Internship in Bologna ♡

I was very lucky to be chosen for an internship with Bologna Book Plus this year, an initiative operated at and in the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy. My job was creating the social media assets to advertise each event and talk, as well as capture content while at the fair. I got to meet so many wonderful people in my organisation, professionals from all different publishing houses, and of course, amazing new friends. Special shoutout to the wonderful humans I was lucky enough to meet and grow over-seas friendships with, l miss you all so much!

Bologna itself is a gorgeous city, full of historical architecture, quaint cafes and bustling lanes. Each street offers so much from unique chocolate shops to delicious restaurants to cute boutiques. It was so fun just exploring the city in the evenings, and I learnt so much about the history of the city as we took it all in. We visited the Museo Civico, a curated collection of gorgeous marble statues from the Roman Empire, pottery and artefacts and quite possibly one of the most stunning courtyards I have ever seen.

The food in Bologna deserves a special shout out. Bolognese, of course, was first on my to-do list and it did not disappoint. Every meal we had was amazing, and my favourite thing we had has to be the gelato. The Bologna gelato is missed!!

Bologna Children's Book Fair is a huge book fair which celebrated its 60th year of operation. Publishing members, illustrators and writers from all around the world come together to share expertise, collaborate and inspire each other. The BolognaFiere venue is huge, and has so much to offer for everyone that attends. Just getting to be a part of it was an invaluable opportunity, and a huge influence to where I would love to go career wise in the next few years. I got to listen to seminars from the big 5, interesting and current topics like AI and sustainability and engage with some fascinating stalls from all over the globe. I met other students from different universities on similar programs and publishing professionals who offered their advice and shared their bookish wisdom.

My favourite part of the trip was the memories we made as a group. Coming back to the hotel after the day at the fair, and heading out into town for dinner and exploring. We clicked instantly, and had so many laughs and experiences during the week that it made it even more special. There's nothing better than being in Italy, surrounding by great food, great places and great people. Truly the best trip and I am so thankful for it!!