Domani gia' qui

Ciao Tutti!

So...organizing pictures on this thing in an aesthetically pleasing manner is really quite difficult - so the pictures aren't arranged in the best way...but you'll just have to deal with that : )

This past Saturday I explored the inside of the Duomo, saw in the crypt of Borromeo as well as the ancient Christian Baptistery beneath the foundations of the church. Pretty sweet stuff. Then, we climbed to the top! It was a beautiful day with a clear blue sky so we could see the Alps! Bellissima!

Oh! I almost forgot about a wonderful piece of Milanese deliciousness: panzerotti. It's pretty much your everday calzone, only fried. You'll see below me munching on a panzerotto alla pomodoro e mozzarella, but the other day ho provato una alla prosciutto e mozzarella, anche. Squisiti!


It's been pretty hot and muggy in the city lately, so my friends and I took a day trip to Lago di Como for some cool, relaxation time. It really was absolutely gorgeous. My friends and I opted for taking a ferry to a town a bit off the beaten path (Torno) where there hardly any tourists at all. We enjoyed a brief passagiatta around this seaside town, then enjoyed panini for lunch. I had an AMAZING panino alla prosciutto crudo, rucola, e crescenza (Bunnells, remember that cheese from last Thanksgiving?) on a freshly baked, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside roll. Really a wonderful day. One thing I noticed about this trip is that Italians can be rather cold or stand-offish when people speak English to them, but in contrast they become so much more friendly and happy when you try to speak Italian - even if your Italian is absolutely terrible! I don't know, as simple as it sounds, I'm realizing more and more everyday how important it is to respect other people's culture. Sailboats, seagulls, cool breezes, rustic and eleagant ville...Lago di Como was really quite a beautiful place.








Though my weekend was absolutely wonderful, carefree, and relaxing, this past week was a bit more characteristic of the more negative aspects of Italian culture. I woke up Monday morning to find my phone charger split in half and partially incinerated from some sort of electrical shortage...? Who knows? That was the mark beginning of the many adventures I had attempting to solve rather simple problems, including:

-Setting up a doctor's appointment with a man who does not speak very much English and trying to explain that I cannot miss class or else the professor will dock my grade with my limited Italian.
-Trying to find a store where I can purchase a phone or a phone charger. There are no electrical department stores (or none that I know of) like in the US. And it's very difficult to search for them on google map or online. How does one find one? Well, you just have to know. : )
-Realizing that the Last Supper isn't actually near Santa Maria delle Grazie, but at Santa Maria Presso San Satiro. Oops! Wrong Santa Maria!
-Trying to explain to the Collegio repairmen that my friend's window shutters were broken. I know now that the correct word is "Tapparelle."
-Warding off pick-pockets with the few Italian phrases and hand-gestures that I know. Haven't gotten pick-pocketed yet!

Well, I will be going out for appertivi tonight with some friends and this weekend I'll be hiking the Cinque Terre! Sono molto emocionata!

A presto,
Lauren