sono una cantante

My name is Victoria; I am twenty years old and I am a singer. At least, this is what I say whenever anyone asks what I do. Makes for a much more interesting conversation with a stranger on a train than a simple, awkward-silence-inducing "I'm at Uni...". And I do sing. In fact, slowly but surely, my mind is becoming set on the idea of finding some comfortable niche of performance to fit into when I finally grow up, graduate and need a real job.

I finished my second year studying Music at Newcastle University in June, and after an extremely busy and extremely musical Summer, I shall be off to live and learn Italian in the centre of Florence for the whole of September. And no, this isn't a Gap Yah two years too late. I've been accepted to study Canto at Il Conservatorio Arrigo Boito di Parma (in Parma - in case you were wondering) from November and I know NO Italian. Talk about jumping in at the deep end... Yet somehow I find myself two weeks away from leaving England and ending up in one of the most culturally rich cities in the world. And I'll be living right in the middle of it! And in November, aside from the fact I'll have nowhere to live, Parma - the City of Parmesan cheese and fabulous Opera - will be my new home until June next year.

I wanted to create a blog to share some of the stories and sights and situations I'll be privy to over the coming months. Beautiful moments and nightmarish ones alike.

Ciao....