La Dolce Vita
My first (very belated) Unbutton post.
I figured I’d stick some big Italian disco tunes in the article because I like it.
Since moving to Italy I’ve seen a few things. The antiquated cafes of windy Trieste, a city of madmen and tranquility. The winding avenues of Venice, lit up like a neon-fairytale during the Redontore. The rolling hills of Valdobiaddene, seen only through the bottom of the glass of a bottomless supply of Prosecco. Everywhere I have been, I was met with history, story and a general feeling of spectacle.
But since moving to Italy I’ve seen a few other things. A perfect scam on the streets of Napoli that still makes me smile. The view of the Calabrian coast from a boat I still don’t know who it belongs too. The daily routines of some hip-hop artists in Bologna, the madness of a group of Vaporware girls in Ricione, and what an all night reggae rave looks like on a beach on the south coast of Sicilia (the same as most reggae raves — I mean that in a good way — just a lot more calici de vini of course). Italy is a land of many.
I know I’m preaching to the choir by writing this but the differences between regions of Italy are huge. In the North you’re met with more Germanic efficiency, in the south Iberian passion, the rest I have yet to really visit. It is a world unto itself. There are approximately 34 languages spoken across the country alone, and during its unification in 1861 only 2% of the population spoke what the world understands as Italian today.
There is however one thing that unifies Italy in my mind. And that is the seemingly limitless stream of creativity flowing through it. I struggle to think who I’ve met here who isn’t doing something creative in their lives. In our office alone I can’t fire a single Nerf gun shot without hitting someone doing something special. And the world over Italians have a reputation for robust talent throughout the Arts.
So where did this potential come from? I obviously don’t actually know, but for the sake of writing I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that it is the other thing I have mentioned that defines Italy: diversity. Diversity of thought is one thing we are always badgering our clients about, and where we see the greatest ideas in the world emerge — cities — we also see the biggest diversity. There is even evidence suggesting that how a language is spoken directly effects the brain and an individual’s thoughts. 34+ languages, working together and built on an incredibly intertwined history — something special is going to happen.
And it has, we’ve got a little bit of land on the Venice lagoon that is growing in number and recognition every day. People visit from all over to see what’s next in the world of business and more. I’m now very gladly a part of that.
How did I become a part? To me, moving around in life is essential. Like a potted plant, you can have a cosy life but one day you will not be able to grow more than your pot allows. By changing your pot, and surrendering yourself to new experiences I’ve always thought was the best way to become a more nuanced individual. Coming to H-FARM played into this completely, and the variety of people and ideas here mean that it’s a big and beautiful pot to be growing in.
On the other hand, I have always known that writing was my forte and especially enjoyed working with magazines (shameless plug: you should like my own one if you haven’t), so the chance to work on Maize was the most serendipitous of scenarios for me. These points, conflated with a love of history (which is what my degree is in), meant that together moving to Italy and HIC was a no-brainer.
So far, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and there is still much more to see and do. I miss a few things from home (I’m waiting with baited breath for the day that some chicken wings come to Treviso) but really they’re a slice of a price to pay that I don’t mind at all for this fascinating experience.
In short: I’ve found Italy as a country of many faces, and I’ve found that they’re all bloody beautiful.
