Giulio joins us as a Research Assistant. Born in Berlin, he grew up abroad. He studied law at the Humboldt University of Berlin (where he graduated with the First State Exam) and the Sapienza University of Rome (where he is expected to graduate with a Laurea Magistrale), specializing in European (and) private law, where he is currently working on a master thesis dealing with comparative arbitration law reforms in Europe. Giulio has worked as a Research Assistant at CMS Germany and is currently preparing for a master’s degree in international law in Paris starting in September.

Giulio speaks German, Italian, English and French, holds the Latinum and learned a little Russian at School.

We look very much forward to working with Giulio and have so many questions…

What was your first job?  

Barista/baker/salesperson at a coffee shop/bakery close to where I lived. I had to work on the weekends since I was still going to school at the time, which meant getting up at 5 am on Sundays. 

Breakfast or dinner?  

Breakfast has got to be it for me. Nothing beats a luxurious, drawn-out breakfast with no immediate responsibilities afterwards. 

What do you cook when you spontaneously have friends over for dinner? 

I usually mealprep, so they just get to enjoy my mealprep with me! If I don’t have any food prepared, I will go for pasta, usually pasta alla norma. This includes fried eggplant and freshly grated, seasoned ricotta cheese. It’s a Sicilian comfort dish and it is very quick and delicious!  

Mountains or Seaside?  

Tough one – both can be amazing, but I have to give this one to the Sicilian seaside during summer. #childhoodmemories 

If you could meet someone famous, dead or alive, who would it be? 

Marcus Aurelius. He was a roman emperor in the 2nd century AD and a prominent exponent of stoic philosophy. Close second place would be Diogenes, a 4th century BC Greek philosopher. 

Which was your favorite place to live so far? 

Probably Croatia. I spent a few years in Zagreb when I was a child, and I have very fond memories of the city and the school I went to there.  

Digital or analogue? 

Analogue. Digital is much more practical, but analogue just has this tactile, raw experience that you get more and more disconnected from nowadays. It’s just like eating precooked or semi-cooked meals: Sure, they will give you a good result in a fraction of the time, but cooking on your own makes it not only about consumption of food, but also the joy of cooking it.   

Favorite time of day? 

Very early morning, when the city is still asleep and the sun starts to rise. You get to see the city wake up and slowly become its bustling and hectic self.  

Window or aisle seat? 

Always window seat for the nice view – even if I plan on sleeping.  

Country you wish to visit? 

Honestly, I would like to visit Mexico! I love Mexican cuisine and would like to get to know the culture more. I am also very intrigued by Japan, both in terms of culture and also geography. 

What song will always get you on the dancefloor? 

Low – Flo Rida.  

Good advice you’ve received? 

People are too obsessed with themselves to notice what you are doing; stop worrying about how you come across or what people think.  

Biggest pet peeve? 

If you asked my friends they’d say: making bad jokes..  

Most played on your music playlist right now? 

Ma quale idea – Pino D’Angiò.  

Favorite (public) holiday?  

I like New Year’s Eve, especially when you have a sort of ritual to start off into the new year. It always feels like a fresh start and invigorates me. 

Last new thing you learned? 

Ironing something “auf links” (“on (the) left”) means turning it inside out and then ironing it.  

Which movie can you watch over and over? 

The Office (US). Not a movie but I have watched the entire thing 10 times already and I am not planning to stop anytime soon.  

Three words to describe Berlin? 

Diverse, alternative, progressive.  

Three words to describe your hometown? 

Even though I was born in Berlin, I grew up abroad, so I would not consider Berlin my hometown. In fact, I would argue that I don’t really have a hometown.  

Night owl or early bird? 

Early bird. I am much more active and productive in the morning, so waking up earlier means I get to have more of it! 

Favorite pizza topping? 

If it is a neapolitan pizza, I advocate for purism, i.e. simple margherita. If it is roman-style pizza, probably capricciosa. For new york-stlye or chicago deep dish pizza, I have got to go with peperoni!