Fredi Magazine Special Digital Edition 2017 | Page 29

WRITTEN BY ROSANNA BONURA DESTINATION “That opened my interest into different customs and ways of viewing the world, which I was intrigued by,” she recalls. At age 23, Spizzirri moved to Italy where she lived for five years. Italy was a place she fell in love with when she was just a young girl visiting her grandparents during the summer months. Her desire to experience their way of life was an opportunity she couldn’t miss out on. “While in Italy, I did a lot of traveling, visited old churches, art galleries, looked for new restaurants and boutique hotels, and spent sum- mers exploring different beach towns.” She also taught English while living there. However, the most valuable experience during these five years was interacting with local people. “I immersed myself in their culture, which is very different than being an Italian raised in Toronto. It was a different way of seeing life. In North America, we tend to put a big focus on what you do and it is very career driven. In Italy, people enjoy their life a lot more.” The time spent in Italy re- affirmed Spizzirri’s belief to live life to the fullest and take time to do the things that fuel one’s soul and passions. "My advice is to follow whatever your passion is and put your all into it." fused them together. That’s when the idea to start a travel blog came about. “It was an opportunity to write a little bit about myself, the experiences I’ve had in life, the things I’ve seen, and the hotels I love,” she shares. Before she knew it, Spizzirri started to gain a following on Travelista73’s Facebook page that was growing by the hun- dreds every day. “That’s when I knew I was on the right path and was doing what I needed to be doing.” Today, she has over 260,000 followers on social media and is fortunate enough to continue travelling to some truly exotic destinations. Francesca Spizzirri was born and raised in Toronto to parents of Italian immigrants – both from Calabria, Italy. Growing up in a multi-national community gave Spizzirri her first sneak peek into different cultures. - FRANCESCA SPIZZIRRI Prior to establishing herself in the travel blogging industry, Spizzirri worked in communications and public relations (PR). She always had an ability to write from a young age, which naturally led her to create Travelista73. Shortly after starting her blog, fredi digital 2017 • 29