Milano

Senior year move-in day

2010-08-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

So today was my move-in day to my new apartment that I will be residing in until May of next year. Lots of stuff and a car literally packed so full that I could not even see out of my rear-view mirror or windows but I made it in one piece. It took quite a while to get everything in and unpacked but I am very proud to say that I have accomplished it all by myself. Pretty cool to be in the apartment. Everything was redone this summer so it is all white and we even have new appliances. It's really nice having my own room for a change. The bathroom is small but we have a new shower/tub so I can accept it. It's really weird being in an apartment all by myself. My roommate will not move in for a couple more weeks so this could get quiet around here. Luckily I will be kept plenty busy with RA training. I was able to Skype with two of my Milano friends today, so i was very excited to have been able to do that. Just about to watch a movie and go to bed to prepare for a busy 3 weeks. Wish me luck in surviving my last year of school!

Ciao Ciao
Elle

All roads lead to Rome

2010-05-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to Roma, Italia. I almost could not make the trip because it was during the week of my finals. Fortunately I finished early and was able to go and see this spectacular city. Even though it was a quick two day trip, my friend Angela and I were able to make out our time and see the major sites. The first day was spent hunting down the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Trevi fountain and just walking around to get familiar with the city. We decided to take a combined tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill which turned out to be a great idea. Since there are not any signs with information about either two sites, a traveller would never know anything about the detailed history of these to places without doing their own research or taking a tour. I learned some interesting facts, and even some fun ones as well. Once we finally found the Trevi I could not believe how enormous and how beautiful it was. Even though it was dark, the lighting made the fountain a brilliant work of art tucked away in a little piazza. I, like every other single person there, made my wish and as tradition goes threw my coin into the fountain. After we found the Trevi fountain in the dark, which took my breath away, we stumbled into a quaint little restaurant. The service was great and the lasagna was to die for. We enjoyed our wine and good conversation for a while and headed back to the hostel for some shut eye. We woke up bright and early the next day to take on the motherload of sightseeing.
Our first place of the day was the most holy city in the world, the Vatican. It was really neat to go through the whole museum and see the Sisteen Chapel. The museum is filled with thousands of beautiful artworks and sculptures. We then headed over to St. Peter's Basilica which has to be the most beautiful church in all of Europe. Even though it was filled with people, the mood was quiet and respectful not only because of the fact that we were in a church, but also because of the beauty and detail inlaid in every inch. Even the floors were miraculous to look at.
We saw the Spanish steps, a couple of other minor sights and went back to the Trevi fountain area for dinner again. We ended up eatin at the same place because it was so good. After some final pictures at the Trevi we called it a night and left at 4 to catch our flight back. It was a quick trip but completely worth it.

Romeo and Giulietta

2010-05-11T02:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent in the beautiful city of Verona, Italy. Mary, Rina, and I all took a train in the morning and traveled to the city of tragic love. Upon arriving in Verona, the inviting/glorious sun decided to make a special appearance just for us (it had been raining in Milano for the past week). We made our way out of the train station and decided to just go for a walk around the city with our newly bought map. Just walking around Verona was an adventure. We saw an Egyptian statue replica just sitting on a lawn advertising a restaurant. We saw a sign for Bingo, which I insisted that we come back but we did not have time or the energy to handle serious/seasoned Italian Bingo champions. We saw the city's Colosseum, which looked incredible to me, but to Mary and Rina it was not much compared to Rome's Colosseum.
Then, fate happened. As we were walking towards Giulietta's balcony we came across a German beer festival! This festival was completely legit with people in costumes and traditional music and dancing. We decided that we would have to stop by on our way back to the train station.
We grabbed lunch at a local cafe and headed in search for Giulietta's balcony. One of the most interesting things that I have found in almost any city of Italy that I have traveled to, is that no matter how big or small the city is, there will always be incredible shopping!
We finally made it to the most famous balcony in Shakespearean history and I was amazed. Before you make it into the courtyard area of the balcony there is a little hallway/walkway that is filled with love letters. Some are inscribed with the confession of an undying love for another, some are filled with best wishes and hopes for friends, and others contain wishes for Giulietta to send love to them. This was truly an incredible site to see so many letters in so many different languages. Once I made it through the hall my eyes were drawn upward to a structure that I had only read about in books. I had never imagined that I would be able to view the object of the most tragic love story of all time. Even though it was much smaller than what I had imagined, it was still amazing to have been able to see it.
While in the courtyard of Giulietta's balcony I made my love known. In Europe many people put "love locks" on bridges and various gates in important cities or places special to them. A love lock is an actual lock that is supposed to symbolize or represent your love with another person. Once the lock is secure, the key is thrown in the river so that the love will never break apart. Even though it looks cluttered, the keepers of the different bridges do not remove the locks in respect for the idea of love. I decided that Giulietta's balcony was the perfect place for me to lock my love for my betrothed. I then threw the key in the river off the bridge in Verona. I was very happy to have shared my love for another in the country that has changed me forever.
After we left the bridge we walked around for a little longer before making our way back to the train station. While walking back we saw the great beer festival again and decided to have my very first draft beer. Even though I am not a big fan of beer, it was a fun experience. The music was unique and the dancing was very traditional. We ate pretzels and contemplated on staying forever but decided that we needed to catch the train back.
We were very tired and looking forward to a quiet ride home, but we were in for a real treat. Instead of normal passengers, we were treated with about a million Italian Apennines who were on their way to the annual military reunion festival. For almost the entire train ride, we were treated to the loud friendly singing of traditional Italian drinking songs. They even hummed the national anthem for Rina, Mary, and myself. Mary and I of course were forced to sing, but we had a very nice time watching these crazy old men sing and drink homemade wine.
Even though my time in Verona was brief, it is certainly a trip I will never forget.

ciao ciao
Elle

Life in the past three weeks

2010-04-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

Okay so life lately has been pretty uneventful in terms of traveling to different countries. Instead, for the past couple of weeks I have been exploring a new place...Milano. Now I know this might sound strange considering I have been living here for three months, but I had never really taken the chance to sit and explore this enchanting city that I have been so fortunate to live in. I have been eating at different places around the city, including this amazing crepe place in the Brera region. I have become a regular at a local cafe called Bar Spuntino. I have ran a different path, three times a week, outside my apartment area which has led me to a couple different parks, and random quiet streets that provide interesting buildings and little shops. The employees at the grocery store recognize me and always start up a small conversation while I am at the check-out counter.
My Italian has improved tremendously from when I first got here. I really feel like I know this city. I even recieved work teaching English to kind young boys who live near my school.
I am a regular at Monday Disney dinners hosted by my dear friends Ruthie and Rachel. Every Monday a group of us go to their apartment and eat a homecooked meal and then watch the Disney movie of the week. Last week was Cinderella, and this week is Anastasia.
I am also a regular at Wednesday night dinners hosted by the greatest, Rina. Tonight was one of her roommate's birthdays so we celebrated with a gluten free meal upon the request of the special birthday girl.
It seems that just as I feel I am starting to fit in around here, my trip is coming to a close. I am thrilled to be able to see my family and my love. I really understand how much they mean to me, and how important it is for me to have them in my life (even if it's just via the internet). I have really grown up in more ways than one since being here. I truly value everyone in my life, and I will never forget how much they all have sacrificed for me to be here. They are the greatest, and I am incredibly lucky to be able to call them my friends and family.
Basically what I am saying is that this trip has been the most life changing experience so far and I still have Rome, Lyon, and Paris to conquer before I leave in four weeks. So keep the good thoughts headed my way, and wish me buon fortuna as I head into finals in a few weeks.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

The Amalfi Coast

2010-04-06T01:39:00.000-07:00

First off when I say the Amalfi Coast, I mean Sorrento, Capri, Positano, and Pompeii. These are all cities in Italy that run along the Amalfi Coast.

So I had an eye opening experience to just how beautiful the world can actually be. The first photo is taken in the historical city of Pompeii. What you see is a perfectly preserved body that was covered in ash during the fateful Mt. Vesuvius eruption of 79 A.D. Pompeii was a very interesting city with hand painted murals on many walls, theatres, and of course the famous brothel. It was truly incredible to be able to spend my Easter in a city with so much history and wonder. Although I missed my family, and of course my loved one, I realize just how lucky I am to be able to have had this experience. We took a tour around Pompeii for about two hours, but our tour guide informed us that being able to see all of Pompeii would take days. The city of Pompeii is completely enclosed and is a labeled as one big archaeological dig. Millions visit every year, and walk along the lava rock filled streets. The buildings were interesting to see but the people is what really struck me. I saw the body of a pregnant woman, the remains of a young slave boy with all of his teeth still intact, a dog curled up in the fetal position, and the most interesting was my first picture. After seeing this person with their hands over their face as if they were crying, really showed me how quick the eruption must have happened. There were actually two eruptions that day. The first was an eruption of hot ash that shot 20 miles up out of the volcano and rained down on the city. Whoever survived the first eruption was killed by the second which consisted of hot lava overtaking what was left of the city. Pompeii was a truly tragic, yet beautiful city that was lost to nature.

My second picture is of a little cove my friends and I discovered in Positano. A truly vacation city, Positano consisted of a beautiful beach and many rich people. We were only there for four hours, but in the time I was able to sit on the rock beach and enjoy the weather and also have a pair of leather sandals made for me by the sweetest old man. We talked in broken Italian as I watched him measure and then create my new beautiful sandals. Even though it was a short visit, Positano was definitely beautiful.

My third and fourth pictures are from my new favorite city in the whole world, Capri. If there were ever a city I would want to retire, and then die in, it would be Capri. We arrived in the morning and took a boat tour around the whole island. Our first stop was to the famous Groto Azzuro, blue grotto, which is where my last picture was taken. Although it is one of the 7 wonders of the world, I was a little disappointed with how small it was. We were also only in the grotto for about three minutes, and for 11.50 euro, I think that next time I will pass. We got to walk around the island after the tour and saw some amazing views. We also saw all of the fancy shops, and even ate lunch next to Dolce and Gabbana. We walked to the famous gardens which is where my third picture was taken. I sat on a bench, in the sun for a long time and all I could think about was how I wished he was with me to share in the experience.

Being without the most important people in your life really starts to take its tole after a while. I know how incredibly lucky and fortunate I am to have family, friends, and my special someone who completely support me and my dream of coming to Italy. I also know how I could never live without them and how much they have helped me grow along this journey. So this last note is a thank you to everyone for making my dreams come true. I draw my strength from you and go on everyday knowing that I will see you soon. So here's to you all. Salute!

Baci Baci,

Elle

Sicilia-Palermo and Catania

2010-04-01T02:39:00.000-07:00

So just got back from the beginning of the best Spring Break I have ever had. I have just spent the past six days in Sicily. We started off the trip getting a little bit delayed at the train station and had to wait for a bus for three hours at night time. This might have been a little bit nerving if it hadn't been for the patrolling police officers stopping and making friends with us. We all found this to be hilarious and we attempted our best Italian every time they would stop to chat.
We finally made it onto the bus for the airport at 4:30 in the morning and needless to say we were all very tired at this point. We took off for Palermo around six, and when we landed I thought I was in a whole new world. While landing we flew straight past a gigantic rock and over the water onto a tiny little landing strip. This of course terrified us to death, but once the plane stopped we all knew it was going to be an amazing place to be.
We made our way to the hostel in Palermo, and checked in. What we did not expect was the amazingly large room with a beautiful balcony overlooking the city center. It was like the ideal vacation was finally starting after a long night of traveling. We spent the next two days just walking around the city and discovering cute little parks or street markets. Everything seemed so different. I finally felt like I was in the real Italy that you read about in books. Everyone spoke Italian, and there were hardly any other tourists, so we really felt the true feeling of Italian life.
Next came Catania. After a two hour long bus ride we pulled up to a beautiful and warm city. This was exactly the type of weather I had been dreaming about for two months already. It was around 75 degrees and clear blue skies with the setting of a volcano, Mt. Etna, in the background of every sky scene. The first day in Catania we got familiar with the city and landed at the cutest little restaurant I have ever been to in my life. The interior design was that of an old 30's style house with candles and music from the 30's playing softly in the background. The chef personally came out to our table to introduce himself and let us know about his specials for the evening. We spent the next two hours just sitting and eating and soaking up the strangely wonderful new experience.
The next adventure was us four girls renting scooters and driving up the Catania coast line. After getting adjusted to driving a scooter we all drove down right by the water and ran our hands along the Mediterranean Sea. It was absolutely amazing to drive by the ocean and see the little picturesque red houses along the shore. And laughing as we all tried to not kill ourselves by balancing and driving a scooter for the first time.
After feeling really confident about our navigational skills and driving skills, because Catania traffic is insane, we decided to rent a car and go to the only active volcano in all of Europe, Mt. Etna. Just driving there was incredibly fun as all four of us girls sang at the top of our lungs and enjoyed the warm day that was given to us. Once we were at a stopping point on the mountain, we got out and for some reason thought it would be a good idea to climb to the top of a huge crater. It was truly incredible to be able to look out over the city and see a snowy mountain to one side, and the ocean on the other. My breath was absolutely taken away, and at the moment all I could think about was how this was the feeling that I have been searching for during my whole trip. The feeling of accomplishing something difficult, like trying to find our way to the top of a mountain without a map, and then climbing the rocky hill to get to the top, and then just completely having your breath taken away by the beauty of the world.
We eventually headed to the beach in the afternoon and stuck our feet into the icy cold waters. By then it did not matter that we were on a beach with fake sand and trash everywhere. I felt incredibly close to the people in our group, and we were all very proud of ourselves for having the drive and desire to try new things and enjoy the experience from it.
Our last day was spent taking one last stroll around the city we had all fallen in love with. Even though I feel like I say this about every trip I go on, I will most certainly be making another trip to Sicily someday.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

Firenze e Siena

2010-03-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend Maaike, Barbara, and myself went to Florence. Even though our train was two and a half hours late, the trip was well worth it. Sitting on the train as we passed through Tuscany we could still see snow on the ground from the previous week's snowfall. It was beautiful seeing all of the hills from the train.
We checked in at this quaint little hostel right near the center, and set out for dinner. We decided to go to one of the recommendations in Lonely Planet, and came upon a sweet looking little restaurant with three people running the whole place. The wine was good and the food was incredible. We started out with bread that had tormino cheese and honey. This was an interesting combination, the cheese was not very strong but the honey added just a little something extra to it. Then the peppercorn beef stew came and I thought that I had just discovered a fine treasure hidden in the restaurant. The beef was so tender it fell off of your fork. We quickly devoured that and sat for a while talking about our studies and how we were excited to be in Florence. The waiter came over and immediately poured us more wine and also brought to the table hot apple cake. Needless to say our first evening in Florence started off with amazing food and hospitality.
The next day we went and saw all of the sights, like the statue of David by Michelangelo (which was beautiful and giganctic), the ponte vecchio, the Duomo and my favorite, the Piazza del Michelangelo. This spot was truly the most beautiful part of Italy that I have seen so far. We were treated to a panoramic view of Florence. Words can not even describe how amazing and content I felt seeing such a beautiful city from high above. It was truly something magical. Almost like being in a movie. We grabbed dinner at a local pizzeria and enjoyed listening to All Saints play through the speakers. We decided that since Tuscany is famous for Tiramisu, we had to have some. After a desperate search we finally found this upscale restaurant and believe me, the tiramisu was well worth the search.
Sunday morning we headed to Siena which was also incredibly beautiful. The weather was wonderful and we walked around and sat on the steps of the Duomo for some time. Maaike and Babsi decided to head up and see the view of Siena but I was perfectly content on just soaking in the sun. After some time I saw a violinist start setting up. As he started to play I was immediately put into a dream. The romantic songs he played and the way he played made me wish that my someone special was there with me to share this little secret by the church. I felt as if I was the only one who could hear the sweet notes being played and the music made sitting at the duomo that much more serene.
We walked around for a little longer and then got on the train for the 4 hour ride home. All in all Firenze and Siena made this past weekend something truly amazing and that I will never forget this special part of Italy.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

An adventure

2010-03-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

Ok so today started off as any other day. Got up and went to school had a break and then met up with my friend from Holland to try and find an aperitivo. We were on the metro and this guy was singing at the top of his lungs to the song "I Wanna Know," by Joe. This made me super happy and I, being the singer that I am, joined in. Many people stared and some even smiled and were slightly entertained, unfortunately our mood was quickly changed.

As we were leaving the metro my dear friend had her wallet stolen. I debated on chasing after the guy, but for fear of being stabbed and or punched, we decided to go to the police station. After waiting for a while we were getting very hungry and noticed a pizza delivery guy dropping off some pizzas to the officers. I then approached the man and ordered a margherita pizza. All of the officers found this very amusing and when our pizza arrived they all wished us a happy meal.

My friend finally finished her paper work and we began our walk back to the metro/ incident site. As we approached the area I noticed that my tram was slowly pulling away so I had to sprint to catch it. What a way to end the evening.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

Barcelona

2010-03-01T01:41:00.000-08:00

So literally just got back from a wonderful weekend in Barcelona. We left Friday and arrived in Spain around 5. After an hour long bus tour Mary, Jordain, and myself headed to the hostel. It was much nicer than I thought it would be and it was only 14 euros a night including breakfast. We met up with our friend Sarah and headed out for some dinner. We decided on a little kebab place, which was decent. We walked around the streets for about an hour looking for a bar called "the black sheep". It was well worth the wait because they had the best Sangria I have ever had. Along with a dungeon type interior, the place was interesting to say the least. I would guess it was similar to any type of Spanish pool hall. After walking the streets a little bit longer we decided to head home.

The next day we all got up and ate breakfast and headed to go for our bike tour around the city. After meeting our guide JJ all 20 of the group started the 4 hour long bike tour. It was a really fun and great way to see the city. We got some good exercise in but we learned about the most famous places in Barcelona. My favorite was seeing Gaudi's fountain. It was beautiful. All of the different details and golden structure was incredible. After the tour, we got some good suggestions of where to go for tapas and drinks and we headed back to the hostel to rest. We then went walking and saw an electronic bubble thing where everyone in the crowd was using their remote controls to change the colors of these balloons. After we went to this little place called Ryans. It was an Irish style pub and they were playing the Barcelona soccer game on TV. That was exciting in itself. Then we headed to a club called Roxy and danced for the rest of the night.

Yesterday we went to a park that had many Gaudi architectures. It was amazing to see the whole city from the top of the hill, not to mention seeing Gaudi creations. We walked Sarah to the bus stop and people watched for the rest of the afternoon. We decided we were in the mood for something sweet so we stumbled into what we thought was a bakery. Turns out it was this beautiful little dessert/tea place. We walked down into the cellar where every table was filled with candles and dimly lit lights. There was a soft music in the background and the cinnamon cake was just what I needed to wind down. We headed back to the hostel for a little siesta and decided to try a little Mediterranean restaurant recommended to us by a friend. It was far more delicious than I expected and the tea there was hand picked, which made it even better. The place was ran by two people and it was the perfect last meal in Barcelona.

Coming back to Milan was certainly harder than what I thought it would be, therefore I have made the vow that I will be back to Barcelona again before I die.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

Masquerade

2010-02-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

So last night was the famous masquerade party hosted by ESEG at Le Banque. First off I must say how excited everyone was to wear their beautiful masks from Venice to this grand event. Upon entering the club, we were given VIP status and let in to the exclusive vault for our own special celebration. The music was fantastic and the costumes even better.
Some of the internationals from other schools took this opportunity to have a second Halloween. There were the ghost busters, a mime, even a lady with a head on a plate. All of our possy wore their masks and looked great.
We left the raging party around 3:30, ready for rest and relaxation in the comforts of our home. Sleeping in until 12 was the icing on the cake of a wonderful Carnivale end.

Ciao Ciao
Elle

Venezia Carnivale= Glamorous

2010-02-14T02:15:00.000-08:00

So my day started off yesterday with a 6:30 wake up time. Not my favorite time of the day to get up, but all was overlooked when I knew that I was heading to Venice for the big Carnivale. We took a taxi to the meeting point and waited on the bus for everyone to show up. I slept most of the way there, and once we reached the big bridge, we all got on the ferry to take us to the island. As we watched from the outside balcony, I could begin to see Venice in view with all of it's wonderful buildings lining the sea. I felt a slight pang of sadness when I realized that the one person I wanted to be there the most, was sleeping at home back in the US.

We got off of the boat and the first thing in sight was a beautiful hotel called Hotel Gabrielli. I took this as a sign that today was going to be great. We immediately started taking pictures and looking around. As we walked the stone cobbled streets of Venice in the warm sunlight, I could tell that for some reason I was always meant to come here. I felt as if I was in some sort of dream as we saw all of the people in wonderful costumes and masks.

There were so many elaborate costumes and tourists stopping every person they saw to take pictures. We saw many beautiful structures and of course gondolas! It was very neat to see all of the arched bridges that ran straight through the narrow streets! I was greatful for how small the streets were because then we didn't have to worry about being run over by a car or moped. If you have ever been to Italy, then you know what I am talking about. We came across a little gelato place, and I got to experience my first taste of real italian ice cream. Words cannot describe the smooth creamy deliciousness of this cold treat, but the Straciatella and mint chocolate made Venice seem that much more special.

Around 4 p.m. we headed to the piazza to see the fashion show with the most elaborate costumes. It was absolutely stunning to see all of the details and hard work that goes into this festival. There were even families dressed up all together. Some people even had wings! We stayed at the show for an hour and finally decided that it was time to get a mask. Choosing a mask in Venice is not an easy task because there are literally thousands to choose from. I settled with a beautiful all white mask. It was simple but very elegant looking. Mary got this fantasicly wild royal blue mask with huge feathers. Jordain choose an emerald green mask with fewer feathers, and Alyssa choose a black mask with the right side covering the whole face, and the left side covering just her eyes. All were glamorous.

At six we got back on the boat and headed back to the buses. We stopped at a rest stop and somehow a funny thing happened. I was trying to leave the stall but it somehow managed to get stuck and I was trapped inside for atleast 5 min. It would not have been so bad but the stall door reached all the way down to the floor and I was the only one in the bathroom at the time. After yelling and banging on the door, the man who ran the cash machine came sprinting in, and unlocked it from the outside. What a way to finish the day. All I could do was laugh because I was so inevitably tired. We reached our apartment around 12:30 in the morning and I quickly dosed off, thinking about how I am definitely returning to Venice sometime soon.

Ciao
Elle

niente

2010-02-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

So I feel like I am really getting used to this whole being in a foreign country thing. I have gone to the Duomo by myself, I am not scared of using the tram or the metro by myself, and I am gaining some really good friendships during this crazy ride. A trip to Venice is planned for Saturday and I am beyond excited for Carnivale! It should be pretty amazing considering it is Venice. Went to aperitivo at Old Fashion last night, and I am pretty sure that will become a regular Wednesday activity. Went and bought myself a new pair of boots and a beautiful red dress and was really excited to wear it last night. I just love the fashion here. It is incredible to see what the fashion capital of the world has to offer.

Today was full of classes, yuck, but I guess that is the main reason why I am here. I did however really enjoy my photography class today. We met at the Duomo and walked over to see a photography exhibit of Steve McCurry, who is a famous National Geographic photographer. I was completely amazed by the different photographs that I saw. Many were portraits, and looking at the different points of view that he used was breathtaking. I can't believe that this city is so full of different kinds of art. Even people in the metro sell hand drawn art just trying to make a couple euros a day.

This city has a lot to offer, and I just hope that I can take it all in.

Ciao
Elle

I got a feeling...

2010-02-07T03:32:00.001-08:00

OK so now that I have officially been in Milano for a grand total of one week I have decided that I absolutely love it here. Every single night has been an adventure. Since I have been on, we have gone to "the club", a sangria party followed by "lime light", and then last night was Le Banque.

Prior to going out my roommate Natalie and I decided to go grocery shopping. Our intentions were good, but our execution was horrible. We bought a lot of great fresh groceries, but just too many for the two of us to carry. Luckily the check out guy took pity on us and gave us a few extra bags to help with the load. Trying to walk back to the apartment with everything in hand proved to be too much. We ended up having to stop multiple times to keep from losing everything. The whole things was disastrous but really funny all at the same time. Needless to say that by the time the evening came I was ready to go out after being so stressed from the day's activities.

"The club" was very nicely decorated, but going on a Thursday night, you are taking the risk of it being super crowded, which it was. The music was pretty decent until about 1:30. Then it turned into all techno music and they had so many different strobe lights that even though I don't have epilepsy, I was still afraid of going into a seisure. I have also discovered that even though I had been warned, people are so graby here. I could not even walk to the bar without people pulling me in every direction, or without my hair getting grabbed. So it was a nice club, but not the best time.

Friday night was the famous sangria party at Cicio's. Since we all showed up fashionably late, after getting lost for a good twenty minutes, by the time we finally reached our destination it was incredibly packed. I will say that the sangria here is dangerously good. It was just like drinking fruit juice, so by the time we got there everyone else was trashed. We made it in time to have a little sangria before moving the party to lime light. Had I known it was a twenty minute walk with around 75 people I might have passed on the activity, but lesson learned I guess. Lime light would probably have to be my second favorite going out place. The atmosphere was good, plenty of dancing room, and great music. The only thing is I got my camera stolen there. This really put me into a bad mood so I could not fully enjoy the club the way I should have. Another lesson learned, never ever take a camera to a club even if it is in your front pocket, it will somehow disappear. Plus the cab ride home was 20 euros so it was not the best night of my life.

Last night consisted of a smaller sangria party. This was much more enjoyable since there were only like 15 people there. We could actually sit and have a conversation and enjoy the company. After 2 hours at Cicio's we headed for Le Banque. This is considered to be the nicest, most chic club in all of Milan. It used to be an old bank that they turned into a club, so it was beautifully decorated. Walking in took quite a while and by the time we headed for the bathroom it was already packed. There was about 100 girls trying to use 1 stall since the only other stall had a drunk girl in it with her pants pulled down, so no one could get in. After waiting a half hour, we decided it was not worth it and headed for the dance floor. Since it was around 2 at this point all the music had turned to techno. This would not have been that bad had the floor not been so incredibly crowded. I somehow managed to get headbutted, stepped on, and of course my hair touched after getting annoyed enough to decide to go home with the other girls.

Overall this first week has been jam packed with going out every night and meeting new people all the while. I love it here and the food is beyond amazing. More later

Ciao,
Elle

aperitivo

2010-02-04T05:04:00.000-08:00

So the past few evenings have been spent doing something called Aperitivo. It consists of going to a bar or club and eating appetizers and having a drink for free. I think this is a genius idea. So far we have gone to Bar Magenta, Hollywood, and Old Fashion. Magenta is more like a pub atmosphere. You can eat lunch there, and it is not a place that gets really packed. Good relaxing place.

Club Hollywood was pretty good. Lots of people there, so dancing is fun. 10 euro for 3 drinks with the ESEG which is also a good deal. The only thing was the music. Every single song was American and it all came from the early 2000's. It was very strange to be in an Italian club and hear things like Ja Rule and such.

Then last night was Old Fashion. By far my favorite place. The club itself has an indoor and outdoor to it. It's obviously too cold to use the outdoor part now, but it was decorated very nicely. Inside it looks very high class. Last night was "American night" so their aperitivo consisted of hotdogs, chicken nuggets, and caeser salad. The music was much better than Hollywood. Lots of beat pumping songs. They did throw in some JLO but mostly it was a way better selection.

Well that's all for now, probably write more tomorrow

Ciao bella

oggi uno

2010-02-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

So flight plans were definitely rough. Had a huge delay in Indy which caused me to miss my connecting flight in Chicago by literally 2 minutes. Certainly not the way I thought that my trip was going to start off. After finally getting on the flight from Chicago to Heathrow (London) I was feeling a little bit better. Once morning hit and I could see out of the airplane I was shocked. It felt like I was looking down from the Wonka glass elevator and looking down on little ole England, and unlike in the US, you could actually see all the hills and such from the air. While closing in on the airport I saw the Wimbledon stadium, and building process for the summer 2010 Olympics. Way cool.

Then it was a short hour in my wait to board to Milan. I immediately fell asleep and when I woke up I was amazed at what I saw. I was realizing that it was moment of truth. I was shaking as I walked onto that platform alone, but in a way it was the most empowering moment of my life. I made my way through the airport and got into the pickup service van. Then we pulled up to my amazing new apartment. After walking three flights of stairs, I stood outside onto the balcony and was blissfully happy with the view of the city.

I quickly met my two new roommates, Jordain and Natalie, and we crowned our apartment with a toast to a new adventure. Dinner was served at a quaint little pizzaria right across from the apartment, and I am now so blissfully tired that I am not sure how I will survive a 9:30 a.m. meeting tomorrow. Thats all for now

Ciao
Elle