My first solo trip to Europe — a country I thought I already knew. My mother was born in Italy, so as you'd imagine it shaped much of my childhood, and we were fortunate to visit many times growing up. I'd seen the cathedrals, the famous piazzas, the postcard version of Italy across all those family trips.

In 2023 I went back alone and looked instead for the small moments in between, the everyday life between the landmarks, the daily rhythm of a place that's lived in.