About me
Welcome to my tiny web harbour.
If you came thus far, I suppose you want to know me better.
I introduce myself, my name is Sara, but here on the web I've always been known as Rici.
My job: Front-end developer for a software agency.
Yes, saying that like this sounds quite good, with all the words we like to put in our CVs.
My masters degree: Archaeology.
Well, I know this sounds odd.
No computer science degree, no engineering, no design.
Just Greek, Latin, history and digs.
I hear you asking now "How did you happen to be a developer for a company that crafts software for other companies, then?"
My path towards web development
MoreAt the beginning, I played the self-taught webdesigner, studying the code of others to dig inside, behind, under the lines, looking for the engine moving each part.
Then I began with courses, and each time my longing for improvement and learning got stronger and stronger.
I did a lot of "field experience": I started with small commissions during the university years. Then after a while I realised that this was indeed the world I really wanted for me. This was the job I thought right for me.
So, I found more expert developers to work with, building small projects for them o with them. I collected anything I could learn and store in my new coding luggage.
After following classroom course, I discovered the power of web communities: web sites, newsletters, online courses, tutorials, videos.
When I felt more at ease, I started with job applications and interviews. It was long, but one day I saw they began believing in me.
A startup, first, a web agency, a publishing house, then finally the company for which now I do the job of my dreams.
My job today
And here I am, now, happy with CSS (my first love), HTML, SASS, Javascript and the like, Php, Laravel and more.
I'm in a company that crafts custom software for other companies for any kind of use cases, and here I'm in charge of planning new projects with customers, making interactive demos to be refined together until we reach the basis from which to develop the final product.
My work then goes to the development phase, and here I'm an active part: I start the project, from building the user interface to the first interactions with the database, working closely with backend developers, who then will give life to the more complex features I've drawn.
What I like most? I never stop learning, discovering new languages, finding new ways to make things and new ways to translate with code what I imagine in my mind or draw on my sketchbook.
I really can dive deep under the hood, as I always wanted to do. I ask, observe, try, learn.
What about my "archaeological" past?
I studied at the University of Pavia, where I got a master's degree in Classica Archaeology and a bachelor's degree in Cultural Heritage.
During and after the university years, I worked a lot in museums, as tourist guide and museum educator. For several years I've been taking archaeology in schools, first with the CRIDACT Department of the Unviersity of Pavia, then with a cultural association.
I worked as a museum educator in several museums. I also created new educational laboratories, one of which was published in the proceedings of a school about Medieval landscape studies.
I participated in dig campaigns, as a student and as a professional archaeologist. Not just field dig, but also recordings of findings, maps, drawings, documentation.
Yes, also drawing. I've always loved drawing, since childhood, and this passion remained as a grown-up. Also during my master's thesis or on digs I loved when I could do archaeological drawing. Plans, sections, findings drawings... it didn't matter if made with a pencil or a pc, I really loved this part of my work.
My main passion, though, were museums, with a strong inclination for tourism.
Tourist guide in Italy and Ireland
I've been working in museums and cultural heritage sites for several years, in a particular museum for 16 years. Even today most refer to me as "the castle keeper" because of that long experience working for the Castle of Zavattarello. There, I've been the director for many years, I conceived and organised several events, so I think it's normal that I will keep forever this undeletable label.
But not only in Italy: I worked also for a museum in Ireland. An experience that left a mark on me, about which I wrote a lot on my personal blog. Thsi deep mark has strong evidence in my current passion for Irish dance, that I began practising in 2014.
I did a lot of things, in museums. Guided tours, educational laboratories, reorganisation of the exhibit display or visitor's tours, creation of new activities for schools and visitors, organisation of exhibitions and events, even translations. Summarising everything in a few lines would be impossible.
And while working for museums or cultural heritage sites, I also worked with the web. I took care of communication, social media, email markering, graphics, photos, video shootings, web development.
I would give a special mention to the events I organised.
Event organiser
MoreArt exhibitions, concerts, dancing nights, theatre plays, guided tours with actors, shows, reenactments, conferences, books presentations (mine, also!), even weddings!
The full list would be long. Some events have become a yearly tradition and saw dozens of editions.
One for all: "The Mysteries of the Castle". A special eventi, a travelling play written and conceived for the place where it takes place. For this event I work with a close-knit professional team, Iannà Tampé Cultural Association.
I mainly love events with unusual topics, for example mystery and folklore.
I'm very proud I was part of the team for the Ghost Tours by Autunnonero in Triora and Dolceacqua. Being a storyteller (in italian and also in english) suits me well.
In all the events I organised or took part of as a member of the staff, I've always been in the middle of the action, having not just an organiser role, but also an active one towards the audience. I love everything about event organisation, from start to end.