"that's so random"

Post title is in honor of Pete, I know how much you like when we say that. Why does that not translate to French?

Anyways, for all the other noteworthy things need to be said about Italy, I have this post.

-- The fake Duomo is not that cool.
-- I found comfort in the industrial feel to Milan. Maybe a cold, modern city reminded me of home..? Not sure if that's a good thing, but either way, the "high rises" in this fashion hub had a slight resemblance to the 'scrapers in Chi city.
-- I have passed 1K photos for the semester in France. Will I hit 2K by the end? We shall see...
-- I find comfort in the happiness I felt coming back to my host family's house. Home. I may only be here for 6 more weeks or so, but I definitely feel that this is home here, which is only a testament to my warm host family, not to knock on my AMAZING family back home!
-- I am so, so close to finishing The Book. SO GOOD. If you haven't read Steig Larsson's series, you are seriously missing out on a wild ride.
-- My blackberry has been only of my most valuable items with me in Europe. When our pay-as-you-go phones from France wouldn't work in Italy, it was great knowing that Ali and I had BBM to keep us in touch, in case we might end up on the opposite side of the shopping plazas. ;)
-- Italian men are slimy. No, European men, as a whole, can be very slimy. There are hunks all over, but I did not appreciate the eager Italian eyes that we on the prowl out in bars and clubs the past week. No, thank you.
-- What's with the French? Two discoveries I made this week was that the waitstaff and salespeople in restaurants and stores were much friendlier, and, to top it off, the prices for both were more reasonable! Horray for the 7 euro plate of food, WHY don't you exist in French restaurants?!
--It's a small, small world when you study abroad. Here's a recap on the people I met this week, just out and about in Italy: a girl from JMU (where my momma went to school!) studying in London, 2 UK guys teaching in Nice, a Midwestern guy also vacationing avec parentals, about 15 people with connections to Ali, and a Hungarian/Canadian girl finishing grad studies in Aix ! I love meeting other people who are in the same boat, it's cool to hear what everyone's doing as we 20-somethings take over Europe!