We were asked how our story began. We could say that we were in the most beautiful and romantic place in the world, atop the Eiffel Tower or at the foot of Chichén Itzá, with a string quartet playing its sweetest melody and a sky so clear you could see all the constellations when our eyes met for the first time. It would be the perfect opening scene for a movie worthy of any streaming platform. But the truth is even better.
Reality is made of coincidences that brought a Ligurian—not too Ligurian—and a Sicilian who had moved to northern Italy to the same university course in an Italian city like many others, known for good food, fog, and lots of mosquitoes: Piacenza!
Eight years ago, on October 31, during one of many house parties, the Sicilian asked the Ligurian to pair up for a game of beer pong. Perhaps he was intrigued by the fact that she didn’t drink beer or maybe by the similarities she shared with one of his favourite TV series characters: a Livia who grew up in Boccadasse but was blonde only on the inside.
Our story started there, in the university hallways, sneaking around to avoid the curious eyes of classmates just to steal a kiss.
Don’t worry, we managed to finish our studies and take flight into the challenging adult world of long work hours, moving houses, ambitions, and a shared desire to grow in every way.
From Piacenza, we ended up in Milan, moving in together after a year. But not in the classic “two hearts and a hut” way. We had the fortune — or misfortune — of sharing a small hut with a third roommate, a worthy companion for adventures, laughter, drinks, and frozen food.
Career ambitions took Livia to Luxembourg, and Beppe joined her on an “exciting” European move via Flixbus. This marked the beginning of four years of 3 a.m. alarms, endless hours in airports, and dark circles under our eyes at work. Four years filled with small moments and rich experiences, knowing that this would only be a temporary chapter.
Finally, after all this time and countless flights and tickets, we found ourselves together again in the small and cheerful Luxembourg. For over a year now, we’ve been two hearts and a hut! We don’t know where the future will take us, but we’ve already found our home in each other.
If you’re reading this, you’re already part of a chapter in our lives, and we want you with us to help write this new page in our story.
