When nobody knows you
And for some reason, I feel really good in that state.
Ostia, Roma
I ordered coffee in Italian — the same one as in the photo ☕️☕️
Even though I felt a little awkward, curiosity won.
"Buongiorno! Due latte con latte di soia, per favore."
You can try saying this too and suddenly feel a little different.
It means:
"Good afternoon! Two lattes with soy milk, please."
The barista smiled and gave me a thumbs up 👍👍
My friend and I smiled too, and then we switched back to English because that was the only phrase I had learned.
When I travel, I love that special feeling of freedom — when nobody knows who you are.
And for some reason, I feel really good in that state.
I thought it was only me. But after returning home to England, my friend once wrote to me:
"I miss that feeling when everything around you is new and nobody knows you."
And I immediately thought:
"Yes… I know that feeling so well."
That feeling fills me with energy and creativity.
Maybe we simply get tired of everything familiar around us. Of the roles we constantly play where we live.
And maybe being "nobody" for a while is also a form of rest.
By the way, once in Canada I decided to take it a little further.
At Starbucks, when they asked:
"What's your name?"
I suddenly answered:
"Rachel."
Why Rachel? Probably because during those long flights to Canada I used to watch Friends all the time.
The barista wrote Rachel on my cup.
I sat down waiting for my coffee.
And then the funniest part began.
"Rachel, your coffee is ready."
Silence.
"Rachel..."
Silence.
And only around the third time did I remember:
Wait… I'm Rachel today.
I never used another name again, but it was really funny.
And since last year I’ve also had a new travel idea.
If possible — leave the busy capital city and go a little closer to the sea.
Last year my friend and I did exactly that in the Netherlands: we left Amsterdam and went to quiet, cozy Zandvoort by the sea.
Just a 30-minute train ride — and it felt like a completely different trip.
This time I already knew: from Rome, I had to go to Ostia.
Just an hour away — and suddenly it felt like a different world.
And this contrast, and the way the atmosphere around us affects our mood and energy, still amazes me.
Yes, capital cities have their own vibe and advantages.
The sea has its own too.
And then I thought:
Why choose just one thing if you can beautifully combine both?
Sometimes all it takes is changing the direction a little.
And together with it, your whole state changes ✨
Thank you for reading!
Ostia, Roma
