Torino is my favourite city of the whole Italy, it’s full of magic (literally and figuratively!), history and amazing people! Right after I got lucky to be chosen in this journey, I knew right away that I would absolutely love to make this destination my first stop…And so I did! Now you can find out how I spent my time there and how many amazing people I was happy to meet!
It took me two trains and a plane to get there but I managed and most importantly – it was all worth it! I wanted to spend as much time in Torino as possible so that I’d get many opportunities and memories. Of course, I saw a little bit of the city – La Mole Antonelliana, which is the famous symbol of Turin and in which you can find the National Museum of Cinema; Palazzo Reale, which is equivalent to English’s Royal Castle but also I was lucky with the weather – almost my whole stay it was warm and sunny, which made my walk at the Parco del Valentino even more enjoyable!
The city itself is wonderful but what makes it even prettier are people. During my stay I was happy to make a lot of friends, who I joined many fun activities there. The person who helped me the most by taking care of me and made sure to make my stay in Torino unforgettable was Matteo, whom I’m really thankful to! He’s a part of the ESN Torino section and during every event I participated in, I could see how committed he is! We’ve got in touch online a few days before I arrived and we first met before the Tandem Event. We met at the Camping Bar, a place which is literally a synonym of socialising. He told me a lot about their section and I’ve found one that the Camping Bar is their tradition – every Tuesday they meet at the same Bar to host different kinds of activities! That night they had a Just Dance Evening. Everyone knows that Italian culture is famous for their songs and music and that Italians enjoy having fun to the fullest! That’s why everyone absolutely loved the idea of dancing the night away, forgetting about all the problems (especially with the exams session coming up at the head) and just expressing yourself through the moves.
May was a very important month for Torino’s section since they’ve announced a new project in collaboration with EDISU Piemonte and CROUS Versailles called “Be a changemaker for sustainable campus”. The project is cofounded by the European Union and it’s focused on promoting sustainability among university students. The project is focused on engaging local and international students to take action in order to help our planet through all the eco-friendly events between May and June 2024. The opening event was a bike tour, then they’ve started a series of interesting lectures. The lecture held during my stay was called “Healthy nutrition, but what about the climate cost?”. This event helped us understand what has the biggest impact on the environment, what alternatives for diets do we have, keeping also the role of universities in our lives. The workshop was realized by Greenpeace Torino and we were lucky to listen to such guests as dr. Duccio Travaglini, co-founder of Greencome which is a company focused on combating climate change; Ph.D. Nadia Tecco, researcher, professor and project manager of the Green Office of the University of Turin and dr. Alessandro Cavaliere, food engineer and volunteer at Recup, a non-profit association combating food waste.
One of the main objectives of ESN Torino is promoting the international environment in the city. Luckily, during my stay in Torino there has been an activity called “Erasmus in Schools” during which members of the local section visited a high school in order to talk about ESN some younger students, to answer their questions and to encourage them to join ESN in the future. I think that events like that are really important for teenagers – it allows them to learn something about their opportunities and they can get first-hand answers from experienced people.
Overall, my time in Torino was nothing short of magical. From exploring the historical landmarks and soaking in the vibrant culture to meeting incredible people and participating in impactful events, every moment was filled with joy and learning. Torino’s charm, combined with the warmth of its people and the enriching activities organized by ESN Torino, made this journey unforgettable. I’m grateful for the friendships I made and the experiences I had, which have left a lasting impression on my heart. I can’t wait to see where my next adventure takes me, but Torino will always hold a special place in my memories. Grazie, Torino!❤️
