My name is Chiara, I was born and raised in Puglia, in Southern Italy, and today I live in Connecticut with my American husband.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be living in the United States, sharing my homeland with thousands of people on Instagram, and working on a project to connect American travelers with Puglia, I probably would have laughed.
Not because I didn’t have dreams, but simply because none of this was ever part of my plan.
And yet, here I am.
A Little About Me
I grew up in Puglia, near Bari, surrounded by everything that makes Southern Italy so special: family, traditions, good food, the sea, and a way of life that I probably took for granted when I lived there.
Before moving to America, I spent 11 years working at Famila, a supermarket belonging to the Megamark Group.
I also had a small handmade candle business on the side. I’ve always enjoyed being creative, and making candles was something I genuinely loved doing.
My life in Italy was pretty simple. I had my job, my family, my friends, and my everyday routine.I never imagined that one day I would leave it all behind and move across the ocean.But sometimes life takes you in directions you never expected.
An Unexpected Love Story
My American adventure actually started in Vienna, Austria, on August 15, 2019.
That’s where I met Mike, the man who would eventually become my husband.
At the time, we were just two people from different parts of the world who happened to cross paths.We had no idea what the future had in store for us.Then COVID happened, and like so many other couples in long-distance relationships, we had to deal with travel restrictions, distance, and a lot of uncertainty.It wasn’t always easy, but somehow we made it work.
After years of traveling back and forth between Italy and the United States, we decided it was time to finally build a life together.In August 2024, I packed my bags, said goodbye to my family and friends, and moved to Connecticut.And on August 15, 2024, exactly five years after the day we first met, we got married. I still think that’s a pretty special coincidence.
Starting Over in America
Moving to another country is an experience that’s difficult to explain until you’ve actually done it.Of course, I was excited to finally be with my husband and start our life together.
But at the same time, I was leaving behind everything familiar.My family, my friends, my job, my language, and all those little everyday things that had always been part of my life.Suddenly, even the simplest things felt different.
Going grocery shopping, having a conversation, getting used to a new routine.
And while I was slowly adjusting to my new life, I started noticing something interesting.
Whenever I met someone and they found out I was Italian, they would almost always ask me the same question.
“Where in Italy are you from?”
And I would proudly answer, “Puglia!”
But most of the time, people had no idea where Puglia was.
They knew Rome, Venice, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast.
But Puglia? Not so much.
I would find myself explaining that it’s in Southern Italy, showing pictures on my phone, talking about the beaches, the little towns, the food, and everything I loved about my region.And that’s when an idea started growing in my mind.
It All Started With One Simple Question
I remember thinking, why don’t more people know about Puglia?It’s such a beautiful region, full of history, traditions, incredible food, and some of the most welcoming people you’ll ever meet.So I decided to start sharing it on Instagram.
There was no business plan behind it.
I wasn’t trying to become an influencer, and I certainly wasn’t expecting thousands of people to follow me.
I simply wanted to show people where I came from.I started posting photos and videos of places I loved, traditional food, small towns, beaches, and little pieces of everyday life in Puglia.I wanted people to see the region through the eyes of someone who was actually born and raised there.
And slowly, something unexpected happened.People started following along.
At first, it was just a few people. Then more and more.I began receiving messages from Americans who were curious about Puglia.
Some were planning their first trip to Italy. Others had already visited and wanted to return. Some even told me they had Italian ancestors and were hoping to reconnect with their family roots.
People started asking me questions.
“Where should we stay?”
“What’s the best time to visit?”
“Which towns should we explore?”
“Where can we find authentic local food?”
And I loved answering them.
Today, my Instagram community has grown to more than 40,000 followers, something I honestly never imagined when I started.
But what makes me happiest isn’t the number itself.
It’s receiving a message from someone saying, “I had never heard of Puglia before, but now I want to visit.”
Or seeing someone travel there and fall in love with the same places I’ve loved my entire life. That’s what makes all of this so special to me.
The Puglia I Want People to Discover
Puglia has become increasingly popular in recent years, and I’m genuinely happy to see more people discovering my homeland.
But there’s something I always try to communicate through my content.
Puglia is so much more than beautiful beaches and Instagram-worthy locations.
Of course, places like Polignano a Mare, Alberobello, and Ostuni are wonderful.
But I also want people to discover the smaller towns, the countryside, the local traditions, and the people who make this region what it is. I want them to experience the Puglia I grew up with.
The smell of freshly baked focaccia in the morning.
The little family-owned restaurants where recipes have been passed down for generations.The local markets, where people stop to chat while shopping.The summer evenings spent walking by the sea.
The long Sunday lunches with family, where everyone gathers around the table and nobody is ever in a hurry to leave.
And of course, the food.
I truly believe that one of the best ways to discover Puglia is through its food and the people who prepare it.Learning how to make fresh pasta, visiting a local olive oil producer, tasting traditional dishes, or simply sharing a meal with locals.These are the moments that make a trip unforgettable.
And these are the experiences I want more people to have.
From Sharing Puglia to Connecting People
As my Instagram community continued to grow, I realized something.
Many people weren’t just looking for beautiful places to visit.
They wanted real experiences.
They wanted to learn how to make traditional pasta, discover local food, meet people who live in Puglia, and experience the culture beyond the typical tourist attractions.
And living in the United States has helped me understand what American travelers are often looking for when planning a trip to Italy.
That’s when I started thinking about how I could take what I was already doing one step further.
And that’s how the idea for Puglia Connect was born.It’s a project I’m currently working on, with the goal of connecting travelers, especially Americans, with authentic local experiences in Puglia.
I’m building relationships with local people and small businesses who share my love for the region and want to offer visitors something special.From traditional cooking classes and food tours to unique experiences that allow travelers to discover Puglia in a more personal way.
I don’t want people to simply visit Puglia.
I want them to experience it.
To meet the people, understand the traditions, taste the food, and create memories that stay with them long after they return home.
Starting something new in a country that isn’t your own can be challenging, but it’s also exciting. And the idea of building something that connects my homeland with my new life in America makes it even more meaningful.
Two Countries I Now Call Home
People sometimes ask me if I miss Italy.
Of course I do.
I miss my family, my friends, the food, the sea, and even the little things I never thought I would miss.But moving to America has also given me so much.
I’ve built a life here with my husband, met wonderful people, and discovered opportunities I probably wouldn’t have imagined a few years ago.
And strangely enough, living so far away from Puglia has made me feel even more connected to it.
When I lived there, so many things seemed ordinary because they were simply part of my everyday life.
Now I realize how special they really are.
Sometimes it takes moving thousands of miles away to appreciate the place you come from in a completely different way.
I never planned to become a content creator.
I never imagined that sharing pictures of my homeland would turn into a community of people who love Puglia as much as I do.
And I certainly never expected that a simple question like “Where in Italy are you from?” could lead me to start building a project of my own.But that’s exactly what happened.
Today, I feel incredibly grateful to have two places I can call home.
America is where I’m building my future.
Puglia is where my roots will always be.
And through everything I’m doing, I hope to bring these two worlds a little closer together.Because no matter where life takes me, I’ll always be that girl from Puglia who gets excited when someone asks where she’s from.
And now, instead of just explaining where Puglia is, I get to show people why it’s so special.
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