The Italian volunteer in Finland

I received the proposal to introduce myself…let´s see, what can I say?

I will start with simples points!

Hei/Moi!! J

I´m Cinzia Lettieri, the new EVS volunteer in Kertsi and I’m 23 years old. Now I live in Porvoo, but I come from Italy: yes! The country of pizza & pasta, sun & sea or sorbetto & ice cream! (like Silvia last years) and in March of last year I graduated in Tourism and Local Development at Biccoca University of Milan.

My hometown is Solaro, a very small town, but with well-known landmarks such as the Church of St. Ambrogio and Caterina, which hosts frescos painted by one of the Giotto’s pupils, and Groane Park, a big park that includes 16 municipalities and it is safeguarded by WWF.

Solaro is also very close to Saronno, the hometown of Disaronno liquor and Amaretto… exactly! Did you know?

About hobbies

Everyone has at least one hobby… mine are 3: cooking, sports and go out with friends J

- I started baking cakes and tiramisu since I was a child with my mom and over the years I’m interested in several dishes, reading and following YouTube channels.

- One of my favorite sports is swimming, indeed since I was little I attend swimming courses. Nowadays I love also ice skating and sometimes I cycling or walk in the park.

Obviously, everything is better if it is done with friends!! ;)

What do I do in my free time?!

Usually, especially in Italy, I spend my free time outside with friends, but sometime I like watching also ice skating competitions, handcraft videos and fashion shows, indeed since I was a child I had fun drawing clothes and gowns :D

The last but not the least… I like to study, discover and increase my knowledge!! Yes, I know that It can seems strange.

Now some tough questions! eh eh eh (that everyone ask me) J

Why do you choose Finland? What do you do?

At first I wanted do a long term experience abroad, especially in the northern EU, therefore I attended some specify workshops and meetings. After my graduation I start to apply for several project and one day I received THE UNEXPECTED MAIL (I would go to Finland! it looked like a dream!!). I knew that Finland was well-known for the best school system and my project would be focused on education in a youth center. So… what could I ask for?

What do I learn so far? There are many elements that contribute to the “Cultural Shock”  eh eh eh.  Let’s see…

- First of all: the language! I’m attending a finnish course, but every time I hear a finnish conversation my face looks like “The Scream” of Munch  XD

- Sun vs darkness: the first two days was sunny, but then the real soul of Finland came: the sun disappeared!! -.-“

- The lunch/dinner time: have lunch at 11 a.m.? I can do it… but have dinner at 17.30/18? Ehmm… it’s quite hard, because at this time in Italy we have the “The tea time”, or better “The coffee time” ahahah

-Traffic: here traffic is really different from Italy. For me it is not traffic but just some cars J

Anyway, I like to be here and I like Finland (especially because I like snow and to be surrounded by nature) and I hope it will be better next months ;)

At the moment thank you for reading and see you in Kertsi! :D

Me in the middle with my family, two of my friends and my professor.