My roommate, Courtney, and I already feeling at home with our luggage and belongings all over our room.

This isn’t my first picture of the Duomo (my first time seeing it was at night) but it sure won’t get old seeing this sight every day for the next 5 months

Ciao from Milan! I left from the states on Saturday, January 10 and arrived early morning in Milano on Sunday, January 11. I flew from Kansas City to Chicago then Chicago to New York. As I waited at the gate at JFK, I could already tell that there were few Americans boarding, and a majority of Italians flying back home. Before coming to Italy, I had heard that they drink wine like water, so it was funny to see the flight attendants pouring lots of wine back and forth on the airplane.

My first meal in Italy: a glass of red wine and a huge slice of margarita pizza only for 7 euros

When I first got off the airplane and walked down to the baggage claim to get my luggage, I could already tell that everyone here dresses so fashionable. Once we waited for the other SAI students to arrive, we walked to the car that was taking us to our apartment. The driver had to call another car to fit 6 girls and all of our luggage. Upon arriving in Milan and after reading about what our apartment would be like, I was expecting a small, old apartment with no elevator to the 6^th floor that we lived on. Luckily as we got here, Clau told us there was an elevator (thank god I didn’t have to bring my two 50 pound suitcases up 6 flights of stairs). Everything in our apartment was completely opposite of what we were expecting it to be. Our bedrooms are big, our kitchen and bathroom is nice, we each have spacious closets, and we even have desks. This was such a great start to our semester.

Spinning on the bulls balls in the Galleria on the first day. This is a tradition in Milan meaning that I will make it back to Milan in my lifetime.

Orientation for SAI and NABA were both great. It was amazing how after the first day of meeting the other girls in my program, how close we already are. I remember thinking on the second day how I felt like I had been here for a week already. Our first day in Milan, my roommates and I walked around and found a pizzeria where I had my first Italian bite of margarita pizza. I definitely was in love with the food from the first bite. After only being here for a week, I love everything about Milan including the food, fashion, architecture, and everything else.

NABA: My school for the next 4 and a half months

_____

Elena is a current student at University of Missouri studying at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Italy during the Spring 2015 term.