We are Angel and Yaritsa (Yari to our friends), and we come from Andalusia, in southern Spain. We arrived in Palermo thanks to ALMA, a European Union project. Fourteen other young people are here with us, making a group of 16 in total. We are all completing training placements in local organisations across different sectors, from catering to gardening. The two of us, for example, are doing our placement at FICUS ETS.
Our stay in Sicily will last 70 days. As we write this article, we have already been here for three weeks.
As for our accommodation, Yari lives in an apartment with four other people, while I (Angel) share an apartment with three other guys. All our other companions live very close by. We had already formed a strong bond back in Spain, but living together in Palermo has turned us into a real family. Of course, everyday life has its ups and downs, but we face the small daily challenges with maturity and responsibility, always sticking together.
We spent the first week settling in. We did lots of activities together and immediately fell in love with the city and its contagious energy. From the second week onwards, we began our workplace training. But every day, as soon as we finish, we all get together to go for a walk, enjoy an Aperol, or stroll along the Foro Italico—a spot we particularly love because it brings us close to the sea.
Two perspectives on our first impressions of the city
💬 Angel: “On our first day in Sicily, we landed in Trapani and drove from there to Palermo. The first thing that struck me when we arrived was seeing kids riding scooters without helmets—something you haven’t seen in Spain for a long time! The atmosphere felt almost ‘wild’, with all the traffic, graffiti and lively streets. In the end, though, you grow fond of this chaos: it’s part of Palermo’s authentic charm.”
💬 Yari: “When I arrived, I was quite nervous because everything was new to me. I was immediately struck by the contrast between the historic architecture and the more modern areas, as well as by the sheer number of people in the streets. At first, I struggled a bit to find my way around the narrow alleyways, but I soon got used to them and now I’m making the most of every moment.”
The connection between Andalusia and Sicily
Looking back, we have found many similarities between Palermo and our homeland. The city reminds us a lot of Granada and Málaga because of the climate, the warmth of the people and the lifestyle. It also brings to mind what Spain was like a few years ago: the streets are always full of life, at any hour, and you still see children playing outdoors in the neighbourhoods—a custom that is starting to disappear back home.
Our internship at FICUS
We both work at FICUS alongside Alessia, who welcomed us with open arms from the very first moment. She is always available and helps us with whatever we need. Thanks to her, we are improving our Italian considerably, while she gets to practise her Spanish with us!
Our daily tasks include:
- Drafting articles and writing copy for the website.
- Creating graphics and visual content with Canva.
- Managing social media channels.
Free time, nightlife and advice for future participants
In our free time, we like to be spontaneous. Some days, we prefer to relax at home, watch a film with the others or cook together. On other days, we go for a walk, try typical Palermitan dishes or go out partying. One of our favourite evening hangouts is undoubtedly Piazza Sant’Anna.
We haven’t been here long, but if we had to give one piece of advice to anyone about to embark on a similar experience in Palermo, it would be simple: enjoy every moment and let yourself be carried along by the rhythm of the city. Or, as they say around here: “Non fa niente!” (“It doesn’t matter!”).
