A rotating door of tens of thousands of foreign diplomatic staff call Rome home. Italy’s capital city hosts several United Nations and intergovernmental organizations that attract international talent from all sectors, who converge in the Eternal City for a few weeks, months, years–upon arrival, it’s never clear how long you’ll stay.

I’m on my 5th diplomatic missione contract, a temporary contractor agreement lasting just a few months each. Over the last few years, I’ve worked under these freelance conditions in extraterritorial complexes across the city, contributing to different agencies’ mandates. Between Italy and home, I come and go as often as I swipe my keycard into these lofty buildings.