Hello Zoe and thanks for taking part in this interview! Can you tell us a bit about your role and your team?
Ciao, thank you for having me! I was waiting to be inducted into the ‘Uniser Hall of Fame’ 🤩
As part of the Incoming Team, my role is Hosting Coordinator – which means that I’m responsible for coordinating and implementing VET mobilities of participants coming from all over Europe to Emilia-Romagna.
How did you come in contact with Uniser and when?
I actually came in contact with Uniser ‘by accident’. After graduating in spring of 2022, I was struggling to find a 6 month internship and as I was talking to my friends – who are now my housemates – they suggested that I look into some portal of the University of Bologna, which is where I found the internship for the Incoming Team. However I couldn’t apply through the portal for some reason and after a quick online search, I found this very blog and applied from here. Later I found out that the information in the portal was there by mistake, so I guess it was a really lucky one!
Since you entered as a staff member, what have you been doing, what are your main duties?
A senior colleague once referred to Hosting Coordinators as “mobility masters” and I couldn’t agree more! Once planning and budgeting has been done by my colleagues, I manage mobilities in their most practical aspects – from making sure each one of our provided services is activated to carrying out trainings and supporting participants from when they arrive until the end of their stay.
Which ones do you enjoy more and why?
If you asked me this question a year ago, I would have said field activities (such as inductions) because at the time I was interested in getting to know participants personally and felt closer to them as I was freshly out of uni. Now I enjoy the most working together with partners in organising the mobility and finally seeing it come to life when I meet participants in person to conduct the training upon arrival.
Which ones are you finding more challenging?
I wouldn’t say there is a particularly challenging task per se, but rather keeping everything afloat. I’m simultaneously involved in the before, during and after of several mobilities and I’m in touch with schools, hosting companies, participants and their accompanying teachers – each one of them with different needs and expectations. So sometimes this job can be really demanding, however I’m lucky to be part of a tight-knit team and, to continue with the analogy, we are all in the same boat!
Which city are you originally from and where are you living at the moment? Do you have any favourite spots in the city?
I’m originally from Sedico, a small town in the Dolomites, but I have been living on and off in Bologna ever since I started university. I have lived in several districts of Bologna over the years and I’m currently in Porto-Saragozza – dare I say, the best one! I basically live close to all of my favourite spots – il Pratello, Cineteca di Bologna, MAMbo, 11 settembre park and via Marconi. As my friends know, my love for this street (for people who have never been to Bologna: it’s the ugliest street in the city centre) started out as a joke to pester them, but I think I’ve said it enough times to the point that I’m not so ironic anymore 😅
What did you study and why did you choose such a path?
I studied Political science with a major in Sociology. After graduating from high school I didn’t have a clear idea about my future, except that I wanted to be in an international environment and Political science seemed a good option to start with. I then chose to major in Sociology because it was a subject I became passionate about and for a couple of years my intention was to specialise in Gender studies, so I worked for the local Women’s shelter and wrote my thesis on gender-based violence. However, I began to notice that dealing with such heavy topics all day – as much as they are relevant – was slowly bringing me down, so I realised that maybe it wasn’t the right path for me and that instead I should focus on something that at the end of the day makes me happy regardless of everything and I immediately thought about my volunteer work in the field of student mobility.
If I’m not mistaken, you spent some periods abroad during your studies: can you tell us where and what the experiences were like?
Correct! When I was 16 years old I won a scholarship for a study abroad program in Poland and ended up in Kraków – I was staying with a Polish host family and went to Polish high school as if I were a local student. It’s easily one of the best experiences of my life and looking back now after almost 10 years, I can see how much it influenced me. Then at university I applied for Erasmus at Université de Paris – unfortunately I managed to attend only the first semester because it was 2020, however I’m still grateful for the experience as living in Paris was one of my childhood dreams.
Do you play any sports or have any hobbies that you would like to tell us more about?
Since my job is quite hectic and I tend to get very antsy just about everything, in my free time I like to do long relaxing activities like swimming, journaling, a multi-step skincare routine… and I love watching films!
What’s your favourite movie?
I have many favourites but if I had to choose one, it would be Joachim Trier’s ‘The Worst Person in the World’ – I see myself a lot in Renate Reinsve’s character and what she is going through. I also think it is one of the very few movies about navigating life in your 20s/early 30s that tells it like it is with just the right amount of romanticisation. And the soundtrack is top-tier!
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