First Day in Milan

I was woken up from my nap by the flight attendant’s landing remarks.

On behalf of United Airlines, we’d like to be the first to welcome you to Milan. 

It was unreal hearing that out loud. Like, woah, I’m actually in Italy. The first thing I did was text my friends and family I had landed safely (if you don't do this after landing… respectfully, what are you doing) and headed out to collect my bags.

My flight was 40% IES Abroad students, so I just followed the herd of people out of our gate and we eventually stumbled upon the IES Abroad airport greeters. We were given instructions on how to get to our respective homes. A taxi was the most direct and easiest option from the airport, but it was 120 euros… so that was an immediate no for me. The alternative was to take the train for 13 euros to get to the Milan Centrale Station and take a taxi from there. I was a bit worried about taking the train because I obviously don't know how to handle transportation in Milan and there’s always a possibility that I can get lost. But my thinking is that if I ended up getting lost is that there’s always a story that can come out of that. However, I ended up talking to a girl who was also planning on taking the train, and we went through that process together, which made it a lot less nerve-wracking and reduced the possibility of getting lost. 

**TIP: Look for someone who looks equally confused and ask what option they’re taking. If you guys are taking the same mode of transportation, you can figure things out together!**

Once at the Milan Centrale station, I headed towards the taxi area to get a cab. Stepping out of the train station, I was met with my first view of Milan. Since it was January, the sky was gloomy and grey. It wasn't the weather I wanted/ expected, but it was fine. There was a man in the taxi area hailing taxis for people to ease the flow of taxis coming through. The ride from Milano Centrale to my apartment was around 18€.  I would definitely recommend taking the train from the airport; it's not as daunting as it seems at first. It's not only a more affordable option, but if you plan on traveling throughout the semester, you will most likely take the train to local areas throughout Italy or to the airport. 

After checking in at the lobby and getting a quick rundown of the apartment, I was brought up to my unit. I got to my apartment before my roommate, so after freshening up (and connecting to the wifi), I explored all the amenities that came with my apartment and made a mental note of things that I would need to buy. After recording an apartment tour for my friends and family, I sat down and twiddled my thumbs until our apartment meeting started. The meeting was relatively short, addressing the rules and technicalities of the complex. Following this meeting, our Italian student companions took us on a short walk in the neighborhood. It was a nice time getting to know other people in my apartment and hearing about their travel experiences getting to Milan. 

Once my roommate arrived at our apartment (her flight was delayed), we took another walk around the neighborhood, looking for a grocery store to buy snacks. Our night ended with an apartment pizza dinner arranged by IES Abroad. 

Overall, my first day was a lot. The entire day felt unreal. In less than 24 hours, I went from saying my final goodbyes in Illinois to starting a new life across the world. It felt like freshman year all over again, but with more exhaustion and a language barrier. It was mentally exhausting, and I felt like I was in survival mode the entire time. If you’re overwhelmed on your first day, that’s okay! There’s a lot of time to adjust! 

Below are some recommendations I have for your first day abroad:

• Power Nap!- Yes, you’re excited to explore your new home, but the jet lag will hit once you get to your housing. If you have time, I would recommend at the very least taking a 15-30 minute nap before doing anything. Personally, I fought the urge to nap because I was worried about not being able to sleep later at night.
• Get a coffee!- The alternative to napping. Don’t let the language barrier scare you from ordering a coffee; I’ve found that most bar workers in Milan speak English.
• Explore your neighborhood- Yes, packing should technically be the first or even second thing you should do once you get to your housing assignment, but if we’re being realistic, you won't have the energy to do that either way, so you might as well take in the new scenery. Take a mental note of places like grocery and drug stores, pharmacies, and cafes for future reference!
• Buy snacks at a local grocery/ convenience store-  In my experience, my first couple of days were spent trying new food, which is great, and I highly recommend it because, duh, you're in Italy and should enjoy the cuisine! Since I hadn’t committed to going cooking just yet, I bought light snacks (fruit, chips, yogurt, etc.) to nibble on in between meals. I did not fully commit to buying groceries until day 5 of being in Milan.
• Make a list of personal care items you need to buy- I avoided packing personal items that would take up too much space in my luggage to save weight. That meant I needed to buy personal items, i.e., body wash, lotion, mouthwash, etc. 

* You can do a two-in-one by walking around your neighborhood, going into a store, and buying things you immediately need.