Milano

Today was the most amazing day! I went to Milan to meet a girl named Valeria.  Valeria was an exchange student of the Brainards in San Diego.   She went to SDSU but I never got to meet her in San Diego, so today was the first time I met her.  I am so happy I got to meet her!  Valeria works at the Duomo which is the famous Cathedral of Milan.  I am sooo lucky that she works there!  I got to go on a private tour of the Duomo because Valeria knew all of the people that worked there.  I was able to go into the altar where typically only the priests are allowed to go. All the other tourists were staring at me.  It was amazing to be so high up looking down on the church.  In the altar there was a little attachment to the wall that was able to be pulled down because apparently there used to be a very short cardinal.  They don't want to get rid of it in case there is another short one. Hahaha.  Also I got to go down into this area where normally you have to pay to go for free. It was called the treasures and it had all things of gold and crystal.  There was also the bones of the cardinal of the church.  I guess they display the bones once a year in September to honor him.  Also during the walk there was a famous statue in the church of San Bartolomeo.  It is the most famous statue of the church and one of the most famous in Milan.  It was not lit so the security guard turned the light on especially for me so that I could see it.  I also got the guided audio tour for free so I got to listen to the explanation.  The artist of the bottom had carved "Non me Praxiteles, sed Marc'finxit Agrat" - It was not Praxiteles, it was Marco d'Agrate who made me.  Praxiteles was apparently the greatest sculptor of that time and Marco d'Agrate did not want people to think that the statue was his work.   The statue was amazing and so intricate....but kind of gross since it was a statue of a man who was carrying his own skin and didn't have skin on his body.   But I am so lucky that I got such an amazing tour, especially considering that I am a Religious Studies major!
After the Duomo Valeria took me to a place called California Bakery.  It was supposed to be all types of California food.   It was kind of similar I guess.  But then everyone there kept asking me if I knew how to make the things on the menu. Hahaha.  Being from California is a novelty in Italy.  After California Bakery we went shopping and a ton of the stores had shirts all about California.  You can get more California and America stuff here than in the U.S.!  They also sold converse with the American flag and scarves. It is so funny to me.   Milan is shopping heaven!  They have so many great stores. And everything is on sale right now for winter.  I got a new coat that was supposed to be 150 Euros for 30 Euros.  And it matched my outfit better so I switched coats the second I bought it. :) We also went to a store that is really similar to Nordstrom except this one has 7 stories!  They even have a cafe at the top that overlooks the Duomo :) Also, I saw the really nice shopping street.  It is similar to Rodeo Dr.  in Beverly Hills.  On the really nice street we saw a famous Italian soap opera star.  I had no clue who she was though.  And it was so different then in the U.S. because there weren't any photographers around trying to take photos of her.  They were actually just letting her shop like a normal person!
After shopping,  Valeria took me to meet her boyfriend, Simone He was really nice as well.  He totally wants to be an American.  He loves tattoos and hot rods and american rock groups.  I told him that Papa had the Starfire and the old TBirds and he was amazed.   I guess he also tattoos at his house or something and he had an upcoming tattoo so we went to their favorite restaurant/bar to talk to the man who was getting a tattoo.  They gave us appetizers and a delicious orange drink called Crodino.  We only stayed there for a little bit and then we went out to dinner.  The restaurant was funny because it was a "German" restaurant with Italian food, that played American music and had a ton of Japanese people inside.  A ton of cultures all rolled into one. :)  After dinner Simone and Valeria drove me home to Pavia so that I didn't have to take the train home and night and then walk 10 minutes by myself.  It was so nice of them!  And then... sleep :)

After shopping,  Valeria took me to meet her boyfriend, Simone He was really nice as well.  He totally wants to be an American.  He loves tattoos and hot rods and american rock groups.  I told him that Papa had the Starfire and the old TBirds and he was amazed.   I guess he also tattoos at his house or something and he had an upcoming tattoo so we went to their favorite restaurant/bar to talk to the man who was getting a tattoo.  They gave us appetizers and a delicious orange drink called Crodino.  We only stayed there for a little bit and then we went out to dinner.  The restaurant was funny because it was a "German" restaurant with Italian food, that played American music and had a ton of Japanese people inside.  A ton of cultures all rolled into one. :)  After dinner Simone and Valeria drove me home to Pavia so that I didn't have to take the train home and night and then walk 10 minutes by myself.  It was so nice of them!  And then... sleep :)

Casper the Snow Ghost

Hello all.  The highlight of my day today was making a snowman!  Although he looked like a ghost shape more so Ali and I named him Casper the Snow Ghost.   I have a cold so I had a very relaxed day.  It takes a toll on your body going from freezing cold outside to warm heated places inside.  Pretty much all I did today was eat at the mensa....the food was much better today, make a snowman, and I met up with someone I met the other day and we went to a lecture on 18th century art for about 5 minutes.  I didn't really understand most of the lecture but rather just words so we didn't stay.  Then I came back to my room and skyped with my big Megan.   After skyping with Megan I went to eat pizza at the mensa with Ali.  He is the only other one I know that eats at the mensa.  I guess most people here do not get meal plans but cook instead.  Ali has a scholarship though so he gets a free meal there a day.  I unfortunately have to eat there every meal.  It was not as terrible as it was yesterday but I would still rather eat out at a good restaurant or cook myself.   Anyways I am going to go to sleep now because tomorrow I am going to Milan!

Getting Settled

The other day I went to church with my friend Sofia.  We showed up late because she got home late from her friends house.  We were only at church for like 10 minutes.  I got to hear some of the mass though.  I only understood a little bit.  Mainly Padre, Figlio.  Father and Son.   Afterwards I went to her room and visited with her and another friend that lived on her floor.  
Yesterday  I had a very busy day!  I woke up in the morning and went to the University office with some girls that lived on my floor.  They were all from Portugal.  It was their last day in Pavia so they had to go sign some papers at some office.  We went to their office and then they helped me find the office that I needed to go to.  Some people in the first office told us the wrong directions but it actually worked out in my favor.   The place that they accidentally told me to go happened to be the department for my faculty( kind of like my major).   So I went in and they explained to me that the reason I wasn't able to find what time my classes are at is because they haven't even done the schedule.  The miscommunication between everyone is ridiculous!  Also,  I asked the woman in the office if they schedule classes on Fridays because I don't really want to have class then and then she told me sometimes but it doesn't matter your don't have to go to class.  She told me to just tell the professor and it would be fine.  Now I am free to travel on the weekends.  Sweet!  Then she told me the directions to the original office that I was trying to find.  Then I went there and got my meal plan card.   Afterwards we stopped in a shoe store.   I was trying to find some running shoes because I joined my dorm's soccer team, but none of them were comfortable and they all cost 30 Euros.   Then I went back to my dorm and met up with my friend Abdel.  Abdel is from Morocco but has lived in Italy for 17 years.  He took me on a tour of the University and showed me all the different cafeterias that my meal plan works at.  Afterwards he took me to the store so I could by a few things.  Then I came home and rested for a little bit until the Portuguese girls returned.  When they returned we went back to the grocery store so that we could buy some things and make dinner.  We made dinner together and put all of our desks in the hallway and had a going away party.  The party was a lot of fun and most of the people on my floor came.  
Today was a busy day also.  This morning I had to be at the University at 9 with Ali.  Ali is a guy from Lebanon that lives on my floor.  He works in the office that I had to go to.  He basically was my guide to getting all my paper work.  We had to go to a few different offices similar to the dmv around Pavia so that I can get my permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay).  First we had to get a codice fiscale (fiscal code)    for me so that I could apply for my permesso.  Then I had to take some passport pictures.  It is so strange here how you can get them!  You can get your passport pictures in a photobooth.  You get 5 pictures for just 4 Euros.  It is a lot cheaper than the U.S. where you pay 5 or 6 dollars for just 2 photos.  Afterwards we went to the other offices to get different paperwork.  Finally, we went to the post office so that I could pay for the permesso and mail it.  It cost 150 Euros.  That would have been 15 pairs of shoes at this one store in Pavia!! Madonna! Afterwards we went to the mensa.  Che schifo! (  Disgusting!)  But my friends told me that this was the worst day they have ever had at the mensa.  It was a special for Valentines day.  Like Pesce con passione (Fish with Passion) or Tagliatelle innamorata (  Pasta In Love).  Most of the meats here are either fish or pork... gross.  After the mensa I returned home to rest for a bit.  I skyped with Mama and Papa and they let me watch modern family through skype.  Ghettttttooooo.  I miss having a tv and none of the U.S. websites will allow me to watch videos because I am in another country.  Not even Netflix which we have an account for!  
This evening I went to a concert for Carnevale with Ali.  It was at this one Collegio (which is the name for the dorms here) and you would not believe it was a dorm!  It looked like a a grand hall in a palace.   It was one of the nicest places I have ever been.  I wish I was in that dorm.  Instead I am in the dorm from the 70s with the shower on top of the freaking toilet.  Oh well.  This dorm we were in was the shape of a square and the middle was a just an open area.  It was a few stories tall with columns and statues all over.  Inside the hall where the concert was held there were amazing paintings on the walls and the ceilings.  It was like being in a museum.  The concert was a little bit boring though so we didn't stay very long.  It was a piano and a flute player but they would just play a little and then some Italian lady described a story in between.  But Ali said even for him it was difficult to understand and he is fluent in Italian!  So after that we walked around the dorm to see if we could see how much better the rooms are then ours and they were a lot better.  I kept thinking of Harry Potter at this dorm.  The staircases were all spiral staircases.  The rooms had woods and beautiful tile work.  I wanted to take pictures but I forgot my camera.  I will definitely be going back and taking pictures.  I can add them after to show everyone. :)  After we walked around the dorm we went to the  Piadineria.  It is similar to a firmer crepe and you can get it sweet or savory.  I got a nutella and strawberry (fragola) piadina.  Che Bouna!  Ali used to work there so he knew everyone in the shop.  We hung out there for maybe 2 hours.   Everyone that hears I am from California gets so excited. They go Caliiiifornia!!  Bellissimo!  The girl that was working there gave us the piadina for free which was very nice of her.  She was happy to practice her English skills with me.   Afterwards we walked back to our dorm.  We stopped to see the River Ticino since I haven't had the chance yet to actually see it.  It was freezing though so we only stayed for one minute.  It is -6 Celsius....I have no clue what that is in Fahrenheit except that it is below 32 degrees.  Everything is much later here though.  Lunch is at 1, dinner at 9, sleep at 1 am.  So unlike me!  But I guess I will have to live the Italian way.  Thank goodness for my amazing blackout shades because then I would be up at the crack of dawn and would never be able to live the Italian way. :)  Love you all and pictures to come soon!

Ciao Italia

I have just begun getting settled into Pavia now.   The first day was really hard for me and I really wanted to come home.  But,  I am here so I might as well make the most of it!  After the getting off the airplane I took a fifty minute train ride from the airport to the main train station in Milan.  Then I had to take another train but to Pavia but it was very confusing.  A guy named Mario helped me get my ticket.  We both had to wait one hour so he bought me a tea at the cafe in the station.  It turns out he was a model, basketball player for the Italian team and worked as a financial advisor all at the age of 21!  I told him about Fairleigh and how she loves basketball. :)

    After that I took the train to Pavia and then a taxi to my residence hall.  Its name is Residenza Golgi 1.  My room is big compared to the dorm rooms in the U.S.  I live by myself in the room.  And I have my own bathroom which I am very thankful for!  Although the shower is pretty much right on top of the toilet.  It is very strange! My favorite thing about the room is the blinds.  They are completely black.  So when you shut them and go to sleep it is pitch black.  They are the best shades I have ever seen! Although then you can sleep for hours and have no clue what time it is.  So, when I got here I went straight to sleep.   

    Then I woke up around 3:00 in the afternoon and decided I might as well go outside and try to get an Italian phone since they wouldn't give me the internet password without and Italian number.  So annoying!  But they didn't even tell me where I could get a phone.  All they told me was bus number 6 goes to the city center and I could probably find a phone there.  Luckily I met Sofia.  Sofia lives on the 2nd floor of my building.  She was going down the stairs and I asked her if it was the right bus and where I could a phone and then she offered just to take me.  So she took me to the cell phone store and then spoke for me and got me a phone.  After the phone she was going to the grocery store so I went with her and bought a few groceries.  They have plain pear juice here.  It is really good if you like pears.  One thing about the grocery stores that are different here is that you have to buy the plastic bags for 10 Euro cents each.  So I bought just one bag because I though it would be fine.  But it turns out they are also very cheaply made and when I was walking the bottom fell out.  It was really embarrassing. One of my new glasses broke also.  But thank god for Sofia!  She was so helpful. She is from Sicily and pretty much only speaks Italian. So I definitely was glad I had taken a few Italian classes.  Although Sofia's mom is from England and Sofia called her mom and told her about the phone and then her mom explained everything to me.  She told me I can call her anytime to ask her for help.  It was very nice of her!

   After my excursion with Sofia I returned home and met some more people on my floor.  Earlier in the day I had met Abdel from Morocco.  He let me use his computer to email home which was very nice.  Then in the evening I met Ali from Lebanon and Samuele from Sicily.  They are both very nice.  Ali is here on scholarship and works at the International Relations Office.  Apparently I have a meeting on February 14 with him at the office but no one even told me!  I am lucky that I live on the same floor as him in the same residence hall.  Or else I wouldn't have known anything.  That is kind of how I feel about everything.  They are not very good at explaining things here.  Thankfully the other students have been helpful! He also took me to one of the cafeterias so I could figure out my meal plan but they told me I have to wait for the director because they had never heard of my program.  Everything is I have to wait until Monday.  I ended up only eating a kiwi the whole first day that I was here.  It was awful!

    My second day here I didn't wake up until 1 in the afternoon because I was still getting used to the time. Then I got ready for the day and I went with Samuele and Ali to the mall.  I bought a rug, blow dryer, straightener, curling iron, and a reusable bag for groceries.  Then I just came back and I skyped with Heather,  Brian, Mama, Papa & Bear.  In between the skyping I was asked to join my residence hall's soccer team.  While I am not good at soccer I decided to join.    We will start practicing soon and then have games in May.  Also last night, I hung out with some different people on my floor.   Roberta, Nicolo and Giacomo.  Roberta was nice enough to give me some snacks.   Roberta will play on the soccer team with me. 

    Today I went on a walk.  I woke up around 9 and then I got ready and walked to the university.  I could have taken the bus but I prefer to walk so I can learn my surroundings a little better.  It is about a 10 minute walk to the train station and then a 15 minute walk to the university.  So 25 minutes all together.  But I stopped along the way.  There is almost nothing open on Sunday's here!  Not restaurants, stores, niente except for the church.  There was one store open called Coin that I stopped in.  I bought some pjs there because I only have on pair.  They are cute.  I chose them because they say "As your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveller in the dark- Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, Twinkle LITTLE STAR."  I chose them because I feel like a traveller in the dark since I do not know anything! They also had some decals that I wanted to buy but they were rather large so I thought I would buy them back on the way.   I want to decorate my room more since I will be here for 51/2 months! But then when I went back the store was closed.  So maybe another day I will buy them.  After I went to that store I had my first Italian pizza.  It was delicious! It had zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, mozzarella and oregano.  The crust here is very very thin and crispy.  Papa would love it! After that I went to the main building of the university.  It is gorgeous!!! Then I returned home and visited with Roberta and Nicolo.   I also met Francesca and two other girls from Portugal on my floor.  The two girls from Portugal are leaving tuesday though.  They invited me to go with them to the Welcome Office tomorrow.  They said they are part of the group that I want to join.  They told me that there is nothing going on right now because everyone is studying but it will get better soon.  Right now it is snowing outside.  I have never seen so much snow in my life!  So I am inside.  I am going to read and then maybe hang out with Sofia this afternoon.  :)