the right people for the present

Recco not only my hometown

I was born and raised in a very small town called Recco, which was destroyed by the second world war. It’s not pretty at all because it was rebuilt in a rush, building houses with the little money that the community had left. I did everything in Recco from daycare to high school, my Judo team is in Recco, and all my old friends are there, but my home was actually in Camogli. Camogli is a beautiful, breathtaking town near Recco that was not bombarded in the war. People from Camogli hate people from Recco and vice versa. Can you believe that? Two little towns, in a very small region in one of the smallest countries of the world. Why the animosity? It’s so funny to say, but they have different cultures. Personally, I have always identified as a “Recchelina”. I grew up being part of the Recco community, investing my time to become a productive member of the community. I never thought of leaving, but then it happened.

I hate changes

Going to college opened my mind, but I was still very attached to my hometown.I was tied to it so strongly that I wasn’t able to see anything else. However, I slowly started to appreciate the chance of taking breaks from my community, discovering new places, and meeting new people (still not further than 15 miles from home). When I met my other half on our first date, I ran away. Yes, I literally ran away. I now know why. He talked about robotics, living abroad, and changing his life. I don’t like changes.As my friends label me, I am a “stayer”. I like routine, I like an organized life, but most of all I like to have my future planned. Turns out, that guy I ran away from ended up taking me to the other side of the ocean. I fought so hard to stay part of the Recco community for so long, until I realized I could make my own community.

The right people make the difference

That’s when I stopped saying “never” and “forever,” and started thinking about the importance of the present. It took me years to realize what I wanted, what I needed, and what I wanted to be. I don’t like roller coasters, but I know how fun they are. I don’t like the unknown, but I know it exists. My 30th birthday was a disaster in Boulder, without anything. I felt as though everything I had built in 30 years was just in ashes. But then, person-by-person, I watched this community grow, and after 2 years here we are. We are all immigrants in this world, and no matter what, it’s not the place where we live that makes the difference but the people that we have around. It sounds cheesy, but it took me 32 years to realize. And that’s why I need to celebrate my birthday with you, because all of you have given me the chance to become a better version of myself. I hear you when things get tough, and I am able to be empathic because I have been through tough times, too. That’s why today I need to remind you that we can not control the future, but we can learn from the past and we can always pick the right people for the present.