Hi, my name is Clara, I am 18 years old, and this is my blog about my experiences in Milan, Italy. Born in Boston, USA, with a German Dad and a Taiwanese Mum, I can call myself a “Triple Citizen” (if that’s a thing). Growing up all around the globe, in Holland, China, Taiwan and Germany, I am also a polyglot: I speak German, Mandarin, Dutch and English, and I am working on my Italian. What else am I? I am definitely a musician, let’s say 55% pianist and 45% singer (this is how I identify, not how much time I spend on being it, because then the shower opera star wins). I am also an avid reader, although I wished I’d read more, in ambient cafes or on rainy days. Both out of genuine interest and for the sake of this blog, I got into photography more recently, so I am a little bit of an amateur photographer too. And, as I already hinted at, I am a lover of travelling, foreign cultures and fascinating languages.
So what is it that I am doing in Milan? And what’s the path I’ve traveled to get here? I always wanted to do a volunteer service and a gap year abroad after my high school graduation (THG Göttingen Class of 2015!). Aiming for the best of both, I had been searching the internet for vacancies in Rome since about Christmas 2014. Originally, that’s where I wanted to go, but soon I figured that I was naive to believe I’d succeed, so I started looking more broadly until I was finally selected to work at the Swiss School of Milan. After literally hundreds of e-mails that no one ever replied to and dozens of unsuccessful applications, I still can’t quite grasp how lucky I finally was. This particular service seemed destined for me since I will work with children and live in an exciting city in Italy at the same time!
Last but certainly not least, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for my many supporters who donated so much money in order to make all of this possible! It is especially for you, dear supporters, that I will try to make this blog an interesting, up to date “collection of stories, thoughts and pictures”, in a sense a way of thanking you and assuring you that your money was well-spent. Please make sure to comment on my posts or contact me privately if any questions should arise! Once again, thank you so much for your trust, support and aid, it means the world to me.
Finally, I hope that you, dear visitor, will enjoy my blog. Happy exploring!
Clara in Milan 