So. This is my travel blog – one year in Italy. Thanks for being here.

I should start by explaining what the point of this is; why I gave up a stable job, budding career and a wonderfully easy life in Melbourne (previously the world’s most liveable city) to take a ‘gap year’ in Italy – the land of bureaucracy, where almost nothing works (but also the land of pizza, pasta, coffee, romance).

It’s not that easy to explain to anyone, let alone myself.

Firstly, I guess I have always had an affinity to Italy. My paternal grandparents were born, raised and married in Trieste, Italy, before immigrating to Australia in search of a better life post-war, around 1955, and giving birth to my father. My mother, on the other hand, was born in Greece, and immigrated to Australia when she was 8 years old. Meanwhile, I was born in what can only be described as regional Australia – in fact, one of the most Anglo-Saxon electorates in the whole of Australia. Despite having this mixed heritage, both of which have influenced me in different ways, I have always gravitated towards my Italian side.

Secondly, I never took a gap year. I am acutely aware that this is a privileged concept, gaining popularity with upper-middle class Australian millennials, but damn – after 7 years of intensive higher education, and 2 years of full-time work, I could totally get around the idea of a gap year.

Thirdly, my biggest (and frankly, only) regret is that I never went on exchange. It’s such a wonderful learning opportunity that I missed out on, or didn’t make time for.

And that brings me to my final, super personal reason; I needed the space and time for my mental health. I’ve suffered from some depression and panic attacks over the past 6 years. While my symptoms have lessened in severity, I’ve still had difficulty dedicating time to my mental health. So, this is going to be that time.

Part of me is hoping that no one reads this self-indulgent blog; the other part is excited to have the chance to write. Either way, I’m going to put it out into the webiverse and see what happens.

NB: All photos published on this blog are my own.