Looking back at My First Week



Ok so I realise this was a while ago now but time just crept up on me and I there seemed to be more important things to blog about i.e everything that went wrong and (from looking back at my last post) food and ice cream, because I know that's what you're dying to see pictures of...

So we are going to go back in time to my first week, which after almost a month of being here seems ages ago. I already feel like I've learnt so much in this short space of time, not just about the language and culture, but also about myself. I've learnt how to cope in a completely different environment, alone, without internet (for a while) and that I really have to put myself out there to meet people and make friends. Yet, on the other hand it also feels like I stepped onto that plane yesterday; time has gone so quickly (do you ever get that or is it just me).

The days at work seem to fly by and although that means it gets closer to people coming to visit me (my sister, my boyfriend) it also means that these 7 months (now 6!) could go by very quickly indeed. I feel like I need to savour every moment and experience, even when the routine of getting up and going to work gets a bit monotonous.

It was this attitude which finally pulled me out of my little hole of loneliness. So what if I would have to do everything by myself, the important thing was to do these things! So I finally accepted that this was how it was going to be...for a little while at least.

And you know what? Your own company isn't so bad. I would still prefer to be with friends, (because there's only so many conversations you can have with yourself before you feel like a crazy woman) but there are advantages of being on your own. You can go where you want,when you want and if you feel like wandering around a lake for hours there's no one to stop you.

The Lake in question is Lake Como, yeah the one where George Clooney has a house (no sighting though I'm afraid). This was at the town of Lecco, a really nice little place. The lake was beatiful and I went on one of the rare days, yes you heard correctly, RARE days it was hot and sunny.

You can also, if you want, walk for ages to find a bridge that's marked on the tourist map, thinking it was something spectacular...

Although it was pretty, probably didn't merit the 20 minute walk in the 30 degree heat, but at least there was no one to moan at me for it.

When you do decide to give your legs a rest, you can sit and gaze across the water, contemplating your life without any interruptions. This made me think about my boyfriend.

At least the graffiti was romantic.

You can also go crazy and take as many pictures as you like without annoying people by taking 10 photos of the same thing because it needs to be just right ( I definitely never do that...)


Picture No. 1 of the Duomo in Monza

Picture No.2 - they really went to town with their cathedrals didn't they?



The Piazza of the Duomo, where there is a very nice, but very expensive bar.

Im talking 10 euros a cocktail which is more than they cost in Milan! You get a nice little aperativo though (little snacky foods) and the cocktails themselves are pretty strong, so I guess it's not all bad. I had my first cocktail in one of those martini glasses here - always wanted to do that. I'm such an easy girl to please, no?

But aside from cathedrals and expensive yet strong cocktails, Monza also offers the biggest walled park in Europe. Don't underestimate this, the Park is ginormous and you WILL get lost, even with a map...or maybe that's just me.
 It's so big it has an F1 track, which plays host to the Grand Prix in September! Tickets cost over 100 euros so it's safe to say this is one experience I won't be savouring. Luckily I don't even like F1 so it's not much of a loss. Who wants to pay that kind of money just to watch some cars whizzing around a track all day anyway?

I could say the same thing about a lot of things: one begins with F and ends in L, but I won't because I know that will upset some people ;)

There's also this, the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace).
See, I told you the park was big!

There's also this interesting feature in the middle of one of the many feilds
Yes a massive table and chair...Italians are an odd bunch.
But my favorite thing to do in the park is to cycle under the trees, the wind in my hair without a care in the world.

Actually I lie, I have two favorite things: I like to run.

The park is filled with runners, old, young, fast, slow all pushing themselves to carry on.

It doesn't matter that I'm from England, we are all in it together... and that's when I felt at home.

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