Chimenti was born in Naples to Maria Luisa Ruggio Conti and Rosario Chimenti, though her family emigrated to Tunis in 1884 when she turned 1. She grew up studying many languages in a very multicultural environment, as well as learning from multiple faith disciplines. Chimenti eventually helped her mother open an Italian school in Tangier in 1914, and would go on to teach there for many years.[1]