“What do you mean you don’t know who Maria De Filippi is?” After living my whole life in Portland, Oregon, at 15 years old, I moved to Italy – a place that many would call a paradisiacal destination – with my family due to my parents’ divorce. I admit – I didn’t miss the rain. However, since I would soon begin my second year of high school in an Italian public liceo, I was no longer able to speak English with anyone.

I grew up completely bilingual, learning English in school and Italian at home, so I always felt like I maintained a balance between the two sides of myself. I developed two identities that co-existed in harmony, even though English dominated since I spent most of my days outside of the house.