Arrivaderci Milano... :'(

Ciao a tutti-

I'm writing this to you as I have just had my last Italian gelato and had my last Milano Aperativo.  Both were fabulous and now I'm just watching "Heartbreakers" in Italian waiting for the time to pass before I hop on my flight back to the states.

It's rather surreal to think that I'm leaving.  After spending 6 months here, it only feels normal to think that I'm simply jumping on a train or a plane to some city in Europe and that I'll return back to my apartment in Milano.  I can't believe I'm leaving here for good.  This is the end.  My abroad experience is over.  How insane.  I honestly can't believe it.  It really hasn't hit me yet, nor do I think it will hit me until I'm over the Atlantic.

I got really sad today, very surprising I know.  I was walking to school and thought "this is the last time I'll take the subway", "this is the last time I'll pass this building", "this is the last time I'll walk through these doors".  And I got really emotional.  As much as I've complained or missed  home, ending a part of your life is hard regardless.  So after saying goodbye to everyone, which I'm awful at doing, I decided to go get my last Italian gelato and head on home.  I picked nocciola and crema, my two favorites, and enjoyed every bite.  Nothing will ever be the same as Italian gelato... ever.

Lucky for me, Milan was gorgeous today.  I laid at the park, watched people play football (soccer for all you Americans), watched the dogs play with each other.  It was amazing to finally have ONE NICE DAY in Milano before I had to leave.  Running in the sunshine felt refreshing and rather empowering.  I'm telling you, I'm meant to live somewhere where I see sun more than twice a month!! (Sorry Raveena, but Vancouver won't work).

I can only say positive things about my experience as of now.  It's probably because it's the last day, and I'm overjoyed that I'm heading back to the US of A tomorrow, but nonetheless I have nothing but positives to report.  It's been challenging, I've missed home, I've missed my culture, but honestly, this has been one of the best experiences of my life.  I met so many people, so many amazing people, from all over the world, who have taught me so many things about the world, about themselves, and about me.  I am definitely a changed person, someone who is much less ignorant, much more aware, and I feel much more cultured.  I have seen so much more of the world, surrounded myself with so many different people, and opened myself to so many more parts of life than I could have ever imagined.  It's truly been a blessing.  And as much as I've complained about how difficult school has been, I have learned so much this semester than I ever imagined possible.  To study business with people from around the world is truly globalization at its finest (if I'm allowed).  To learn of management practices used around the world, to compare the laws of common law verses civil law, to study finance under an Oxford graduate who works for the most prestigious finance organization in Europe, it's been an AMAZING learning experience.  I can't believe all the knowledge I'm coming away with, in international business alone.  It truly has been THE MOST EDUCATIONAL semester of my life.  Hopefully my last year at UT will be 1/2 as educational.

So as I write you one last time from Milan, let me just say... Ho avuto uno tempo grande, mancaro' Milano moltissimo, e Europa ci vediamo pronto.  As this chapter ends, a new chapter begins... my summer in NY.  Of course I'll blog this new chapter, as I hope it will be full of just as many amazing experiences as the last 6 months have.  Thank you for reading.  Ci sentiamo a presto.

And because I'm living Italy, devo...

Grazie per tutto, e' stato fantastico.  Da viaggiamo in Europa, a mangiamo cibo Italiano.  Questa semestre recordaro' sempre.  A fino il prossimo... ciao bella.

THE OPERA

Ciao everyone,

Sorry I haven't written in a while.  It's been a combination of my intense obsession with running lately as well as laziness, as contradictory as that is.  I've just been enjoying all Milano has to offer in the last couple of weeks since I'm leaving in 2 weeks!!! Crazy!

Last week, Raveena and I went to the Opera at La Scala.  It was amazing!  First of all, inside La Scala is absolutely breathtaking.  It's everything you imagine a great Italian opera house to be.  There's gold, intricate carvings, red velvet everywhere, glamorous chandeliers, and gorgeous Italians dressed in their best formal attire.  It was unbelievable!! Second, Raveena and I had our own private box!  We sat overlooking the orchestra and the stage, leaning on plush red velvet cushions.  It was so cliche and everything I hoped it would be.  You can talk to people in the boxes next to you, just like they did hundreds of years ago!  It was fantastic.

The first show we saw was called Il Prigionero, which means The Prisoner.  It was in Italian, very depressing and dark, and rather confusing.  But the little electronic translators really helped.  Raveena and I had one on Italian and the other one on English.  Besides being utterly confused, their voices were absolutely amazing.  Just the most talented opera singers I have ever had the pleasure of hearing, not that I particularly like opera, but I still appreciated it greatly.

The second show we saw was called Il Castello di Barballoo (Bluebeard's Castle).  This show was in Dutch, which was definitely even more confusing than listening to the Italian.  But I actually understood the second show better and loved the girl's voice.  It was so pure, so smooth, so beautiful.  I really really really really really loved it.

So if you're ever in Milan, you must go to La Scala.  It's fabulous.

THINGS I'LL MISS/ WON'T MISS ABOUT ITALY

Miss:

-Double cheek kissing (or triple cheek from Southern Italians)

-Time is of no importance

-Italian (most beautiful language on Earth)

-Italian Espresso

-Italian Espresso vending machines where there's even a little stir stick for you

-Legitimate Italian Food, especially Spaghetti alla Carbonerra

-Italian Gelato, in particular Nocciola e crema

-Eating Nutella for breakfast and having it be okay

-How eating an ENTIRE 15 inch pizza is not only accepted, it's required

-Milan's amazing public transportation (even though @ times unreliable)

-Saying "prego" every 3 seconds and having it be okay

-Seeing Italians wearing shirts with English phrases when they have no idea what they mean (ex: I swing both ways)

-Quaint Italian streets and architecture

-Techno in clubs

-No tipping!!

-Giving you back 10 eurocents when you're supposed to get 13 back but only paying 5 eurocents when you're supposed to pay 8

- Having everything end in "eria", such as Pasticceria, Gelateria, etc.

-Parco Sempione

-Hearing the BeeGees and John Mayer in the Esselunga (groccery store)

-Kinder chocolates

-Walking down the street and running into a 500 year old church

-Brera

-Aperativo... if you don't know what it is, you're not truly Milanese

-All of the wonderful people I've met from all over the world

Won't miss:

-Running in Milan

-People looking at me... always.

-Ghettoness... get your buildings fixed you have a beautiful country!!

-The Pollution

-The Rain

-Stores/ Restaurants closing between 1 and 5pm

-Relying on public transportation

-The disgusting public bathrooms with no toilet paper

-No posti (seats) on trains

-No wifi anywhere/ misconception of what the word wifi means

-Lack of peanutbutter

-No dryers

-The constant smoking

-Cobblestone roads that ruin your shoes and luggage

-Italian TV

-The Euro/ $ conversion

-Going out in Milan and costing you 40 euros for the night

-Seeing beautiful skinny Italian women ALL THE TIME/ watching them eat pasta

-Milan's mosquito population

-Waking up at 3am to ambulances and police cars... oh wait... I'm moving to NY.

THE BOCCONI

Ciao, buona sera.

I've decided to fill you in on my school, since it is the REAL reason that I'm over here, although all this traveling and partying makes it seem as though I never study.  Well I do.  A lot actually.  I go to Bocconi University, which is a private business school located a little south of the heart of Milano.  The school, because it's private and prestigious, is extremely wealthy.  They are currently constructing a new building, which looks like the most gorgeous piece of architecture I've ever seen.  I'm jealous that it wasn't ready in time for my semester.  But the buildings that I do have class in are still very beautiful.  Ghetto on the outside (just like everything in Italy) but gorgeous on the inside.  Every room has white boards, projectors (overhead and the really fancy movie ones), beautiful modern desks (which could be the most uncomfortable things to ever exist-- thank god my classes are only an hour and a half), and the teacher's chair, which according to my professor runs @ about 1000 EUROS.  YIKES!  As much as Italians love Ikea, apparently my school is too rich to shop there.  Considering the professor walks around, writes on the board, and is never sitting in the chair, I find it a complete waste of money.  There are about 12-15 rooms on each floor, and 4 floors in this building.  That's only the N building, not including the Main Building or any of the smaller building used for the MBA programs.  That's soooo much money to waste on chairs for the professors!!  I'm also going to take a picture of the employee parking lot before I leave.  I've never seen more BMWs, Mercedes, and Porche's in one condensed area!!!  If you want to be rich, be a professor @ Bocconi.  Good god!

Anyway, going to Bocconi has been an incredible experience.  Whenever I tell someone that I'm studying at Bocconi, the look on their face is a combination of being purely impressed as well as thinking "damn this girl must be loaded".  Which I'm not, but I can thank UT for creating this exchange program so I only have to pay UT tuition.  FABULOUS.  I also get some people who treat me like a snot when they find out I attend Bocconi.  For example:  in Italian the word for in is "a" for cities, small places, schools, towns, etc.  The word for in is "in" for territories, states, important places, countries, etc.  So I would say "Abito a Milano." or "Abito in Italia".  So when I'm speaking to people about studying at Bocconi I say, "Studio a Bocconi."  And then they get this snotty little voice and go "Oooooooh studi IN Bocconi!!"  Apparently Bocconites (no idea if that's right) think they go to THE BEST SCHOOL ever.  But then again, I have the best professors from around the world, some of the best degree programs, as well as Bocconi has the best Masters program in Management in Europe.  PRETTY SWEET!!!  Also, I was reading my Mafia book on the subway today (I'm almost done!!!) and he mentions his friend who graduated from Bocconi.  The author (a journalist from Naples) then tells how Bocconi is the most prestigious business school in Italy.  I've also heard other Italians refer to Bocconi as the "Yale" of Italy.  Yes.  I go to school there.  It's pretty amazing!

Studying here is actually very interesting.  I'm in a couple of management classes where we compare the management systems businesses use around the world.  I'm extremely surprised we haven't started to work with Europe sooner.  They follow a lot of the same management and hierarchy structures that US corporations follow.  One thing I do love about Europe is that they treat healthcare and education as human rights that should be paid for by the government.  I wish the United States treated our health care and education this way.  Amsterdam, although they have 52% income tax, have health care and all high-school and university paid for by their corporations.  Hopefully one day I'll live in a country where the money I give to the government actually pays for my children's tuition.  

The coolest thing I'm doing right now is actually a comparative project in my management of human capital class.  I'm working with 2 Portuguese boys and 2 French girls and we're comparing the Bologna declaration to the United States higher education system.  For those of you who don't know what the Bologna process is (which I assume is all of you.. you ignorant Americans) it is Europe's movement towards comparable education systems.  46 countries are all participants... talk about coordination!!! The bologna declaration states that there are now 2 cycles, one for a bachelors and one for a masters.  The bachelors degree is a 3 year program and the masters is a 2 year program.  The bologna process also ensures that the quality given at the Universities is comparable.  Basically, this declaration has allowed students from all over Europe to easily study abroad as well as attend Universities not from their home nation and still graduate with the same requirements needed for their national workforce.  This movement is also allowing Americans and Japanese to more easily study in Europe and still fulfill their degree requirements (hence why I'm studying here in Milan).  Anyway, it's been an extremely interesting project and has taught me so much about the education system in Europe.  I think the EU and all their treaties and movements towards a democratic society is extremely interesting and truly a concept that gives me hope of world peace and cooperation one day.

Well enough about Bocconi.  I'm off to grab my salad and study a bit before my next class.  Ciao, buena sera, e ci parliamo pronto.

THE CINQUE TERRE HIKE

Ciao e buongiorno!  Let me tell you about the most gorgeous place on Earth-- the Cinque Terre-- the 5 cities on the north west coast of Italy.  Raveena and I took a 3 hour train ride bright and early and arrived in Monterosso (the 1st city).  The beach, which was completely lacking sand and covered by colorful rocks, was still covered with people soaking up the beautiful 25 degree weather.  We started out on the hard hike-- with some parts involving climbing up stairs for 15 minutes straight.  The stairmaster will never be the same!!  Surrounded by 50-60 year olds doing the same hike, I had to keep reminded myself that I'm 21 years old and I should stop being such a baby.  To summarize the hike, each small town was absolutely gorgeous and overlooked the sparkling Mediterranean.  People gather in the small piazzas to eat and drink in the hot sun.  The flowers on the trail were spectacular and we honestly couldn't' have had better weather.  The entire hike took us 4 hours and 45 minutes and of course we celebrated with some delicious, cold gelato!  The views, cities on top of the hills, and gorgeous scenery made it the best day trip yet and definitely one of my favorite places in the world.

Being Milanese

Ciao a tutti!   Buon giorno e come state??  Va bene.  Today is beautiful, about 19 degrees (yes I've switched to Centigrade since THE REST OF THE WORLD EXCEPT THE US uses it) and extremely sunny (well as sunny as you get in Milan-- thank you pollution).  I'm just sitting outside on my balcony, enjoying the beautiful weather and soaking in this beautiful Italian morning.

As I glance at the apartment building across the street, I can't help but notice that everyone has their windows cracked open, letting the cool morning air flow into their apartments.  You can't help but take a deep breath, relax, and acknowledge that life really couldn't be more perfect.

I only have 5 and a half weeks left here in Milano... I can't believe it's already May!  As jealous as I was of my friends whose programs have ended and have started to head back to the states, I can't help but brag about how lucky I am to be able to live in Europe for one more month and experience this amazing time of year.  All of the flowers and trees have blossomed here, the purple lilacs are magnificently colorful and so pungent that you can smell them from across the street.  Milanese have finally started to dress in bright colors and white- a nice contrast from the black hues they've been sporting all winter.  Large flower beds spill from every balcony.  Scooters and bicycles show up in droves along the packed streets.  It is finally spring in Milan and I'm loving every second of it.

Parco Sempione is my second home here.  It's very similar to Central Park in NY in that it's a large park in the middle of a huge city.  The grass is so green, the small ponds sparkle as the sun hits its surface, and there are millions of people walking and biking through it's paved pathways.  Hoards of people flock to lay on the grass and sunbathe.  As conservative as Italians dress, there is no modesty once at the park.  Women strip down to their bras and try to absorb every last ray.  Men pull up their shirt for any chance they can at some extra color.  Little children run around in itsy bitsy swimsuits, playing ball and enjoying being outdoors.  It's been a real treat to watch the Milanese on the weekends at the park.  They truly appreciate the park, the time they have with their families, and the unbelievable weather May has brought.  Just yesterday, I saw many families playing frisbee and paddle ball with each other, without another care in the world.  On any given day at the park, you'll see at least 10 different pick up soccer games.  Ohhhh CALCIO... I wish Americans loved you as much as Europeans do.

As I sit at the park, and absorb Milanese life, a paddle ball flies and lands on my towel.  "Qua!" I throw it back to the young boy.  From my throw he hits a mean backhand straight to his father.  "Bella!" I applaud the boy on his mad skills.  Walking home, I realize that this whole semester has truly been about culture- absorbing as much as I possibly can.  And after 4 months of desperately trying to fit in, I realize that it'll never happen for me.  I'll never be the Italian screaming "Vaffanculo!" waving my hands.  I'll never be the gorgeous 6 foot, skinny, bronzed woman dressed to the 9s.  I'll never be the businesswoman that takes 3 hour lunch breaks and doesn't feel bad about it.  If these last 4 months have taught me anything, it's that no matter whether I fit in or not, I am so appreciative of the differences in this world.  I am so privileged to have had the opportunity to soak up Italian culture this semester, to understand how important their culture is to them, and to watch their daily life unfold.  It's been a most fabulous experience and I am so glad I can spend the next month truly appreciating it.  And you know what?  Not fitting in is finally okay with me.  Antonio's friends say I look like the stereotypical American woman- bella.  That's all I needed to hear.

SEVILLA!!!!!

Hola!  Como estas?!!  Last week I went to Sevilla, Spain to visit my girlfriends.  It was amazing!  First of all, all the palm trees and the 90 degree weather all week couldn't have been better.  Seeing my girlfriends was absolutely amazing.  And the cultural experience I got was fabulous.

First of all, I stayed in Devon's home stay with her "mother" Delores.  It was awesome to see how a Spanish family functions and sooo nice of her to let me stay with her.  The home cooking, besides eating lunch at 330 and dinner at 1030, was absolutely fabulous!  Spanish food is fried, bland, and loaded with salt.  They eat a lot of fish, tomatoes, potatoes, and fruit.  Which was a nice change from Italian food for a while, but after a week of it I was ready to come back to Italia!

One day we went to Huelva, which is on the Atlantic coast of Spain.  It was beautiful, full of Spaniards on holiday, and definitely the shelliest beach I've ever been to.  It was a super relaxing day (besides the ridiculous bus rides to get there) and I loved every minute of it.  I loved how all Spaniards are so confident in their body and have such positive body images.  Even overweight people were spilling out of their swimsuits, just enjoying the beach and enjoying the sun.  It's comforting to know that there are places in the world where you don't have to look like a 12 year old girl to wear a bikini.  I just ate it up.

I went to a bull fight, which was a great cultural experience.  We even saw a matador kill the bull with one sword hit!!!  OLAY!  It was definitely gruesome, bloody, and actually very boring.  6 bulls for 30 minutes each is rather repetitive... although the bulls did get bigger and more rowdy as the fight went on.  Regardless, I was so glad I was able to go see it.

I also got to go to a Flamenco show.  The musicians were awesome.  I know nothing about Flamenco... but it seemed like the music was almost improvised.  Whatever the musicians felt, they sang.  And the dancer... although it was short... was extremely powerful and crazy to watch.  Of any music I've watched, these musicians truly felt the music.  We also had this drink called Agua d' Sevilla, which was 6 different kinds of liquor plus champagne topped with whip cream!!   It was AMAZING!!!  GREAAAAT NIGHT.

Besides roaming around the city, eating way too much fried food, and seeing Christopher Columbus's tomb, it was a very relaxing and beautiful vacation.  I LOVED BEING WITH MY GIRLS and I seriously fell in love with Spain. 

Gracia Sevilla y a luego!!!