first impressions of Milan

[kareina]

I had a window seat on the north side of the plane, which means I got to see the Alps as we flew in. :-) (Have I mentioned recently how very much I love mountains?) The train from the airport runs east-west for the first part, which meant glimpses of the Alps now and again as we went (and there weren't buildings or trees right by the track. Seen from this distance it is kind of reminiscent of the Mat-Su Valley north of Anchorage, the way there is a broad, flat, lush, green valley and then, rising abruptly up from it, beautiful mountains. However, I suspect that these mountains are taller, as I think I'm further from them than the typical Mat-Su vantage point is from their mountains, yet the peaks look about the same. (I've not actually made the time to measure the distance for the Mat-Su valley in Google earth yet, but Milan is 50 km from the Alps.

Took the train to the city center, where I met my boss, who guided me to the correct train line (green) to get to the university (or, rather, the part which does science--humanities are in the city center). We got here on time to have lunch with most of the folk who work on this project, which was a nice opportunity to meet everyone. I'll recognize some of them later, I hope. Then we went over to my apartment. They made arrangements with the University for me to have a "room" (as I was told in advance) as it was a requirement for approval of my visa that they do so. As it turns out, it is more of a shared apartment. There is a small bathroom, with toilet, bidet, sink, and shower, a small kitchen with fridge, stove (no oven! but my boss says he's got one I can use), and sink, and a long room with three beds and three desks in it. The other two beds already have owners. I'm not too keen on sharing a room, but in the short term I'll cope. The up side is it is perhaps two blocks from my office, so I'm here in very little time!

I won't actually get my first pay check till the end of the month, so the small amount of cash I've got in my Australian and US bank accounts will have to do to cover me till then. I'm told that my salary is quite a good one for the area, so at the end of the month I'll be fine. In the mean while. After a long discussion on all of the errands necessary tomorrow (I need the local version of a tax-file number, and once I've got that I can open a bank account and then get the paperwork done that needs to happen as the next step with my visa) one of my colluges took me to the closest supermarket to get a few things I can't live without, and then they turned me loose on my computer to check in with friends and family. I am pretty certain we don't have internet in my room, so I'll probably leave my computer in my office and spend lots of time here.

Still not really clear as to what my duties will be, but they say that they will fill me in on that later...

I think I may head back to my room and try to get some sleep, since I was up very, very early this morning (like 0:30) to check e-mail and stuff before the taxi picked me up at 05:00, and while I'd gone to bed early, it wasn't that early!

Comments

[hunrvogt.livejournal.com]

Congrats again, Doc.

[madryn-1960.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you're there already! Time flys. Sorry you have to share a room, but once you have cash, maybe you can make more genial arrangements. Hope the food is good. Are you in an old area or a modern one? Does the entire town smell of the leather tannery or is that just a vicious rumour? How is everybody's English? Are you coping with communication? I hated being in Switzerland - absolutely no English at all. Lots of love Honey!

[kareina.livejournal.com]

what leather tannery?

So far everyone speaks English, but I've only dealt with folks in the "Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra" at the "Università degli Studi di Milano". Oh, wait, the guy who showed us the room didn't speak any/much English, but my boss was with me to translate.

[madryn-1960.livejournal.com]

I have been advised by several Italian ex-travellers that Milan is the luxury leather goods capital of the universe. Up-market handbags and shoes a specialty. (God, I'm SO jealous!) The down side is, it stinks. So I'm told. Not where you are, I guess.

Stay away from smokers - they smell worse than leather tanning chemicals!

I know someone with a stove and no oven. She loves to cook, eats very well and manages fine. Stove tops and ovens have been sold as seperates since the late 1960's in Australia. It is not weird!!

[kareina.livejournal.com]

lol--the upmarket shoes and hand bags are so not appealing to me. The city is huge, and I've seen only the tiny bit very close to this branch of the university, but there is no unpleasant smell here, other than the cars driving by and the smokers, and they are easy to avoid.

[mushroom-maiden.livejournal.com]

how can there be a stove with no oven? I am confused. I've never seen a stove by itself without an oven underneath it. That must look weird. you should post photos.

[kareina.livejournal.com]

It is weird, though I've seen them before--there is a cupboard under it. I'll try to remember to get out the camera at some point. The fact that it is at home, and internet is only at uni could cause delays (not that it is far between them, it is more a matter of remembering...)