first post!

I'm finally settled in my first apartment! When I got to Italy, they took us to Stresa on Laggo Maggiore, about 10 miles south of Switzerland. We stayed in a four-star hotel called the Regina Palace Hotel that was incredibly baroque, but the food was good. It was weird being in this little resort town--it was foggy and almost desloate because it was off season--an amazing set for some creepy thriller. 

They took us out on the lake to some of the islands that are owned by the Borromeo family (still! One of their ancestors was a Pope!). We got off on one of them and there were all these cats around the island, which was weird because NO ONE was around--all the restaurants and snack bars were closed. It was like a plague had hit the island and no one was left.

Anyway, I've met some cool people already, and I'm going go hang out with some of them now that we're finally in Milan. I really like my apartment, and I promise to post pictures of it soon--I'm about a 10 minute train ride from the center of town, and I'm in a really funky, but clean neighborhood (think LES meets Chelsea meets Grammercy Park?) . I live with 3 other girls--one of whom is Italian, and two of whom are American but are completely fluent in the language. It's great, I'm hoping to pick up a lot. 

Things are good. More to come soon!