# 04
Photo and concept by © Rob Venom 2022
I come from a small village between Naples and Avellino. I lived all my life there: farms, allotments, stray dogs and a ton of work. I worked a as Clinical Psychologist and Consultant up to the month before coming to London, where I really discovered parts of myself. My biggest passions are my own folk music (Pizzica, Taranta and Tamurriata), theatre and arts in general.
What do you do in your life in London?
I work as psychotherapist in private practice, occasionally collaborating with companies for workshops or other kind of interventions. I like to walk around the city and to explore the country, especially museums.
What is the reason to leave Italy and come to London?
Work. Italy is a very complex place for psychologists and psychotherapists, so I bailed out.
What were your best and worst experiences in London.
Finding trustworthy people in unexpected ways. Being an immigrant (or emigrant, depending on your side of the Channel) can be very hard, especially alone.
The worst has been adapting to very complex living conditions London offers to newcomers with low income. A nightmare.
I asked you to choose a place in London that you like or you are tied to, what was your choice and why you made it?
St. Catherine docks, Wapping and the Shard are places that makes me to feel rooted: everytime London becomes too much, I just need to go there.
During your early times in London, did you have any problem?
Oh YES! I was scammed a good amount of money by fake renting agencies, fake job alerts and so on. A rocky start.
What do you think about this project?
Just wonderful: to be able to give some real life examples of what takes to feel more rooted in London, to meet other people with amazing histories, and to see that I did not struggle alone.
How do you think you could support and promote Italian culture?
Helping people to look at Italy without the stereotypes attached to it. I am very fond of our folk culture, and try to spread the word.
