Marching forward

One part of me wants to shout, HOW IS IT ALREADY MARCH? Another also wants to say... I've only been here for six weeks and it feels like an eternity.

Living here is so weird, and I'm not sure if it's because it's such a big city or if it's because it's another country but I'm pretty sure it's a combination of both. Last weekend I went to Florence. It was so beautiful. Completely different from Milan. It definitely looks like what you picture the "typical" Italian city to be like. Cobblestone streets, little accordion players everywhere, windy streets, beautiful views, olive trees and gorgeous architecture. However, there were so many people there speaking English! And so many students.

Sarah got punched on her birthday, which you can read all about in my MOVE article. But honestly the trip was still amazing. We had a great time other than that. After we finally got there and Asha pulled a track star move running all the way back to her apartment to get her passport, Florence was a blast. On Friday we went to an aperitivo and then to a pub and gelato. We got free champagne for Sarah's birthday and Rhianna made the bar play a ridiculous chipmunk happy birthday song when it turned midnight. Ana and I also decided that when the men selling flowers all the time try to bug us we will just react like crazy buffoons and say "ciao ciao ciao prego prego prego" like broken robots. I'm sure everyone thought we were legitimately off our rockers when we were walking around that night, but it was definitely worth the good laughs.

On Saturday morning we got kicked out of the hostel for a lock-out so they could clean our rooms. We went on a little walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo where we saw some fantastic views. I got some really great gift as a prank for Nick. The prank was real good though, and I executed it perfectly. It's really a shock he's still talking to me because I play such mean jokes on him. We then went shopping and I got to see the statue of David. It is so much bigger in real life than I imagined. We also ran into a weird little festival and the Gucci Museum. That night we went to dinner at Za Za's for Sarah's birthday. We had terrible service, but it was still a fun night! Afterwards I went to a pub with Nardi for some Phi Mu fun Italian style.

Sunday we got breakfast at an American style diner, HALLELUJAH BACON. It was good, and I'll probably kick myself when I get home for wasting a meal on diner food, but it was well needed after a long weekend. Ana and I then went to the Uffizi. So many historical pieces of art. Florence really would be the perfect city to study abroad in for art or design. Not so much for Italian language though. After Uffizi we went shopping for a little bit and then caught the train back to Milan. I was so exhausted afterwards... trains can really drain you.

This week was fun filled with friends, foods and dancing. And a few good long sleeps. And my stupid permisso di soggiorno appointment. Italian bureaucracy sure is fun! But I can't complain I'm sure it's a much bigger hassle to come into the USA than it is to come here.

Today I have locked myself indoors so as not to spend money. It's so hard here! I'm surrounded by beautiful clothes and delicious noms. Although I have made it to a few museums here now, so I don't feel so ridiculous that I haven't done any cultural activities here in Milan. I think I might be going to Dublin sometime in April (hopefully) and might be getting visited by Jacqueline in May!! With so many trips to look forward to, how can I possibly be expected to study for midterms? Just kidding... I will mom, don't worry.

I suppose I should go do that, now instead of rambling on about nothing. Ciao for now!

A drawing by Ana to sum up our trip: 

From CoMo to Como

So I missed my first class. Oops. But I have gotten back on the track, so all is well!

Well this weekend was very event filled. On Friday after class I went to the exhibit "On Space Time Foam" that is temporarily in Milan (well it was, it left on Feb. 3) at Hangar Bicocca. It was completely free thanks to ESN.

It was really strange to be up there on the bottom level because I felt like I was in a zoo with everyone looking up at me and getting excited when I crawled around instead of just lying there. I guess that must be what the tigers feel like so I amused the viewers by crawling around and making faces at them. I was just glad that I didn't wear a skirt or a dress like I usually do, because that would have been... interesting. I got a video of some other people crawling around, but you couldn't bring your camera in there because that wasn't part of the art. The artist apparently had been there the day before and he wants to build islands like this where people can live. I'm sure some people would be into it, but not me. It was a fun experience, but I don't think I could live like that!

There was also a really cool permanent exhibit called The Seven Temples to God.  

On Friday I also went to this gigantic club called Alcatraz. International Week allows ERASMUS students to get into clubs every night for free or 10 euro for two drinks. It's a pretty sweet deal.

Saturday was a tour of the city with ESN. We ate this delicious stuff called panzarotti from Luini a famous restaurant by the Duomo. There was also this sweet gelato place there, am definitely going to have to go back and check it out.

The church right where The Last Supper is, we didn't get to see the painting, though.

I took a trip to Lake Como on Sunday. The town was very beautiful and you can read about some of the adventures that happened in my next column for MOVE coming out Friday. From CoMo to Como, I thought it was pretty clever.

Everyone keeps asking me if the food is to die for so this is my big answer, YES. I think I am turning into a wine glass full of pizza. Even the pasta that we made from ingredients from the supermarket was better than any I had ever had, and that is only props to the ingredients because I can hardly even make a frozen pizza. I also found some Mexican restaurants on Foursquare so I think I am going to try to get some people together to go for my birthday in a couple weeks.

My regular classes started on Monday, so I haven't been to all of them yet. They all seem pretty interesting. Except for the design class... all we did was look at before and after pictures of different label designs for products. But I am really excited for the Publishing, Publicity and Cultural Journalism class to start, it sounds very interesting.

So far my two favorite things in Italy are aperitivo (you pay for a drink and then get to eat at a buffet for free filled with delicious pasta, bruschetta, and other amazing appetizer type food) and SHOES.

My first pair. Made in Italy! 

Well I suppose I should do some actual studying so I can go to aperitivo tonight at Old Fashion. It's America night! It's safe to say my outfit is ridiculous... 

Reppin' Missourah, Americuh.

Ciao for now!