There are a couple of trips I absolutely wanted to do whilst in Europe, so I've booked them early to save some money on flights!
Valencia - going to see Federica da Ros with Mary Bell (from hereon MJ, a friend from UWA also coming to Cattolica and with whom I will theoretically share accommodation) from March 31st to April 4th.
Vienna - catching up with a few lovely Austrians met in Perth =] looking forward to visiting this gorgeous city from April 26th to May 2nd!
Currently waiting for confirmation for accommodation from the apartment owner - if this goes well I believe I have found a lovely and convenient place!
This is getting exciting...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
pre - departure...
This year is going to be wonderful.
However, I haven’t seriously spent time contemplating what I’ll be experiencing, whom I’ll be meeting, where I’ll be going, imagining my exchange before I leave Australia. I know it will be fantastic - I’ll ensure it is - but I do not want to expect anything specific and hence risk removing the sense of surprise and appreciation for things when they naturally happen.
This is why it’s been difficult to start writing the first post for this blog, pre-departure. It’s not going to be a list of what I’ll experience in 2011! This will come with time... let it instead be an introduction to my journey.
Since I started my university degree I have considered a study exchange. One of the reasons for enrolling at the University of Western Australia was in fact its support for international programs. In 2010 I decided I’d spend 2011 in Europe. Initially my plan was to spend two semesters in France, but this changed to spending one semester in Milan, Italy, and a second in Grenoble, France. I am leaving on February 1st, landing in Venice, heading to the Italian fashion capital a couple of weeks later.
I am, due to my personal circumstances, inevitably attracted to Europe. I look forward to experiencing it again as an adult and verifying a few things. At the same time, I immensely appreciate living in Australia, a wonderful young land offering a more relaxed lifestyle and opportunities for the future. One can’t deny, however, some major differences between the two continents. Sometimes I feel more drawn to features of one, but find myself on the wrong hemisphere. So voilà! Let’s go be a cultural / identity hybrid.
Again without being too specific, I wanted to come up with a few goals / ambitions for my exchange... at least for the first five months in Milan. I will do my absolute best to:
- Say yes to (safe) opportunities that arise – including trips, events, learning prospects
- Convince a few people that in Australia we have kangaroo-cab services / have kangaroos as pets
- Take a few classes of Spanish
- Find a gelateria which beats my dad’s ice cream
- Find the best spot for student aperitifs in my part of Milan
- Stay up all night dancing and walk to a cafe for freshly-baked croissants and coffee before crashing to bed
- Treat myself with one luxurious item
- Borrow a bicycle and explore a new non-metropolitan area
- Go on a boat
- Cook a different meal(s) each day of the week
- Try swing dancing
- Make somebody a cake
- Get lost and find my way back using only terribly “Englishised” Italian
-
...
I’m going to leave this list open. Surely I’ll come up with a few more Great Achievements... open for suggestions =]
Adios.
However, I haven’t seriously spent time contemplating what I’ll be experiencing, whom I’ll be meeting, where I’ll be going, imagining my exchange before I leave Australia. I know it will be fantastic - I’ll ensure it is - but I do not want to expect anything specific and hence risk removing the sense of surprise and appreciation for things when they naturally happen.
This is why it’s been difficult to start writing the first post for this blog, pre-departure. It’s not going to be a list of what I’ll experience in 2011! This will come with time... let it instead be an introduction to my journey.
Since I started my university degree I have considered a study exchange. One of the reasons for enrolling at the University of Western Australia was in fact its support for international programs. In 2010 I decided I’d spend 2011 in Europe. Initially my plan was to spend two semesters in France, but this changed to spending one semester in Milan, Italy, and a second in Grenoble, France. I am leaving on February 1st, landing in Venice, heading to the Italian fashion capital a couple of weeks later.
I am, due to my personal circumstances, inevitably attracted to Europe. I look forward to experiencing it again as an adult and verifying a few things. At the same time, I immensely appreciate living in Australia, a wonderful young land offering a more relaxed lifestyle and opportunities for the future. One can’t deny, however, some major differences between the two continents. Sometimes I feel more drawn to features of one, but find myself on the wrong hemisphere. So voilà! Let’s go be a cultural / identity hybrid.
Again without being too specific, I wanted to come up with a few goals / ambitions for my exchange... at least for the first five months in Milan. I will do my absolute best to:
- Say yes to (safe) opportunities that arise – including trips, events, learning prospects
- Convince a few people that in Australia we have kangaroo-cab services / have kangaroos as pets
- Take a few classes of Spanish
- Find a gelateria which beats my dad’s ice cream
- Find the best spot for student aperitifs in my part of Milan
- Stay up all night dancing and walk to a cafe for freshly-baked croissants and coffee before crashing to bed
- Treat myself with one luxurious item
- Borrow a bicycle and explore a new non-metropolitan area
- Go on a boat
- Cook a different meal(s) each day of the week
- Try swing dancing
- Make somebody a cake
- Get lost and find my way back using only terribly “Englishised” Italian
-
...
I’m going to leave this list open. Surely I’ll come up with a few more Great Achievements... open for suggestions =]
Adios.
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