Feeling lucky

I do remember the day I took the flight from Milan to come to Budapest whom I fell in love with many years ago. It’s been a year since I've been living here, and I couldn’t be happier about the fact that I don’t have to take any flight back to Italy. This year surrounded by the decadent beauty of the city, by the treasures I find in Filantrópia Charity shop, by the people I met who’ve become very close and good friends, by the bridges, by the lights, by the fun nights, by the usual 10000 steps per day, made me realize I don’t want to leave all of this behind me.

The most incredible lesson I’ve learned this year is that it’s so important to recognize how lucky we are, to live a life we choose, to meet with friends, to be able to count on people, to be able to realize that life is just amazingly beautiful. There is no more fulfilling awareness than recognizing how full of treasures life is, and that the most beautiful of all is that we are alive and have a world of possibilities around us. Around me I see people who have moved from other countries to start another life here in this city, which makes you feel free and alive, and which always surprises you. Budapest makes you fall in love with the unpredictability of life. Some time ago I was at the post office, I had to run an errand for the shop, I was waiting in line with my headphones (as always) and my weird socks (I seem to remember they were with donuts, but I'm not sure now). A lady behind me touched my shoulder and I turned around thinking she was complaining about the volume of the music, and instead seeing me dance on the spot waiting for my turn had put her in a good mood so we started talking and she told me everything about her life, which she had lived in many places including Italy, in a small village in Tuscany and I really thought that with the right attitude you can really do many things. Being born and raised in a small town that I have never liked and that I have always found too tight, the feeling of being able to seize new opportunities and see things, faces, people, dogs, cats, bars, streets, squares every day simply makes me feel full of life.

The year I spent in Filantrópia taught me that people are generous, often for no apparent reason, that this city, despite an adverse government and a system of thought that would lead you to think otherwise, is full of generous people, who give to others. At the beginning of the experience I often wondered "but why don't they sell all these things they donate?", now I have the answer: because if you decide to donate something that will be reused by another person, who you potentially do not know and you'll never know, it's something money can't buy. Donating to recycle, to give life back to an object or a dress that is no longer used, without any gain, is something that will always amaze me and that gives me hope for the future, for future generations and for the life on our planet. Although I may seem like an eternal naive and hippie, the little daily wonders really make me smile and I have learned that it's okay like this. Another thing I learned during this ESC is that working in a group and for a group tests you every day, helps you to compromise, helps you learn to say your opinion in respect of others, and it is extremely fun. I wouldn't even be able to name all the moments I laughed to tears with the girls, all the disasters I made, the faces of Kriszti, the strength of Sara, the stories of Zsuzsa. From the walk in the forest of the first weeks (first and last for me since I am extremely lazy and I am afraid of any insects), from the bath in the Danube (first and last time for me), from the Christmas lunch at Orsi's house (Orsi please invite me more often, at your house I’d gladly come back), at dinners in the hills at Zsuzsa's house (here too, food and atmosphere always excellent), to all the nights out (for aperitifs and events I am always available, who guesses where I spend my free time wins a free beer haha), up to a year later, in which we were able to create a solid, sincere relationship and with the awareness that we can count on each other. I know for sure that on August 31st I will not say goodbye to our charity shop, we will see each other a little less but I will come to find the girls and the treasures that will arrive on the island of Filantrópia. To the new volunteers I wish to learn a lot, to have fun and enjoy every moment, to bump into all the bags and corners, to meet crazy and kind people, to have the responsibility to take on a task, to ask for help, to do things with their own mind, to meet new friends, to try on a lot of clothes and get crazy dressed every day, to drink coffee all together, to gossip, to ride the new Bubi, to build muscles with all the bags to check, to experience generosity, to be curious, to experience the city to the fullest.

P.S.: just a couple of tips, when Sara says that a place is near and it could be reached by walking, guys, NEVER, believe her. Second of all, download the app of Bolt, it’s a must-have, taxis will always save you.

Ciao belli, I’m sending all of you lots of love.

Ale