my first week (or so)

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So far, my time has been taken up by going to Alberto's office on weekdays, coming home to eat at 19.00, then having my 30th cup of coffee for the day, which is basically a true estimate. After that I have just been doing a couple of things around the house and going to bed, I dont think I am totally on Milanese time yet. I did go out with Mark (Fuller) the second night I was here, we went with Mark's friends to a party for students from the top fashion school in Milan, everyone was dressed way to nicely. We went with two of his American friends, a Puerto Rican (which I guess is American too) and his Italian roommate. Tonight (January 31) I am venturing out into the city for the second time. This time we are going to go somewhere closer to where I live in Milan centro.

Last weekend I slept all day Saturday and on Sunday I walked around the Duomo area (only a couple of blocks from my apartment). I bought some cold weather clothes like a jacket and scarf since I did not have the proper clothing when I came. This weekend I want to try and walk around the city more than I was able to last weekend and this time I will do it on Saturday, since almost everything is closed on Sunday. A couple of days ago I went to the big electronics store at the mall and got a GSM phone. It was pretty cheap and now I can use it whenever I travel outside of the U.S. since my normal phone doesnt work anywhere but in the states.

The weather has been interesting, for the most part it has been warm for Milano during the winter, but it did snow the second night I was here. Today the cold came and as my pictures hopefully show, the fog rolled in too. I couldn't even see 20 meters away from my office window.

Alberto's office is interesting, I am in an office with two other workers, Betty and Stephano. Basically all day they talk to each other in Italian and I try to understand what they are saying (much of the time to no avail). They are both really nice and do speak to me in English, however when talking to each other they speak in Italian, which is to be expected. They said I cannot learn Italian, because when/if I can understand all that they are saying I will know all of the bad things they are saying about their coworkers while gossiping. I do know that Christiano, who I had contact with yesterday, is full of himself and thinks he can speak English really well. I think he did alright for himself, but Stephano and Betty keep saying they want me to go talk to him again and say I have something important to talk to him about that is a very complex topic, and they will listen in and laugh.

Well I think that is all I can think of from the first week.
Ciao ciao,
Taylor

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Photos

No cars
That afternoon no cars were allowed on the streets because of a pollution advisory

Strange decoration
THis is hanging in the place I eat lunch every day. Why is it there?

Comments

[Lora]

Good Times
Sounds like you are busy but having a good time. Keep us posted back here in the states. :) I've always wanted to say that!