Hey, my name is Louisa. I am 22 years old, and I am studying International Business &  Management at a small university in the city of Fulda in Germany. I am planning to be done with  my studies in spring 2025. I still live at the place where I grew up - a small village close to the national park Rhön. Being here for my whole life, I also really like to experience new places. I like travelling that is why I usually spend my semester breaks abroad – either travelling or  working. 

This summer from August till October, I was working on a campsite on the Adriatic Coast in Italy. A place close to the beautiful city of Venice. The team and I are mainly preparing mobile  homes for customers. We are also responsible for completing inventories and fixing minor maintenance issues.

Depending on the shift, some people have to work at the reception in the  afternoon, others in the evening and sometimes one has to be on call at night. Overall, besides  work, we had a lot of free time, which I mostly spent at the beach.

A day would start like this: I wake up at around 7 a.m. by the sunlight, a bird walking on the roof of the mobile home or the sound of seagulls. I get up and heat water on the stove, to continue my daily learning process of how to boil the perfect egg.

My roommate wakes up in the meantime and we have breakfast together, which includes cutting a slice of a big watermelon  that almost does not fit in our fridge. Afterwards, we meet up with the team and start cycling to  work.

Everyone gets their cleans allocated and starts packing their trolley with all the stuff  needed. Mostly each of us had to clean three mobile homes a day. By 3 p.m. (check-in time), all the houses have to be ready for the customers. Once I am done, and no one needs help, I go on my break and cook lunch.

Depending on the schedule I have to go back to work at 5 or 7  p.m. - being at the reception, talking to customers or doing other tasks that came up. Almost  every day I went to the beach to take a swim, either in my break or after work. Which is the best after an exhausting day of work.

If I was not on the evening shift, I could catch the sunset at the  perfect spot, where the sun sets over Venice and the lagoon which it is surrounded by. If I were still on the campsite at that time, I could watch the leaves on the trees change their color as the  sun sets.

After work, there was always something going on, especially in August and early September when it was still high season. There were still many parties that we joined. I really liked the team. Everyone was happy and up for some good times.

Living here I would never check the weather online because I know that tomorrow is going to be  great. In the morning I would sit at the breakfast table and see the bright blue sky, excited for  the day and especially for the beach that awaits me after work. And if the weather was not like  it, this would be something special. There was almost no day that did not end without a stunning sunset.

Since I worked and lived near Venice, it is an obvious place to visit on a day off. It is  always great. As much as I enjoy Venice, I prefer the small island of Burano with its colorful houses and much quieter atmosphere. A place where the Aperol Spritz costs half the price and one can sit in peace by the lagoon.

First, I would like to say that the Adriatic Sea generally experiences calmer waters, especially in  the summer months when the weather is typically more stable. Just after a storm, you may find  yourself in a sea that is different from the days before.

Throughout the season, I experienced a wavy sea three times. I loved it. It brought me back to my childhood memories when I was playing in the waves in the North Sea in the Netherlands.

Back in Italy, my friends and I spent a lot of time in the water, jumping around, diving through the waves and laughing a lot. It was great fun. We have seen the storm in the distance and at the same time, the sun was shining through the clouds. This day was amazing. Another time, the storm was coming towards us, and  it started to rain while we were in the sea. The raindrops felt like cold needles while the sea was  like a warm blanket.

We went out of the water while everyone else on the beach was wearing rain jackets. When we biked back to our houses it was pouring rain, which made everything  even more fun. Life is great.

Back in 2021, I worked my first season in the same region as this year. Coming back to a place that is primarily not one’s home, can feel safe. From the day I was picked up from the airport,  met old friends again and lived with a friend I made two years ago, everything felt so normal.

I knew where the shops were, I knew all my favorite bars, I knew what my friends liked to do, and I knew what to do at work.

Everything was so familiar, so simple, that I had plenty of time doing things that were soothing and good for my soul. Cooking in a minimalistic kitchen, drawing at  the beach, playing Sudoku on a windy day, drifting in the sea, journaling or reading a book, and watching millions of sunsets.

I have not felt this relaxed in a long time. I enjoyed it.

One thing I really appreciate about Nature Backs is that they are interactive with their community. The challenges are great and inspire me  to go outside, watch the sunset or the moonrise and act in kindness. Also, their shirts and their  designs bring color to my black-and-white closet. :)