as a financial advisor for Alleanza Assicurazioni (part of the Generali Group).
  6. I wrote publications for IMESI on geopolitics and International Relations.
  7. I’m currently working full-time as a data analyst in an American corporation. My area of expertise would be automation and reporting.
  8. Medium writer. I saved the best for last 😜

Why am I on Medium?

I’m absolutely thrilled to be a writer and share my work with people. The thought of crafting stories and ideas that others can enjoy is incredibly fulfilling. Whenever I sit down to write, I feel a rush of excitement and anticipation.

Knowing that my words have the power to entertain or inspire others is an amazing feeling.

I can’t wait to see where this writing journey takes me!

Main Topics and Ideas I will be writing on:

I have many ideas and projects in mind, but for now, I’m mainly writing about:

Mental health:

Inetesting, unkown facts

Sometimes we are too tired to keep on reading about making easy money or some convoluted business idea. Maybe we just want to relax with a quick read about some unique facts for example the top 7 richest people in history or some top 7 facts about unique people (The Iron Lung).

I would like to create some publications to possibly allow people to explore some unique and interesting facts about the world we live in.

There is so much to learn…Medium seems an interesting place where to start from! 😊

If you made it this far, it means that you found what I wrote somewhat interesting, or you literally didn’t have anything better to do lol

In any case, consider clicking the “follow” button, one of my many goals is to create friendships!!

Can’t wait to read your articles, and learn more about what you have to share😊

I wish you all a great day! Peace!🤗

Citations:

[1]: Inspirational Quotes: “Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” https://www.adaptnetwork.com/inspirational-quotes/jobs-fill-pocket-adventures-fill-soul-jaime-lyn-beatty/

[2]: Lee Shannon (October 8, 2020). Be Water, My Friend. https://www.empik.com/be-water-my-friend,p1322837734,ksiazka-p

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