What a pleasure to introduce my guest Andrea Paone on the podcast. We actually connected through another podcast—a beautiful reminder of how randomly you can meet people here, and how Rome's community is an impressive, intertwined network.

Originally from Formia, a small coastal town between Naples and Rome, he is someone who loves to travel but is always drawn back to his roots. He first moved to the capital to study, and as he beautifully puts it: "I can feel all the years I’ve spent here, but I still remember the first day."

In this episode, we take a trip down memory lane to those early days in Rome—living with roommates, building a community from scratch, and embracing the city's unique creativity. We touch on that distinct Mediterranean energy and the art of the "little chat" that helps you connect with others daily.We also dive into how to navigate this famously chaotic city by taking your time back. He shares his fascinating practice of going out alone, using the city as a mirror to see himself more clearly.

After 14 years, he has fully accepted Rome for all that it is. Through his profound reflections, we also get to explore three special spots that help us understand the city better: Villa Gordiani, Ostia, and I Vinilli del Pigneto.

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