First Day!

After three flights, many a layover, much worrying, a sleepless night, and not a single hitch, I am safe and sound in my dorm room at Residenza Arcobaleno! At the Paris airport, I met two fellow Bocconi ex-pats. Two Minnesota farm boys with straight-up duck boots and flannels on, who had no idea how to get to the res hall. With them following me like a bright blonde beacon, I led them to a car service I had previously researched about, where we arrived in style for about the same price as a nasty cab would have been. Even though we didnt know the exact address, and the driver, Bruno, didnt speak much English, everyone was warm, welcoming, and understanding.

It is about a 20-30 minute metro ride to campus, but I will get plenty of practice with the commute this coming week before classes begin. A plus side is I certainly will not be figuring it out on my own since everyone else staying in the three-story former-hotel we call home is taking the Italian crash course with me! I will get to know lots of people and hopefully make lots of friends!

My room is large and airy, with big French doors leading to a balcony. Also, a wardrobe, a three-by-four bookcase, a desk with matching chair and set of drawers, and a shelving unit along the length of my bed, make it really look like it came straight from an Ikea catalog. My jewelry and scarves lined up, AdLib banner, purple starry wrap, Harley leather jacket, allidile, and old book collection make it unmistakably mine. 

The dorm is just outside of Milan, in the middle of many other "super-condos" and apartment buildings. There isn't much in terms of restaurants, but there are plenty of "bars," what the Italians call cafés/convenience stores. I found a good one that is on the way to the train stop. Hopefully the crash course will help me order in Italian instead of getting it mixed up with French.

My roommate, Grace, is a sweet Korean-American girl from Berkeley California! Her good friend, Jill, is a bubbly and charming girl on a mission to get pizza. Together we all went grocery shopping at the big supermarket down the street, and you all will be pleased to hear I picked up breakfast for the week, my favorite fruits, sandwich-makings, and a week's worth of pasta/soup dinners, along with a small pot and some (required) reusable bags, for only 25 euros! Pictures of my home-made burro and mozzarella roll-sandwiches will be sure to follow.

Tomorrow I will see campus for the first time, and I can't wait! I am hoping it will continue to bolster my hopes that maybe I can figure out what I am doing. I also have the class on Saturday, so it is unlikely that I will be fully settled in until Monday, or later.

I need to pick up the following: slippers, extra pillow, washcloth, cheap silverware, a new adapter (the one I brought didnt have third prong for my laptop, thank goodness Grace saved the day!), laundry soap, pens & pencils, notebooks, index cards, and a coffee mug & tea (good for calming the nerves, said in a downton abbey voice).

I am about to have a (hopefully) hot shower, talk to my boy, and get on a normal sleep schedule again.

I love you all!! Thank you everyone for being so so supportive, and believing in me every step of the way! Even when I doubt myself, you never do.