If I'm entirely honest it hasn't been all that relaxing, it's been more of a not a spare moment type of affair but I like to stay busy so that's fine by me. For two of the three weeks I have worked full time Monday to Friday back at old job in order to cover the August rent of my glorious Milanese apartment which is currently crippling my bank account. Despite working I have still had a time to tackle university work and generally enjoy myself.
One of the really cool things I have done with my Easter is go with my mum to see the one and only Gary Barlow! Don't pretend that the Barlow doesn't entice you if your a woman, he entices every woman.. and some men. The tickets we're a gift to her from my step dad at Christmas and shamefully now I will admit that at the time I wasn't very excited for the concert but oh my do I take that back now. It was like seeing take that without the other three that can dance and occasionally do back up vocals, Gary was on fire! Just to add the wonder of the occasion we we're also sat just three rows from the front so had a perfect view of the stage. At the end of the night Gary did announce that Take That are doing a tour next year so start saving now. to make the night even better it was bank holiday Sunday which meant my parents dropped me off in town straight afterwards to go and drink myself into the ground with all my friends.
I've also had my great Aunties 60th this month where we had a big get together, it was lovely to see all the family at once again after being away for so long, I think it's fair to say as a family we all look pretty similar. There was plenty of cake and prosecco at the occasion of course, what is a birthday without cake and prosecco!?
In relation to my studies abroad in this time I have started to reflect on how much travelling I've done in Italy which is actually none. If I had to put an excuse to this I would say it was from having such intense classes last term, but that's not really a good enough excuse. Thinking how little of Italy I've seen and my timetable this semester I've now made the decision to drop one of my modules from this term so I can really enjoy Italy and take in more of the country.
I've chosen to drop industrial fashion accessories because as I mentioned in a previous post it is group work with a bad tutor and just simply impossible to get anything done. Equally the project is designing shoes but not actually creating them and as I realise that it is important to go through the design process with accessories I have already done a shoe design project related to a designer in my first year at Coventry University.
In terms of places to visit in Italy close-ish to Milan (it costs a fortune and takes hours to get to the south so that's something to consider later) I need to see Venice and I'd love to see part of the Cinque Terre which is a strip of town on the west coastline that are simply magical. Equally I think Lake Garda, Verona and Pisa are all places that I need to see before I leave so maybe tackle one each weekend? Train travel isn't that expensive so on my return myself and my friend will be booking tickets for a few days out, like I mentioned in my post about Lake Como there is absolutely no discount for purchasing online or in advance and instead it's best to purchase at the station itself on the day or before.
Exciting news of where I am definitely travelling though, MADRID! I have a friend from Coventry University that is also studying on the Erasmus scheme so I've booked flights to go see her for the second week in May which I'm incredibly excited about. Obviously to see Madrid will be amazing but I also think it will be interesting to see how the Erasmus is in another city.
Other exciting news is that my group of friends from home are visiting in on June the 12th for a long weekend, all 5 of them will be invading my apartment and staying with us so it's going to be cosy! When they come to visit I'm hoping to take them to one of the places I want to visit like Pisa or otherwise. I also want to take them to the water park Gardaland which is just on the outskirts of Milan weather providing, I found the palce doing a random Google search so I'm not really sure what to expect but if it's hot it surely can't be bad.
As a just over halfway through reflection of my journey so far I really can't imagine having gone straight into third year without the wealth of the experience I've gained so far. When I return in May I only have 6 weeks worth of classes before exam period and by approximately the 4th of July my year at NABA will be concluded.
In terms of when to move out I think I am going to stay till mid July in order to enjoy the Italian summer for a couple of weeks, the lease on the apartment doesn't run out until the 10th of August. Already though I'm sad to leave and although I miss England I do think this will always remain as an unforgettable year of my life.
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