Human Mind and Migration —
Foreign Adventures:
Effective Tools to Shape an Aware Mind
The students of Messaggero Veneto Scuola are part of the impactmania’s internship program for the 2020-2021 academic year. A series of migration topics were explored in this Program that will culminate in an online exhibition and presentation, May 2021.
COVID made us all Digital Nomads, however, it didn’t stop us from cross-cultural, interdisciplinary learning.
BY MARGHERITA SCIALINO
Giulia Mastrantoni, a dynamic Italian student discovering Australia
From the charming Rome to the smart metropolis of Melbourne, passing through the United Kingdom and loads of nations in the world…
Does it sound exaggerated, perhaps even impossible? My dears not at all, if your name is Giulia and adventures have always been food for your lively soul!
Willing to dig deeper into young migrants’ use of Social Media in their adopted cities, I got in touch with Giulia Mastrantoni, whose life experiences is simply intriguing and inspiring!
Giulia Mastrantoni
In fact, she started her university career in my hometown, Udine, a tiny but vibrant city in Northern Italy, which is famous for its characteristic castle and its museums such as Casa Cavazzini, a Modern Art Gallery.
Especially during these last few years not only did Giulia study in physical rooms, but she also learnt a lot traveling to countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany and the UK.
How and why?
“I received prestigious scholarships thanks to my school results. Then, since I was deeply curious and ambitious to live challenging travels”.
Furthermore, Giulia took part in Messaggero Veneto Scuola editorial staff, similarly to my friends and me. Hence, this made me hopeful, thinking about my future, and proud, reflecting on how many experiences our University of Udine can grant us all! Engaging, isn’t it?
Then coming across my impactmania internship group’s main theme, Social Media and Migration, Giulia told me how her perception towards Instagram and Facebook changed as soon as she was assimilating in Melbourne, the place where she is currently finalizing her PhD in Creative Writing. As a matter of fact, she became aware that Social Media could be used for work purposes and not just for fun. Hence, it is better to reflect for a while before posting silly or simply inappropriate pictures.
Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Giulia Mastrantoni.
What is a striking aspect you noticed in Australia, as far as Social Media and Life are concerned?
“One of the most captivating points I noticed was the strict distinction between personal and work life in Australia: a social media just for yoga covers, another one for work meetings, others just for work businesses… Techie Aussies! In this perspective, Social Media becomes a virtual identity card, where personal information is attentively filtered”.
Among other things, Giulia lives in Melbourne, which is extremely vibrant, cosmopolitan and modern as a city… There it seems to me, listening to her thoughts, that technology is possibly Australia’s main ingredient for the present and the future life!
Since you live in an area where technology is so relevant in Human Life, how do Aussies cope with great problems, such as Cyberbullying?
“Differently from other countries, Australian Schools spread awareness towards the so-called ‘dark side’ of Social Media, organizing projects at school from the very beginning of pupils’ school careers. Useful, isn’t it?”
In fact, as far as prevention is concerned, we find loads of syllabus on eSafety Commissioner (website recognized by Australian Government) which are paramount not only for teachers but for families as well, so that to avoid Cyber bullying.
To conclude, it is easy to understand why Giulia’s life can be so thought provoking to young adults… It is as a flame that manages to illuminate our dreams and future paths!
Margherita Scialino
Margherita Scialino is eighteen years old and she is currently attending the fifth year of linguistic high school Caterina Percoto in Udine, where she improved her level of English, French, and German. For this reason she likes to define herself as a goal-driven young woman, who is fond of traveling and understanding global issues related to Humanity.
Since October 2020 she has been writing for Messaggero Veneto Scuola and becoming a professional journalist after her university years is one of her greatest goals. Thanks to MVS she has started to collaborate in impactmania internship as Lead of Social Media and Migration group, experiencing a really thought-provoking opportunity.