Heyyyyyyyyy Everyone!
Okay, okay, okay. I know. I have updated any of you on anything I’ve done since I arrived in Milan on September 8th. Lets just say its been a rough and long ride…
So as soon as I landed in Malpensa Airport, I instantly got homesick. It was just my luck to experience studying abroad a bit backwards because of the fact that most students fall in love with the place they’re at pretty much because they’re away from home and free to do whatever they want. Me on the other hand, wanted to turn around and go right back home to my family and friends (and yes, my wonderful boyfriend played a big role in my homesickness). To be honest, I’ve never been away from my family for more than a month, especially not with a 12 hour time difference. YES! You read that correctly, I am 12 hours ahead of everyone in Hawaii. That means I get roughly 3-4 hours in the morning and at night to talk to my loved ones at home. Also, can you imagine the jet lag I was experiencing? All I got to say is that I was feeling it for a whole two weeks. So I wasn’t just experiencing homesickness but I was also extremely jet lagged for the first two weeks since I arrived.
In addition to homesickness and jet lag, I was experiencing a fast pace city for the first time in my life and to make it more interesting I was in a foreign country where I barely knew the language. So here’s a few things I learned during the first two weeks:
1. Subways are scary and complicated at first but once you know where you’re going it’s a breeze.
2. Italians are friendly but Milanese (those living in Milan) are serious, not all speak English, and can be seen as rude to foreigners.
3. Not everyone is serious and rude in Milan, stick to the touristy areas and everyone speaks English and is friendly (that’s where I’ve been for the past month, haven’t ventured out anywhere else)
4. Milan is expensive (but why would I think the fashion city of the world would be cheap)
5. Walking is everything here (I walked 12 miles in one day, ONE DAY!)
6. There’s really no such thing as homework in my university.
7. Grocery store...I can’t explain how weird and complicated they first were.
8. People will remember you if you visit a place more than once (I’ll explain in a bit).
9. Phone plans...I have ran out of data twice (5GB) within two weeks AND my plan doesn’t cover any other countries, it’s an extra fee *eye roll*.
10. There’s so many places I want to visit and it’s really not that expensive and doable! (I’ve already visited two other countries and will be visiting my third this weekend!...not counting Italy).
Okay so before I end this blog, let me tell you about this amazing pizza place that I’ve only went to a total of FOUR times (remember that). So it’s called Spontini and it’s near the Duomo. I went there once with a couple of girls I met who were also studying abroad and I absolutely loved it! The second time I went, the same guy was working and recognized me! Long story short, that’s my favorite spot to go for lunch now because the guy working there hooks me up!
That’s it for now! More about my trips coming soon!
xoxo
