Semester 1...Done.

This post has been a long time coming but I have a lot happening so thank you for baring with me. 

For a while, nothing was really happening with my life exciting enough to blog about...I was going about my day to day student life in Bologna.

I knew I was going to wait until after my trip to Amsterdam to blog again, and here we are. 

I was so excited to go to Amsterdam, I have been before, and adored it. Having friends there this time would mean I could not worry about seeing all the sights and just spend time with them having fun, and oh boy, did we have a lot of that.

I'm going to insert several pictures because I know how text-heavy blog posts can be boring. We managed to pack a lot into those 5 days. A few of my highlights were ice skating outside the Rijksmuseum (and not falling over), space cakes, the Anne Frank house, NEMO science museum, vlogging, laughing - a lot, eating - a lot, losing two tram passes (despite being someone who neve loses anything), consuming an insane amount of cheese from the Dutch in a random bar, intense facebook stalking and generally spending time with amazing friends. 

The other thing I can update you on is 'Vlogmas'. This was a project I embarked upon at the beginning of December. I wanted to do something fun, and every year I watch these videos on YouTube. It is a phenomenon (if that's the word you would use?) whereby people in their thousands take to the internet and 'vlog' their daily lives. Just carrying a camera (in my case, my iPhone) around with you from the 1st-25th December and capturing anything that might be worthy and that you would like to remember. It's a great chance for my friends and family at home to see what my life and surroundings are like here, as well as a way for us to be able to look back and remember a part of our Erasmus journey more clearly. I will be sad when it's over but as much as I've developed on iMovie, I will be happy to not have to edit and upload everyday.

Just a very quick shout out to the BEST lecturer in the world, Prof. Ascari..genuinely a legend. 

I guess this blog post also means the end of Semester 1 of Erasmus as I go home tomorrow (thank god). I have made some wonderful friends from across the World and made memories I will never forget. I'm really sad to say Goodbye to them, especially those of you who are not returning for a second semester. I don't believe the hype of Erasmus lives up to all you are told, there are definitely down days but overall I have loved most of these last 3 months. There are so many highlights, here are a few. 

Progressing in learning a new language

'The colony'

Making friends with people from France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, America, Austria, Netherlands etc

Venice

Verona

Gelato (all year round - last week in fact)

Cheap and unlimited pasta

Gigantic fresh pizza slices for €1.50

Italian dogs

Riding the bus for free

Acquiring a coffee addiction

Brioche con Zucchero 

My housemates

Surviving 3 months of Italian roads

Cheese/Prosciutto

Il Rosso

Brachetto

Meals at Chris and Vicki's 

Teaching Italians 'ring of fire'

Italian Christmas celebrations

There are so many more but it's difficult to remember and summarise an entire 3 months. 

Whilst it truly has been incredible, I am so ready to go home. Back to English food, English supermarkets, My bed, My cats, and my friends of family (not in order of importance obviously).

Finally, well done everyone for surviving the end of the world.

Buon Natale
<3 

an 'urgh' week..

I keep picturing that chart from the Erasmus information lectures, the highs followed by the huge dip, illustrated in line graph form. I'm not in the 'big dip', apparently we have that to look forwards to in March, but it definitely is a roller-coaster. 
This week has been a bit 'blahhhhh' that's the only way I can describe it. I had the stress relating to my presentation at the beginning of the week, which thankfully went relatively well, less people were in the class than usual which relieved the nerves slightly.

Secondly, and I won't go into detail incase said person doesn't want the world to know, but let's say, within our group from Leicester in Bologna, there is now a 50% crime rate. 3 out of 6 of us have been the victims of theft. I am well aware Italy is dangerous and perhaps well known for this, but we are sensible people, and not one of the crimes have been as a result of our carelessness, I guess it is just bad luck but it's not a great feeling when you can't feel safe in your 'home' for the year. 

Maybe I'm feeling like this because I am sick of the food situation here. I love the restaurants and eating authentic Italian food, but on an Erasmus budget that is just not possible all year round. Anyway, I hate bringing negativity into the world and sounding like a moaner but imagine, for an entire year, your biggest supermarket being the size of a co-op in England. Imagine it doesn't really sell meat, unless it is extremely overpriced compared to England. They have half a co-op sized aisle for frozen foods and unless it's tuna, pretty much no tinned food.

I have basically eaten pasta, pizza or potatoes every day since being here and whilst when I first arrived, this was one of the things I was most looking forward to, it is now the bane of my life. I dread meal times and people who know me, know that I need to have a happy belly to be a happy person haha (and on this diet, that belly is growing..fast).

I already know you're all thinking 'stop moaning! You're in Italy' but after a while I guess when the novelty wares off, it's still a place to live and these little (im)practicalities can be of great annoyance.

I would hate to leave this weeks' post on a negative note and I promise it's not all bad, so I want to leave you with some things I am happy about and thankful for (in honour of it having been Thanksgiving this week).

1) Getting to know my American housemates better. Most of you know, I am obsessed with America, I love the accents, the food, the culture, everything - and visiting New York is at the top of my 'Bucket List' so getting to hear and learn somethings about America has been really interesting to me (especially sitting in the kitchen until 3am trying to do accents haha)

2) My Leicester friends here in Bologna, I always say this but I really wouldn't be able to enjoy this experience half as much without them. It feels like I've known them forever and they really do feel like family now. (I know more about SOME of them than any one else I know..wink wink).

3) I am thankful for One Direction, and their new album - haha. It really does make me happy.

4) This video...was just on my facebook timeline because a friend liked it, it was uploaded by someone I don't actually know but watching this has made me SO happy, and therefore I think this video is the best place to leave it this week. 

Ciao. 

Procrastination

I'm doubting my choice of using the 'procrastination' title so early on as I know there are going to be so many more posts soon where that is the sole reason for them. But yes, I am procrastinating and I need a break from the slow death that is producing a presentation and essay on Mrs. Dalloway.

As always, this week has flown. But I do have some updates (Hoorahh!)

This week, I went on an ESN (Erasmus Student Network) trip and climbed one of the towers in Bologna, whilst it was potentially one of the scariest experiences ever due to the hundreds of crooked narrow wooden steps we had to climb, the view at the top was completely worth it. Unfortunately the light was rapidly decreasing as we got up there so the pictures aren't amazing quality but trust me, the views were breathtaking and it's one of those moments where you think 'Shit, I'm actually here'. The fact that we were greeted on the way down by traditional thick Italian hot chocolate and a chocolate buffet made the backwards climb down 280 steps even more worth it!

You will observe I have talked a lot about chocolate in that last sentence. This is because this week in Bologna has been the infamous 'Chocolate Festival'. Perhaps one of the most incredible things I have ever seen, tent after tent of chocolate, liquid, solid, white, milk, dark, with nuts, fruit, shaped like shoes, tools, on top of strawberries...just chocolate in any way you can imagine. It's free to walk around and considering the quality, it's pretty reasonably priced. I won't even indulge you with how much I have eaten but I'll insert some pictures here so you can see the magical-ness of it (and yes, EVERYTHING is edible chocolate!)

Also this week I have some more exciting news. I have booked flights in December to take a trip to Amsterdam! As some of you know, I have some very special friends (Alex and Sophie) on a year abroad there at the moment and knowing that another one of my wonderful friends (Emma) was visiting them, how could I pass up the opportunity to join! I am beyond excited about this trip for many reasons, for one, I haven't seen all 3 of them for months and miss them LOTS, secondly I love Amsterdam. I have been once before and fell in love with everything there. Thirdly, it will almost be Christmas. This means it will be decorated with sparkling decorations and have that cosy festive feel that I adore so much. 

(Picture, of course stolen from Google Images)

Whilst I'm loving Italy of course, at the moment, I'm wishing I was home a little, my next trip away isn't until 13th December so I have a month with not a lot happening. I'm sick of not having proper meals, I'm missing English food SO much, my friends, boyfriend and niece especially (yeah okay Mum, I guess you too haha - I know you're reading!) I miss all my nail polish, make-up, beauty products and other clothes I have left at home and just that feeling you can't get anywhere else. 

The fact that the work is piling up here, and I have a big, looming presentation around the corner makes me want to run away from it. But I can't run away forever and I guess I have to face it head on and before I know it I will be at home wishing I was back. 

Ciao. 

Romeo, Romeo...

Another delayed blog post...I have finally come to the conclusion that one a week just is not possible. 

I'm a year older since my last blog post and apparently a year wiser but I haven't noticed any changes just quite yet. Now the grand age of 22 'Ventidue'. 

I've been thinking about life and all that big scary stuff that comes with those musings. Yes, I am well aware I am being melodramatic and 22 is not old, yet I feel like only yesterday I was turning 18, or 16 even. I remember thinking, when I was that age, about being 22, specifically because I thought that would be a good age to have children 'Not too old and not too young' I thought. Oh how wrong I was. 

Besides from all of that, I had a rather enjoyable Birthday, it was made special by so many people, my friends in Bologna and unexpectedly my friends, family and boyfriend back home. Because of surprise cancellations of a few lectures, I only decided about a week before that I was going to fly home for one week. It meant that I got to spend the actual day of my Birthday at home and I had such a wonderful time shopping in the Trafford Centre, eating my beloved Nando's and getting to see my gorgeous niece again, who gave me the best reception I could ever have wished for. Just general happy times.

Free Lemoncello and tirimisu :D

being embarrassed in Frankie and Bennies!!

Once my Birthday celebrations were over and I returned to Bologna, I was hit with a brick wall of University work. It's so incredibly difficult to get into the mindset of doing academic work when you feel as if you're on a constant holiday. As someone who has always lacked motivation when it comes to deadlines and reading, this does not bode well for my personality type. I still am yet to climb this wall and get to the other side but it's progressing slowly. 

The other exciting thing which has happened since the last blog post was my trip to Verona. As cliché as it may be, Romeo and Juliet is my all time favourite Shakespeare play (and trust me, I've read/spark-noted, a lot) so being able to visit the 'Casa di Giulette' was a little dream of mine come true. Verona itself is quite small, but very beautiful, we went on a perfect autumnal day, we got to see the classic arena, browse the small streets, cross the breathtaking river and of course, stand on the balcony that inspired the 'Romeo, Romeo' scene. 

I got to do the cheesy padlock and other touristy things..we also ate at this restaurant with the biggest menu's I've ever seen, it was american food too, which was such a nice change from pizza and pasta. 

Anyhow, there really is nothing else to update on, last night our friendship group here in Bologna got together for an indoor picnic and a board game..'Risk'. Tej and I made a great team and I think everyone enjoyed themselves (despite some people taking it too far, Chris I'm looking at you!) 

I have roast potatoes cooking because I literally have nothing else and can't face another day of pasta and ketchup. Must take them out the oven before my pan with plastic handles melts :)

Ciao 

elapsed time...

Okay. I am aware I have neglected this blog but things have been crazy, and whilst I had attempted to sit down to update it several times, something has always popped up. 

*WARNING - this is a text-heavy blog post. Go get a cup of tea. 

So far I've seen some of the best and some of the worst of Italy and overall I am loving it. I still have moments where it hits me that I am in Italy and I just have to breathe. 

Friendships are flourishing wonderfully, I still haven't met too many Italian friends, but several international ones as well as getting to know my Leicester friends better too. I now have a tandem partner and I couldn't wish for any better, she is very lovely indeed! :) I have also got to know my housemates a little better too and they are such great people!

So much has happened since my last entry I can't even think where to start on updating, my memory is like a sieve. 

I think the best place to start is with the bad (although there isn't a lot) because it's always good to end on a high note. 

Firstly, as many of you may know if you're a personal/facebook friend, I had my purse stolen in Verona a couple of weeks ago. It was horrific, the moment you realise it is not in your bag, your heart sinks, trying to retrace your steps, whilst inside knowing it is a futile attempt. For me, it was more the violation. Knowing somebody has all of your details in their possession, your bank cards, driving licence etc. Luckily I called my mum and she managed to cancel them all straight away, spending time on the inside of an Italian police station was not what I anticipated for my year abroad but lets say I am glad it is now over.

The only other negative I can think of is the workload. I know this year is worth 30% of my degree, and I should expect to do a lot of university work, but I am in Italy. I want to travel and enjoy myself, not worry about the stack of reading that piles higher and higher every single day. Being an Erasmus student also means you stand out, the tutors are more likely to ask you questions, get you to read out and do extra presentations. Our lectures range from around 30 - 80 people, compared to hundreds in Leicester, so it's not like you can hide at the back and hope they don't notice, which was my usual plan of action. Shame.

One more small negative is how much I am missing English things - mainly my English friends. Seeing the 'University of Leicester Freshers' pictures gets me every time...why have so much fun without me? I also miss English food, mainly toast, sausages, bacon, steak, and proper chips (drools). I also miss having a kettle, toaster and microwave, I did not realise how much I relied on them until I no longer had them. 

Now on to the good :) Firstly, the part of Verona we did see was beautiful and I cannot wait to go back there and explore it properly!

The thing I love about Italy is that almost everything is a postcard. Going from the Attenborough tower, to centuries old buildings, from University Road to Via Zamboni. I can't complain about that. (see below)

I'm also eating insane quantities of Italian gelato, be prepared for that if you ever come here. I.just.can't.stop. 

I've been enjoying having get togethers and meals with all my friends. Getting drunk from really lovely €2 (a bottle, not glass) wine! 

I enjoyed my first trip to Ikea in 10 years. 

Most notably, and by far, my favourite thing I've done yet, is yesterdays trip to Venice (Venezia). Oh.my.goodness. I am not too well travelled, I haven't visited many places but I was not prepared for the beauty of Venice. This place is the epitome of my earlier statement about everything being a postcard. If you have ever been, you will understand and if you haven't, you must, right now, go, book some flights.

The pictures I have just don't do it justice. The grandeur of the main squares, and the unbelievable picturesque beauty of all the little side lanes and streets. Realising at the end of the day that you haven't seen a single car all day. Having to take a water-bus anywhere. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, it was pleasantly warm but not too much and the sun was reflecting perfectly off the water. 

We even managed to squeeze in a gondola ride. 

I would go back a million times. I think it would be amazing at Christmas with all the little markets and cosy shops. Most unbelievably it only cost us €10 each way and took us less than 2 hours.

In Bologna, the weather has started to cool down. Finally. I actually much prefer cooler weather when you have things to do.

Excitingly, I am going home in 4 days! It is my birthday on Friday 26th October, and because of a mix around of lectures, I have decided to go home for one week, which covers the day of my actual birthday. My boyfriend has managed to take the day off work so we can spend the day shopping and doing fun things. I plan to see all my friends, and attend Laura's birthday party. I have missed my home friends SOOOOO much. I have known them for years and years and hate being so far away from them but I cannot wait to catch up again! 

I also can't believe I will be turning 22. Oh my goodness, when did I get so old. I remember when I was 16, I thought I would have a child at 22, I thought it was still young, but quite old. LOL..that is well and truly out of the window. 

I'm sure many more things have happened in these weeks but I just cannot recall them all :) Just generally living by my favourite quote 'life, laugh, love' :)

Now I must deny that quotation and go read a book about feminist readings of the body in Virginia Woolf's novels. FUN. 

Ciao for now x 

the hardest week of my life

I've experienced around one thousand, one hundred and forty one weeks in my life, and this one was by far the most stressful, and most difficult one of them all. Exactly one week from sitting in a Premier Inn hotel in Gatwick, I finally say things are starting to look up.

Rather than give you a chronological run down of the last week, perhaps boring you all to tears, I will just tell you about the highlights, or should I say 'lowlights'. 

Whilst we were warned of the difficulties that we would face in this first week, we just didn't expect what we were faced with. 

Emma and I arrived so optimistic, thinking in a few days we'd be settled in a nice house enjoying Bologna, partying every night and getting ready to begin University...oh how naive we were. On a side note, our hostel 'il Nosadillo' was lovely, Olga was particularly friendly, pointing out all the sights on a young persons map and offering to phone Italian-speaking houses for us. Here's a picture of the door from the inside..they are so big here in Italy. 

I think in the last week I phoned approximately 50 numbers regarding a room. From that, I had around 10-15 viewings all resulting in various outcomes (for example, the room not actually existing, being in the wrong city, people not answering the door etc). Searching for a room here involves checking 5 websites several times a day, facebook pages and walls of notices like this: 

I think I've visited every corner of this map!

It is now a Sunday and I FINALLY have a room. I am living with 6 others, I haven't got to know many of them yet, we are all different nationalities but everybody seems lovely so far!
My room is pretty basic but it will do for one year, it doesn't have a window which was a shock at first but it's actually not that bad :) There is a different colour on every wall which helps it look brighter.

Every day of the last week has been a roller coaster, thinking you have a room and then it falling through at the last minute, wandering where you are going to live once your hostel stay runs out...at one point, Emma and I were considering getting on a plane and turning back. 

Not speaking Italian has made the last week even more difficult, however living with Italian speakers, I feel my skills will improve greatly in the next year. 

There have however been some good points in the last week. Bologna is beautiful and with viewings across the city I have got to see a lot of it in the lovely weather we are having here (around 25 degrees daily). We attended a 'Tandem' event on our second day, where we met up in a bar with Tej and Olivia (fellow Leicester-ians) and we met some new people from around the world such as Claudia and Sam and tried to make new connections and friends to help learn Italian. 

We officially registered as UniBo students (Here's Emma outside the ERASMUS office..after we waited in a queue for over an hour).

We ate the biggest pizza of our lives!

In terms of University, we don't actually start until the 1st of October, so I have some time to prepare, but in traditional Italian style, it is a complicated and unorganised process. We have to research the modules online, make sure they don't clash, then if they don't, attend the first lecture, introduce yourself and ask if you can follow the course. As if all of that wasn't difficult enough, the website is in Italian, we can only take the very few courses that are taught in English and try and make up enough ECTS credits. OH and get all relevant documentation filled in, signed and faxed to Leicester.

I just want to do this.. AAAAGGRHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Hopefully now that I have a room, once I have sorted out getting a 'codice fiscale' (essentially a tax code) and the modules I will be taking, I can finally relax. I can't wait to be able to have a social life and meet new people, I think the house I am living in is filled with people who like to have a good time so hopefully when I get to know them a little more we can do things together!

Now I must end this blog post so I can go and attempt to figure out what I will be studying for the next year :/

P.S MASSIVE shout out to all friends and family who have got me through this last week online/over text/skype...specifically Josephiiiiiine ;)



Ciao for now xoxo