Finally Here!

So here's some fun adventures regarding getting into Milan:

From Chicago to Rome:
1. Got on the plane and some guy is sitting in my seat. I confirm that it's my seat and he tells me he has the same seat (15A). He then pulls out his ticket that clearly reads 25A and continues to try and argue with me that he is in seat 15A. Eventually I won. Even better...whole conversation was in broken English.
2. Figure out that my "window" seat is really a wall seat.
3. Have a ridiculously fidgety neighbor, especially while sleeping...

Get to the Rome airport:
1. Am very confused because nobody stamped my passport for EVER. Luckily I finally hit that checkpoint. I was worried I was going to enter the country and never get stamped. Although judging by everybody else's experiences in customs nobody cared terribly.
2. Discover that the Rome airport could kick any American mall's butt. Too bad I have too much luggage to haul around.
3. Am happily relaxing at my gate, rather early despite getting in late, and five minutes before boarding they moved us to not only a different gate but in a different terminal. Thank goodness it was only about a two minute walk away but I was super freaked.

From Rome to Milan:
1. Somebody is yet again in my seat. Although he moved the minute he realized it and did not argue with me that he did have the right seat. However, this seems like a pattern.

From Milan airport to IES:
1. Turns out the information for my car was wrong and they thought I was supposed to be in two hours earlier. Therefore they have left. I made a quick call home and then ended up grabbing a taxi and paying 85 euro to get to the IES center. However, I was slightly stressed at this point and this was a nice, relaxing ride (although I don't know what 140 kilometers/hour translates too but it seemed pretty darn fast)

Despite some crazy experiences I'm here! Our apartment is cute and furnished (thanks Ikea!) and past program members have left some stuff behind which is super useful. We had a brief orientation at the IES center and then moved into our apartments. Two groups of girls from the program live in the apartment building we're in plus a resident assistant who is an Italian student that has shown us around our neighborhood and helped us get to the city center. I am going to become very familiar with Milan's public transportation. Luckily I have a pass that is 17 euro a months to ride any of the trains, metros, buses, or streetcar like things. They got the first for us and we can renew it after September is done.

For dinner we ate at this restaurant that overlooks the Duomo and it was beautiful. I had some wine to commemorate my 21st birthday and met some people from the program. I'm really excited to see what else is in store!

Getting Ready

So right now I'm sitting in my family room staring at a pile of...STUFF. And I haven't even gotten the clothes out yet.

I got home today from Michigan from working at camp and have unpacked and started packing. My mom is convinced I'm going to get to Italy with ONE suitcase. Plus a backpack and my horn which are both carry-ons.

Less than a week until Milan, a week until my 21st birthday, and it's all still pretty surreal to me. However, I'm pretty excited about Italy and spending my semester in a brand new, exciting place!

Wish me luck!