Kimchi Tasting, Part II

Now I'm going backwards in time: these photos are from my weekend in Milan with Anthony at the end of the March. It was rainy and gray, but there was Korean food! I can now say, from experience, that the Korean food in Madrid was better and less expensive. But it was good to get another shot of kimchi for my addiction. I've gone from a few times a month to once every three months, but I'm still alive, and I'm proud to say that I don't even whine that much (anymore).

Milan is a beautiful city. I wasn't expecting much, since I've heard from so many Italians that it's gray and ugly, but I liked it a lot! The Duomo is as interesting and spiky as it's supposed to be.



Also, you can walk on its roof, which is pretty cool.


We also took a short trip north into the lakes region, to a small town called Stresa. Despite the gray skies it was clear that the area was beautiful, especially in summer. There was a gelateria on every corner, and all around the lake the hills were dotted with summer houses.


Of course, nothing else in Milan could compare to the well-dressed people and the fancy clothing stores. Really, they were never-ending.

Aside from the trips I've been taking, life in Bologna has been pretty stressful lately. Due to contract and visa issues, my job ended 6 weeks early, which has given me some unwanted free time. I have the next month or so to try to figure out what I'm doing next, and I feel as if I've traveled back in time one year. Ready to graduate from college, not knowing what the next step is.

Unfortunately, Italy's economy is not very strong right now and it's not easy to find a job here - much less as a foreigner, which saddles an employer with a whole bunch of extra paperwork issues. Every day I learn something new about the job/visa-search process, and it's usually bad news. One of my supervisors at work told me I was in danger of being deported after April 13 (this conversation took place on April 10). Luckily, that's not actually true (I called the embassy). But I can now say for sure that the threat of deportation is pretty scary, especially when it comes from someone you trust!

Advice for future Italy travelers: trust the American Embassy instead. Even when the phone is answered by a British woman.