Mailin Ernst & Lara Rusek, 4HLKa (Italy, summer 2025)

If you had asked us a few years ago whether we would like to go abroad together, we probably would have said no… but guess what? We did it anyway, and it was totally worth it!
When we first arrived, we immediately fell in love with the Italian flair and met the team of the TriesteLovesJazz Festival, who turned out to be incredibly kind and talented people. They introduced us to the Italian music industry and many passionate musicians from all over Europe. Most of them we met during our working days, when we helped organize the evening concerts, took care of the guests, and sold merchandise afterwards. Through this, we gained a lot of behind-the-scenes experience and learned what it really takes to bring such a great festival to life.
Another thing that made the concerts so charming were the locations, often a magical garden called Giardino del Museo Sartorio or large piazzas like Piazza Verdi.
On the days when we had some time to explore, we wandered around the city or took the bus to a lovely beach and tried to pick up as many Italian words as we could. Sometimes we even talked to locals who told us stories about the culture and history of Trieste.
Despite the challenges that come with living and working abroad, we not only had an amazing time but also many opportunities to grow as people and learn more about ourselves. Who would have thought that the small town of Trieste could hold so much charm and become one of our favorite memories together?
Ciao bella Italia, and thank you for an unforgettable summer!