Author Archives: mra5074

Art History….Milano Style!

One of the most interesting parts of studying abroad in Italy is the tremendous amount of history that you are surrounded with and close to. From ancient ruins of the Roman empire to the historic canals of Venice to iconic cathedrals like the Duomo, magnificent and breathtaking examples of human achievement engross you at every turn. Not lost among these storied artifacts of the past are the pieces of artwork made famous by the likes of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, and Donatello. As such, studying abroad in this unique nation actually makes art history fun, well mostly.

In order to fulfill my Penn State art requirements, I scheduled a class that discusses the life, achievements, and works of the brilliant Italian painter, engineer, poet, mathematician, architect, and astronomer Leonardo da Vinci. While I am by no means an art enthusiast and would probably never walk into a museum in the U.S. voluntarily, this class is actually interesting and enjoyable due to the amount of first hand learning that takes place. Within this class we will visit such sites as the “Last Supper” (conveniently located two blocks from IES in Milan) and pieces of Leonardo’s “Atlantic Codex” (which includes some of his famous journals and sketches). We also routinely discuss his other achievements in science, medicine, and mathematics so that the class is not simply endless discussions of artistic style and importance. Every student at some point has sat in a lecture hall and viewed slides of paintings located hundreds and usually thousands of miles from their classroom. While it is easy to see the beauty of certain paintings and sculptures, such as the “Mona Lisa” and “The David,” from afar, true appreciation for these pieces can’t be attained through PowerPoint.

Illustrating this point, our class discussions last week centered on discussing frescoes painted during the Renaissance. While this topic was not particularly exciting, the fact that we were able to walk one metro stop from our school and see a Leonardo da Vinci fresco, the “Sale delle Asse” located in the Castello Sforzeco in Milan, made the lecture material truly come to life (actually not a fresco, but you get the point). It is one thing to view a picture of artwork but to truly experience it, especially in the case of a fresco like da Vinci’s that engulfs the entire room in a web and maze of intertwined branches, knots, roots, and trees, you must see it in person. This experience just further exemplifies the amazing opportunities that exist when studying in Milan and Italy in general.
Oh and just for good measure, we also viewed Michelangelo’s last sculpture as it is located in the same museum.

Location: Castello Sforzeco, Milano, Italy

THON from Abroad

For anyone looking to stay connected back at Penn State with THON, check out this link to watch live, streaming coverage of the event. There is still time to donate!

Good luck to all the dancers! Beat Cancer!

Location: Milan, Italy

Extra Gloves? Yeah…We are in the Alps

10 hours after returning from Monte Carlo at 10 P.M. on Saturday night, we left for the Italian Alps and the La Thiule ski resort as part of an IES-sponsored field trip. This opportunity to ski in the Alps was one of the main reasons why I chose to study abroad in Milan as opposed to other Italian cities. I have to say that this trip lived up to my lofty expectations as it was by far the most enjoyable trip I have taken so far. With the summit of the highest peak stretching into the sky at over 2,500 meters, I spent three days snowboarding white powder within a panorama of some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen.

As an experienced snowboarder, but someone who had never boarded outside of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

On Sunday morning, we departed from Milan around 8:30 A.M. and arrived at the very underrated La Thiule ski resort, located directly on the border of Italy and France around 11:30 A.M. This three hour bus ride offered some spectacular views of the Alps. After arriving, those who were skiing or snowboarding went directly to the ticket office and purchased lift tickets (81 euro in total for Sunday afternoon and all day Monday and Tuesday). After renting my equipment and getting dressed, I hit the slopes around 1:00 P.M.

With the resort located at the base of the mountain, the summit can not be seen from the bottom as the sizable forest on its side and the cloud cover above block the view. So, when I first got on the lift (which was 50 yards from my hotel!), I had no idea of what what the view from the top would look like. With the first lift reaching over 2,000 meters above sea level, the ride up takes you through the clouds and offers ridiculous views of the surrounding mountains. On the ride up, I was struck with the sheer enormity and size of the Alps, as well as the beauty of the alternating snow-covered and jagged peaks. Even though this initial lift offers wonderful views of the Italian Alps, it was the lowest lift at the resort and paled in comparison to the top-most summit. Here is a view from the top of the highest lift on Sunday:

For the three days I snowboarded mostly with a group of three other guys who were all experienced snowboarders or skiers. So, within the afternoon, we were able to cover the majority of the front side of the mountain. With crystal clear views and virtually no clouds in sight, we were able to truly enjoy the majesty of the spectacular scenery. Overall, the conditions were pretty good, although it was a bit icy in spots.

One of the unique things about La Thiule is its location on the border of Italy and France. At the top-most summit, you have the choice to ski on either Italian or French side and also have a view of Switzerland and the distant peak of the Matterhorn. Our hotel was located on the Italian side, but after having covered the majority of the slopes on this side on Sunday, we decided to test out the French slopes on Monday. Featuring longer, more gradual runs, this side of the mountain offered a bit of a change from the steeper, narrower trails on the Italian side. However, I have to say that the view was just as good, and probably better. The conditions on Monday were the best overall of the three days. With slightly more cloud cover, the peaks were not as visible, but it only improved the unique scenery around us:

The last day was a struggle from the very beginning, offering the most difficult conditions. When we walked outside the hotel and noticed that there was very little visibility even at this relatively low elevation, we knew we were in for an interesting day. That morning, a storm rolled in, and due to our high elevation, cloud cover completely encompassed the mountain. Taking the lift to very top, unable to even see the chair in front of us or the lifts to the side of us, we not only couldn’t see any of the amazing peaks, but couldn’t see each other from more than 15 feet away (It is usually not a good sign when the chair lift operator has to lower the seat for you to board the lift since no one else had gone that high before us). This picture was taken from 15 feet away with the same backdrop as the one from the 1st day!:

Combined with a constant heavy snowfall throughout the day, this thick cloud cover made the entire top of the mountain un-skiable. It took us around 50 minutes to get down from the top since we had to inch out way down following the orange guide poles lining the slope! Good thing we knew the run from the previous day! Even though the conditions were far from ideal, I still had a very fun day. How could i complain, I was snowboarding in the Alps after I was just on a beach in Monte Carlo two days before.

Overall this trip was awesome and definitely my favorite so far among my travels throughout Europe.

Disclaimer about the Snow Conditions:

Although skiing in the Alps is almost always portrayed as white, powder covered runs within huge jagged rocks, the conditions at La Thiule were far more reminiscent of the typical East Coast mix of powder, ice, and manufactured snow than the deep, powder-covered runs of Colorado (particularly the French side). I have no complaints about the resort, but don’t go there expecting to be skiing in conditions typical of Aspen, Vaile, or Deer Valley.

Here is view of the famous Mount Blanc from the summit:

Location: La Thiule, Italy

Monte Carlo

Beaches. Casinos. Harbors. Extravagant Yachts. Crepes. Champagne. Crystal clear water. Giant rocky cliffs surrounding and encompassing the city. A Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Maserati, or Lamborghini in every parking lot. That pretty much sums up the beautiful coastal town of Monte Carlo. On Thursday, my friends and I (7 in total) traveled by train to the tiny country of Monaco (might as well just be France) to experience the beauty and splendor of this famous coastal city.

Taking the train from the Centrale station in Milan, it took approximately 4 hours to reach our destination. Using cheap airlines EasyJet and RyanAir on my previous trips, this was my first time utilizing the European railways. I was very pleased with how punctual and easy the train system was throughout our trip. Arriving late Thursday evening in Monte Carlo, we took a taxi from the train station to our hotel / apartment (However, there is no reason to ever take a taxi in this city due to its small size). After settling into our rooms, we walked down to the casino and the harbor for dinner. Seeing this city for the first time, I was completely overwhelmed by its beauty. Reminiscent of an ancient Greek city in design, due to the fact that it is built into the side of a rock face and features rows upon rows of stone and adobe houses, I could truly see why this city has become a playground for the world’s rich and famous. From the recommendation of a friend, we went to a place called “Stars and Bars,” an American-themed sports bar, for dinner. But, even though the food was decent, I would not recommend this place to anyone traveling to Monte Carlo due its overpriced menu and extremely small portions.

During the day on Friday, we decided to walk around the city and saw all of the sights. After leaving our hotel, we walked down to the harbor and ate lunch under the sun, surrounded by multimillion dollar yachts (complete with one or multiple hot tubs on each one!) Then, we continued our walk around the harbor and headed to the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. While it was basically just a typical aquarium, with the main difference being its emphasis on Mediterranean fish and marine history, it was worth the 7 euro entrance fee (remember your student ID to get the discounted price!). After the aquarium, we walked up a giant series of steps (I really don’t understand the French love of stairs) to reach the Prince’s Palace. Fun Fact: Still arranged as a constitutional monarchy, Monaco has a sitting prince located in Monte Carlo. Although we were a bit unfortunate that there was currently construction on the palace, its architecture and the view of the city it offered was still impressive. After walking around the city for a few more more hours, we decided to make dinner and head to the famous Monte Carlo Casino.

The Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most impressive pieces of architecture that I have seen so far in Europe. Located in front of this grand structure are several marble fountains and bridges, as well as hundreds of imported flowers, palm trees, and cacti.

From first setting foot in this casino, it is quite obvious that you are not entering some cheesy Las Vegas establishment complete with flashing lights and loud bells and whistles. Instead, the inside resembles a elegant, royal banquet hall, the waiters all wear tuxedos, soft classical music is played in the background, and jackets are required for men. Requiring a ten euro entrance fee, and with the cheapest blackjack table featuring a 25 euro minimum bet, it is quite evident that the regulars here are loaded. With patrons such as Jay-Z and Beyonce, according to a waiter we spoke to, some serious money is dropped here nightly and it is no surprise that this location wass chosen for the filming of Casino Royale (there are even the 500,000 euro chips featured in the movie!). While playing roulette, since the minimum bet was only 5 euro a game, a man walked up next to me and dropped $4,000 on a single spin and walked away since he was playing 3 tables simultaneously at that amount! Before we could lose too much money, we left after spending about an hour walking around and gambling.

On Saturday, since we had yet to actually see the beach, we walked down from our hotel to the water. Although the water was freezing, the view was incredible and the weather was gorgeous.

After eating our obligatory crepes and French pastries, we got on the train and headed back to Milan. Overall, I had a great time in Monte Carlo and would recommend this trip to anyone studying within a reasonable distance of this city. Featuring breath-taking views and beautiful weather, it is a great weekend trip option. However, I would not plan on spending more than 2 days at this location because you will run out of sights to see or things to do.

Travel Tips:

For anyone looking for a painless way to reach relatively close destinations, I recommend taking a train. Costing only 60 euro round-trip, the train was surprisingly comfortable and easy to understand the necessary transfers. However, for further trips, not only does the train take away valuable time that could be spent at your intended destination (especially week end trips), but is very pricey. Also, unless the train leaves very infrequently for your destination, simply purchase the a one-way ticket before your departure and a one-way ticket before coming back. Not only is there no monetary advantage to buying in advance, but the ticket is not refundable if for some reason you can’t make it at that time.

Also, when traveling in groups, it is not always necessary to stay in hostels in order to save money. For this trip, we managed to book an apartment for the weekend at the cost of only 250 euro in total for all seven people (approximately 35 euro per person). Our apartment had two bedrooms with two beds each, two couches, two pull-out beds, a very spacious living room, and a complimentary cleaning service. It also contained a kitchen complete with an oven, stove, refrigerator, freezer, and a complete array of cooking utensils. So not only were we able to stay in relative luxury for both nights, but cooked our own dinner on Friday night to avoid paying the outrageous prices in this incredibly expensive city.

Oh, and i just couldn’t resist when seeing a black Aston Martin outside the Monte Carlo Casino:

Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Intensive Italian Recap and Class Registration

For any student studying abroad through the IES: Milan program, the first 3 weeks of classes consist of what is known as the “Intensive Italian” program. Upon arriving in Milan, students are assigned to Italian classes of various levels, either 100 (for those who have little or no Italian experience), 150 (1-2 years experience), 200 (3-4 years experience), or 300/350 (advanced), based on a test completed as part of your application. Each Italian class counts as 6 credits. Although, if you have never taken Italian before, you are not required to take this test. Also, if you don’t agree with what level you were assigned to, you can speak to one of the academic counselors and change classes. Since I had never taken an Italian class in my life, I was assigned to Italian 100.

The first 2 weeks of the “Intensive Italian” program includes 2.5 hour classes 5 days a week, from 9 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. A quiz is also given on each Friday. The classes aren’t particularly bad since at 10:30, each class stops for a 15 minute break. In true Italian fashion, nearly every student goes across the street to a bar (a cafe in Italy) to get espresso, cappuccino, lattes, or brioches (basically flavored croissants). The last week consists of 3 hour classes every day and a final exam on Friday. While three hour classes seem dreadful when looking at them initially, it is not hard to make it through when it is your only class for the day and you are done at noon!

In summary, Italian class so far has been very manageable. Even though I am not a “language person,” I have done well on each homework assignment and quiz/test. I actually look forward to my Italian class each day since it allows me to better communicate on a daily basis with people throughout the city.

During the second week of classes, IES students register for the rest of their classes for the duration of the semester. Since I crafted my schedule at Penn State to allow me to fulfill my general education credits while studying in Italy, I scheduled 3 classes (3 credits each) in addition to my Italian class, for a total of 15 credits this semester. After having attended each of my classes this week, here is a synopsis of my courses and what requirements they fulfill at Penn State:

AH 340 Cracking the Code: Leonardo da Vinci and Renaissance Art in Milan, 1400-1500 (Counts as GA and GAU)

This class is an introduction to the history of Renaissance art, especially focusing on the city of Milan and its famous citizen, Leonardo da Vinci. Exploring his impact on the city and his accomplishments while he lived in Milan, this class explores the history of da Vinci and his artistic, social, and cultural impact. This is a more hands-on art class as it features numerous field trips through the city to visit some of his famous works like The Last Supper, his fresco ceiling at the Castello Sforzesco, and his Codice Atlanticus at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. We are also required to take an original da Vinci discovery or breakthrough and come up with a way that this idea could be enhanced in the modern age for our final project.

PO 342 The EU and the Process of European Integration (Counts as GS and GAU)

This course explores the process of European integration and its cultural, social, economic, and political causes and effects. Serving as an introductory political science class, this class gives an understanding of the institutional organization, advancement, and relationship of the EU with nations such as the United States, Russia, and China. Due to the current monetary concerns facing the EU with the Euro and the constantly shifting cultural landscape of Europe, I think this will be a fun class to get a better understanding of European politics and government.

FS 335 Filmmaking in Milan: Discovering the City through Italian Cinema (Counts as GA and GAU)

Designed to allow students to discover Italian culture, customs, and life through cinema and filmmaking, this class is a hands-on cinema class that allows students to write, produce, act in, and edit their own movies. This course allows students to learn about the production of movies and well as become technically competent in shooting and editing. Featuring interactions with native Italians throughout the city and screenings of historically an culturally significant Italian films, this class should be a fun way to creatively understand Milan and Italy.

Look next week for a recap of my upcoming weekend, featuring 2 days in Monaco and a 3 day ski-trip in the Alps!

Location: Milano, Italy

Super Bowl in Milan

When I left for Italy, one of my more minor concerns about spending a semester abroad in Europe was possibly missing out on a great American holiday, the Super Bowl. Each year, every red-blooded American tunes in to watch the ultimate in event in American sports. Whether your favorite team is involved or not, it is almost sacrilegious as an American to not watch this great spectacle. I was particularly concerned because my hometown Steelers were headed to playoffs and a possible trip in Dallas in February. However, for anyone studying abroad in Milan, have no fear as several places in the city showed the game (If you are staying in Rome, there is an entire Steelers Bar!)

Fiori Oscuri and Bar Magenta both hosted large Super Bowl parties so that Americans in Milan could still experience the game. My roommates, friends, and I went to Fiori Oscuri, a sports bar owned and operated by an American from Texas who has lived in Italy for 18 years, and watched the game with fellow college students studying in Milan, as well as ex-pats living in the city. With perhaps the most cliche American menu ever, (4 options: Cheeseburger, 2 Hot Dogs, Chicken Strips, or Chicken Quesadilla, each served with fries) it was like watching the game in America. The only downside was that we were not able watch any of the famous Super Bowl commercials, since the broadcast we got included analysis of the game during each commercial break.

Even though I was disappointed in the result, I had a great time watching the game. Its really true when they say that Steelers fans are everywhere as a good portion of the bar was filled with Pittsburgh fans from back in the States. I even met 3 Americans from Pittsburgh who now live in Milan. One woman actually participated in the exact same IES study abroad program 9 years ago and has lived in Milan for the past 2 years. Small world.

Here is picture of one of my good friends in the program and I showing off our Steelers Pride:

Gotta give a shout out to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Great game. Classy guy and classy organization. As far the Steelers are concerned, the “Stairway to Seven” continues.

Location: Fiori Oscuri, 4, Milano, Italy

The City of Lights

Bonjour!

After having already ventured to London, I decided to continue my travels this past weekend in France. Since my roommates and friends wanted to stay in Milan this weekend, I decided to go by myself to Paris. Leaving Milan and arriving in Paris on Friday evening, I spent a little over one day in this beautiful city.

Since I had an exam in my Italian class on Friday and the only reasonably priced flight leaving Paris was at 8:00 am on Sunday, I was only able to spend a day sightseeing in Paris. But, due an excellent metro system in the city and some prior planning, I was able to basically cover all that there is to see in one day.

Here is a quick recap of my eventful day in Paris:

Waking up at 5:30 on Saturday morning, I began my day by walking from my hostel to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur. Demanding an impressive 222 step climb from the bottom of the hill (or a convenient tram), this church is really one of the most underrated attractions in the entire city. I found this site more impressive than its celebrated Catholic counterpart, the Notre Dame Cathedral, due to the understated manner through which its impressive history and art is displayed. The only downside of my visit to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur was that I arrived at the site while it was still dark and was unable to get any pictures of the impressive view of the Paris skyline from the cathedral steps. Also, unfortunately, pictures are not allowed to be taken inside.

My next stop was the famous Louvre. Even though I am not the biggest art fan, it was difficult to not be amazed at the breathtaking paintings, sculptures, and general architecture of the museum. I spent a solid 2 hours of my day walking through the museum, but several days and even weeks could be spent there without even coming close to seeing all of the artwork. I definitely recommend this site to anyone, art lover or not. The amount of history in this place is absolutely incredible!
After leaving the Louvre, I went to the Bastille. Due the historical importance that this prison served during the French Revolution, I though it was a sight that had to be seen; however, its modern state leaves a lot to be desired. The original prison has been taken down and is simply marked with a large monument noting its existence. I would not recommend taking the time to visit this site if you only have limited time in the city.

My next destination was the Notre Dame Cathedral. The original, unique, and masterful architecture of this building (including the famous gargoyles) is worth the trip as it lived up to its billing as one of the top tourist attractions in Paris. Even though the inside does not share the same historical authenticity as the Basilique du Sacre Ocoeur (it seriously has a gift shop inside and a machine where commemorative coins can be bought) and is much more crowded, it is still a practicing Catholic church and is very beautiful inside. However, I was disappointed that I was unable to reach the top of this cathedral since the line was over 2 hrs long.

The next stop on my agenda was the Palace at Versailles, the famous chateau and former home to French royal family before the French Revolution. The sheer size and audacity of everything there was breathtaking. From gardens and reflection pools that stretched over 10 football fields in 3 directions to entire rooms lined with gold to marble hallways lined with statues of France’s most important figures, Versailles was one of my favorite spots in Paris. Although it can’t be reached using the normal metro system (you need to buy a train ticket at either the Notre Dame or Eiffel Tower stations), it is worth the 30 min trip out into the Paris suburbs. The size and beauty of this building truly needs to be seen in-person to be appreciated.

Almost at the end of my day, I left Versailles and headed to the Eiffel Tower. After taking some pictures, I took the elevator up to the second level and enjoyed the incredible birds-eye view of the city. The Eiffel Tower is once again a site that lived up to its reputation. It is an incredible structure and should be seen by every person that gets to Paris. After spending nearly 30 minutes on the second level taking in the view of the city, I was sufficiently frozen and decided to head down.

Concluding my day, I left the Eiffel Tower and went to the Arc du Triomphe and the famed Champs Elysees. Illuminated by the bright city lights, this monument was another impressive example of French architecture. After taking a few pictures, I walked down the street past the hundreds of designer stores and ate some delicious French pastries. La Duree, a famous French pastry shop, was recommended to me, and I have to say that it was worth the high prices and long wait. If you go to Paris, go to La Duree. You won’t regret it.

On my way back to my hostel, I decided to stop by the Eiffel Tower and see the “light show” before going to sleep for the evening. It a pretty cool sight and worth the stop. Here is a sample of what it looks like in person:

Overall, I had a great trip to Paris and was pleasantly surprised by how nice the French people were throughout my trip. As an American, I was expecting some hostility, but was extremely happy to find them very helpful.

Location: Paris, France

Cheerio, Chaps!

For our second weekend in Italy, eight of us decided to venture to the U.K. to explore all that London, England has to offer. Leaving Thursday evening and flying from Milan Malpensa to Gatwick (London), we spent two days and three nights in the “Big Smoke.”

Some travel advice for future study abroad students:

1.) EasyJet and RyanAir are the two most popular low-cost airlines utilized by international students in Italy and most of Europe. We used EasyJet for our flight and were able to get 8 round-trip tickets for approximately 80 euros/person. Although these airlines are often criticized for inefficiencies and excessive delays and cancellations, I have no complaints.

2.) Be sure to print boarding passes online. This saves a ton of time since EasyJet does not give passengers seats anyway (first come, first serve seating).

Friday:

On our first day in London, we decided to complete the quintessential “tourist” experience. This included taking a Double-Decker bus tour; seeing Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and the Globe Theatre; taking a river cruise on the Thames River; and eating both “fish and chips” and England’s famous pies. Although many of these activities are “cliche” and done by almost our tourists in London, they are definitely worth while and the bus tour is an extremely easy and convenient way to see the city for only 26 pounds.

Saturday:

For our second day in London, our group split in half. Since the famous English football club Arsenal was playing a match at home against Wigan, the guys spent the morning in Arsenal taking in the pregame scene and visiting a pub dedicated solely to the support of this team. Walking through the streets, visiting street vendors selling various club apparel, and eating traditional pregame meals of sausage, chips (fries), and hot dogs, it was clearly evident that the passion of English soccer fans is unmatched by any other sports fans, save perhaps those of college football in the United States. Two of my friends, lifelong Arsenal supporters, purchased tickets outside of the stadium and watched a 3-0 Arsenal win. Myself and another friend chose to further explore the city, including the All England Lawn and Tennis Club (Wimbledon). The girls chose instead to have afternoon tea at Harrod’s and spend the day shopping.

Overall, London was a great city to visit and I had a great time exploring this iconic European site. Although expensive (the exchange rate was 1.62 pounds / $1!) London was a great first trip that allowed us to experience travel throughout Europe while still having the comfort of understanding the language.

Some interesting/odd English words:

Tube = subway
Bangers and mash = sausage and potatoes
Full English breakfast = heart attack

Location: 42 Princes Sqaure, London, England

Blackout!

Tonight, we experienced our first “blackout!” Some background information on this problem: In European establishments, running 2 or more major appliances (i.e. oven, dishwasher, washer/dryer, hair dryer, etc.) at the same time results in the immediate loss of electricity. In order to restore power, all devices using electricity at the time of the “blackout,” must be turned off and all appliances and power chargers must be unplugged.

Midway through making our dinner this evening, my roommates and four girls who had come over for dinner, realized that we did not have any clean plates or silverware. So, we decided to run the dishwasher since we didn’t have enough space available to clean them by hand. Unfortunately, we forgot that we already had the oven running. So, immediately upon starting the dishwasher, we lost all power to the apartment. Eight of us were now standing in our now pitch-black kitchen trying to figure out how to restore power to our place while out partially cooked food sat on the stove and in the oven.

After roaming through the apartment turning switches on and off and unplugging appliances and power chargers, we were still unable to turn the power back on. Since the gas on the stove still worked, we tried to light the burners using matches (since we couldn’t create the spark otherwise without electricity), but we couldn’t get our matches to light. So, we then searched the entire building for the secondary fuse box that could turn our power back on. Reluctantly, we knocked on our neighbor’s door, even though it is considered rude to do so in the evening in Italy. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we live next to a nice, old lady who helped us find the fuse box on the ground floor of our building.

After an hour of searching for anyway to turn power back on, and even considering going and purchasing candles and eating the mostly cooked pasta by candlelight, we were able to salvage the meal (and even somehow get a cork stuck in our wine bottle!)

Location: Via P.S. Mancini, 4, Milano, Italy

Interesting/Entertaining Weekly Notes and Tips

Interesting notes of the week:

Both wine and beer are served in the cafeteria at my school.
I know that I will never be shopping anywhere near the “Golden Sqaure” (Armani, Gucci, Chanel, Versace, Prada) I draw the line when you have to make an appointment to just get in the store!
The historic district of Milan (with the famous Duomo) is beautiful and has just about every type of shop you can possibly want in the surrounding area.
Ordering coffee in Italy does not entail receiving a large cup of brewed coffee and adding cream and sugar. Instead ordering “cafe” means receiving an overpriced miniature tea cup of espresso.
Just sitting in a cab costs 6.20 euro!
Saw AC Milan Superstar Alexandre Pato!
Heard techno remixes of both “Wonderwall” by Oasis and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.

For your entertainment:

Since our apartment initially had no water pressure, our landlord came to fix the pipes on Wednesday evening. As my roommates and I were sitting in my room discussing what to do for dinner, we heard cries of “Help me! Help me!” coming from the bathroom. We walk out of the room to find water gushing out of the shower faucet and the landlord (dressed in a button-down shirt, a nice sweater, and slacks) drenched in water. As water is literally flooding our apartment, he grabs the dustpan and starts shoveling water into the shower. All the while we are standing there laughing while he is battling the shower. Finally, it dawns on him to shut off the water before trying to get rid of the water on the floor. Once we finally get the water dried up, we offer the guy dry clothes and a towel. He refuses, grabs his briefcase and leaves are apartment drenched in water. You could hear his shoes squishing the entire way down the stairs. Oh and we still have no hot water in our apartment!