Addis Ababa, 1937
Martina Ricci arrived in the Ethiopian capital after a long, exhausting journey. With her was Laura, her childhood friend, who had come back to Italy just to pick her up. Martina's grandmother had begged her not to let her "little girl" travel alone all the way to the Horn of Africa.
They had left from Brindisi: first by ship, sailing through the Suez Canal and across the scorching Red Sea. Then they landed in Massawa, and from there, they squeezed into a small government truck for the last stretch. The truck bounced along rocky roads as they slowly made their way up into the Ethiopian highlands.
Laura had been living in Addis Ababa for a while. She had opened a well-known Italian tailor shop near the Merkato — the busy heart of the city. She knew the Italian School was looking for young, smart teachers to teach the children of Italian families who had moved there. And who better than Martina? She was beautiful, educated, sensitive — and most of all, ready for a new beginning.
After her father died of tuberculosis, Martina had slowly lost her spark. Laura could feel it just by reading her letters. Martina replied less often, and even when she did, her words were filled with sadness. She used to care so much about her handwriting, but now it looked tired, like her. Laura just wanted to help her. To give her a chance, like Africa had done for her.
"Martina... they're looking for teachers at the Italian School in Addis. The salary is better than in Italy, and lots of people are moving here to start fresh and get lucky. Think about it — you could live with me in the villa my grandfather left me. It's in Piassa, a beautiful and central part of town. Have you heard of it?"
That was part of the letter Laura sent. And Martina replied almost immediately.
"Laura, I think of you and our childhood games all the time. I love the idea of living together again, like sisters. But grandma said she'd feel better if we left together when you come back for Christmas. She's scared I'll get lost on my own. She still treats me like a little girl, even though I'm twenty-six. No woman in my family has ever left Brindisi alone."
After a few more letters, they made a plan. Martina applied for the job, and she got it. All that was left was to pack — and leave.
Laura came back to Brindisi for Christmas, and when they saw each other again, it was emotional. She helped Martina get ready, even though the suitcase didn't seem big enough for everything she felt inside. Emotions, hopes, memories.
Laura spent the holidays with Martina's uncle and grandmother. Her family lived spread between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. She loved coming back to Italy, but only to meet Martina.
Martina's whole family was proud of her. They said she was going to "bring civilization to Ethiopia" — even though deep down, they were worried.
"Please look after Martina on the trip, won't you?" Do you have the tickets? Do you have enough lira?" her grandmother asked, pulling out her old coin purse.
"Don't worry, Mrs Ricci!" Laura smiled. "We already have everything. And thanks to some connections, I even got Martina a second-class ticket instead of third, the one usually given to ordinary teachers. It'll be a beautiful journey — and a new beginning for your granddaughter."
And that's how it all began.
That journey would become the start of something powerful, beautiful, and unforgettable.
📝 Author's Note
Thank you for reading this first glimpse of Martina's story.
If you enjoyed it, feel free to leave a star or a comment. Even just one kind word means so much.
I've tried to be respectful and careful with the historical setting, but I'm still learning as I go — reading, listening, growing — one page at a time. 🙏
I hope you'll keep following Martina's journey.
See you in the next chapter.
With love,
— G.