Martina lives in beautiful Lake Como in Italy, but has already spent a few years living and working in England. After finishing her second degree, a passion for literature and a desire to change her environment steered her towards studying a Master’s in English Literature at Anglia Ruskin University.

By Lauren Valentine

 Get to know Martina with 5 quickfire questions

1. Tell us the best thing about your country: “Loads! We have great food, weather and people, and can offer all landscapes from the sea, to the mountains, to ancient cities.”

2. What does your education look like so far? “I have undergraduate degrees in Language and Cultural Mediation, and Humanities (Italian and Latin Literature). I’ve opted for a Master’s in English Literature to continue my education journey.”

3. What excites you most about your upcoming studies? “I love English and I’m looking forward to the Shakespeare parts. I’m also curious to discover new and contemporary writers. Studying this in Cambridge just feels amazing!”

4. Do you have a favourite book? “The Tempest is my favourite play, and I’ve been lucky enough to see some Shakespeare plays at The Globe Theatre. I also like 19th century literature like Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre.”

5. Have you got a career in mind? “I love teaching and I think this degree would lend itself nicely to that, as well as my love for books. If possible, I could see myself working in England in the future.”

Familiarity with England: afternoon tea and places to see!

“This won’t be my first time living in England: I worked in Bedfordshire for two and a half years as a customer care operator in a transport company. They dealt with luxury furniture imports from Italy to England and so needed somebody who could speak both languages. It was my first time living alone and I grew up a lot. The best experiences are those where you learn the most.

There’s so much I love about England; it’s a beautiful country. Some of my favourite places are Stratford-Upon-Avon, Bath, Cornwall, the Cotswolds and Canterbury. One little thing that I loved was afternoon tea, especially with friends. I even bought my first kettle! It was also really nice to see the differences in culture between my international friends, which helps you to learn more about your own culture.”

A home away from home: the importance of connections

“I’ve always loved traveling and new experiences, and was yearning for something new after studying in Italy for many years. I already had friends in England after living there, so it feels like a second home to me, and a natural choice. It’s important to get to know people as it feels like a second family. For international students, we’re leaving our family, home and friends to come abroad. It’s not easy – but when you know people it’s like leaving your family to find another family.

There are also great universities there, which is promising for my future career. When I visited Cambridge, I fell in love with it, so finding ARU felt just right. I took part in a virtual open day and was lucky enough to visit the campus in May. It was nice to go from seeing it online to it being in front of me! I’ve also been talking to people on CampusConnect, because I don’t want the fact that I already know people to stop me from making new friends. The app is great for connecting and answering a lot of questions that you may not have thought of. I can’t wait to meet people from all over the world – it’s an important part of the experience.”

From her experience so far of Anglia Ruskin University, Martina says: “Everybody is really helpful and very kind. It was easy to get in contact any time I needed anything. I’m really excited to start in September – I’ve dreamt about it for months and now it’s finally happening!”