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Published: August 31st 2014
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My first night here, Thursday, I tried to go get dinner at some of the restaurants suggested by the HR office, around 5 PM, only to find that both were closed until 6 or 7. Fortunately, a small cafe across from the second restaurant I tried was open. I had some delicious pasta with pesto, and was given directions to the supermarket for some groceries (bread, cheese, prosciutto, wine, and a few other less important items.) While I was not too pleased with the prosciutto, the bread and cheese were ridiculously tasty, as expected. And the wine, for how little I spent on it it and how little I know wine, was also exceptional.
On Friday I got a tour of the institute - very small, you can traverse it in ~1 minute - and was shown to my lab by the lady in HR that has been helping me. The lab manager took over from there. I was shown to my bench and desk, and met most of the lab members: all very friendly, and many speak just as little (some even less) Italian as I do! Made me feel better about slacking off in my Italian
practice the past month. I got some basic lab supplies, but will get the bulk of it when my PI returns to the lab on Monday and signs some forms. I went to lunch with 6 guys from lab and got to learn a bit about them as well as the lab. They talked about how they went out the night before, and it sounds like I'll fit in just fine. Their answer to what they do in their free time was a unanimous "what free time?" A bit daunting, but I am sure once I get into it I won't have a problem giving up my free time to do some good science. I forgot to take any pictures these two days, unfortunately, but there's plenty of time for that.
Saturday and Sunday I had to myself! I spent most of Saturday exploring the city. My institute is about 2 miles south of the city. There is public transit (tram and subway) to get almost anywhere, and one tram line stops within a 5 minute walk from the institute and ends a 1 minute walk from the center of the city. Rather than take the tram
for my first venture into the city I decided to walk to better take in my surrounding area, explore a bit more freely, and to take some pictures. Not far from IFOM there is a sort of "urban jungle," (first and second pictures). Obviously it is/was used for trains, but I am not sure what the rest of it is for if anything! There are several 24 hour vending machine locations in the city, I couldn't have looked more like a tourist than I did when taking pictures of one (third picture). I walked by countless restaurants on the way there advertising many ethnic foods, and of course a ton of pizza. I refrained from taking pictures of most, but couldn't help taking a picture of some of the most delicious looking pizza I had ever seen (fourth picture), unfortunately I had just ate before beginning my walk so I was not yet hungry. After about an hour I got to the center of the city - the Duomo.
The Duomo is a giant, amazing, and beautiful cathedral. Most Italian cities are built around a central church, and Milan is no exception. The city radiates out from the Duomo,
with the nicest/most expensive/most touristy locations directly adjacent to the building. I decided to get shopping done rather than my touristy duties done that day, as I was advised to visit the Duomo and sit on the terrace on a bright sunshiny day, and today (that day) was not that day! I did get some pictures infront of the Duomo (fifth, sixth, and seventh pictures.) By this time, I needed fuel and some relief.
As the title suggests, shit is done differently in Europe: there are no public bathrooms. I decided to wait till I found a place to sit down for pizza to figure out that issue. I finally found a place after walking past tons of gelato and souvenir shops, and a few McDonalds. Shortly after I sat down and got my pizza (eighth picture), a drunk Italian guy named Lucio sat down next to me. His english was quite good despite him not natively speaking language, and being drunk. He gave me a few pieces of sage advice throughout our conversation. He insisted on buying me a beer, and when I said I would gladly pay for it he said "Money no answer. Money only problem.
I no need problem." and staggered inside to get me a beer. He came back out and talked of his days as a Sailor (I think in the military?) and of traveling all around the Atlantic Ocean. He teared up as he related to me a tragic story that occurred in Somalia during his days in the military, and said "If fight, you lose. There is no win." Although I would have loved to spend more time with him, we had now gone through the same conversation in its entirety twice and I still had much that I wanted to do. I took a picture with my new friend (ninth picture) and went on my way.
I got some shopping and people watching done (which took several hours), and now hopefully when I go out people won't immediately speak to me in English and assume I am a tourist! I took a tram back to the institute (tenth picture) and called it a day.
I had ambitions of actually going inside the Duomo on Sunday, but the forecast said rain and I was advised to go only if it was a clear sunny day
so I could enjoy sitting on the terrace at the top. I stayed around the institute, got some more groceries, wrote all these blog entries, and mentally prepared for the upcoming week: beginning research and getting my tax code so I can get a bank account, begin house hunting, and get into the health care system.
Till next time,
Ciao!!
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