Issue #76
Valentina Imbrenda
Il Sole
I was born in Torino, Italy, at the age of 13 my parents sent me to UK to Boarding School to learn English, and it’s during those years that I became the person I am today. After College I went back to Italy and tried to live and grow my origins, but the thirst of a much different lifestyle was way stronger than I thought, so I once again left Italy to land in Miami that with its pros and cons has given me the possibility to live “The American Dream”.
I’m a server at one of Miami’s busiest restaurants in Ocean Drive. I take pride in my job, I love what I do, and if there’s one thing I’m great at is this, serving people. In my spare time I go to the beach, obviously, and spend time with the fewer friends who have now become my family here.
Italy was always “too small” for me, I tried my best to accommodate my parents’ wishes of being the perfect girl, with the perfect job and the perfect look, but you can’t pretend to be someone else forever… my time was over, I needed to be who I wanted to be. Miami has always been my secret dream…so I stopped dreaming; I woke up, and started living!
Every day in this city is memorable. The one memory that quickly goes to the top of them all…my first birthday here…the effort the 2 most important friends I have here made in order to make me feel loved and special…I could never forget, my eyes watered as they looked into my eyes and wished me happy birthday.
I chose Wynwood because no other place in Miami resemble me more. The need to express whatever it is that one has inside. Someone decides to do it through art on a wall, someone like me through a haircut, a tattoo, and a few piercings.
I think this project confirms to all of us Italians in the USA that we made the right choice in pursuing our dream, and that it’s of expiration to all those who are slowly dying in our country that can no longer offer a future.
Being an Italian in Miami for me is one of the greatest thing. It’s fun, and gives me the opportunity to still feel proud of my country.