Okay, so have totally slacked on the blogging thing.... I apologise! I did go to Milan, well actually Bergamo for my birthday. I was kind of depressed...okay, really depressed about spending my 30th birthday alone but I couldn't waste the ticket that my Mom bought me for my birthday. I got into to Bergamo on 28 November and decided that I would spoil myself and rent a car. So I went to the counter and attempted to get one...But Aunt Deb made me renew my licence when I was in Canada and I hadn't got it in the post yet, sooooo had to figure out the bus system. Thanks to a lovely British Mother/Daughter team bought bus tickets (well, after back and forth into the airport because the ticket machine didn't work). Rode the bus all the way to the end ( I was meant to get off in the middle. Oops). "Spoke" to the bus driver, or pointed to my paper with the address of the hostel and he helped me to get off at the proper stop on our way back. Found the hostel with no problems and checked into my room. I think I got in around noon or so. I went and walked around, the language barrier was completely intimidating but I found a cafe where the waitress spoke english and had the best cappuccino of my life. Tried to wander around as much as I could, but ended up back at the hostel around 6 because I didn't really want to be out on the street alone. Talked to some creepy old guy in my room at the hostel....story of my hostelling life and least he didn't sexually harass me..... But I do need to mention the fact that he was eating SMELLY cheese. Who brings pungent cheese back to a shared room!!? Thankfully I booked myself a private room for the next night. Anyway, went to bed to sleep my depression away and woke up 30 years old. Decided to ignore the fact that I don't speak Italian and go into Milan. Got my tickets after more grunting and pointing and was on my way. When the conductor came through he looked at my ticket and starting shouting at me in Italian, all I understood was "In Italia......" and kept pointing to my ticket. I still don't know what I did wrong. Got off in Milan, found my way out of the maze of the train station and out into the POURING rain. It was like movie rain, drenched in 3.2 seconds. And since I was still protesting the rain at this point I did not own an umbrella. Walked across to the metro/underground/subway whatever they call it....to get into central Milan, because Centrale train station....not central (for tourists anyway). The only maps in the metro/underground/subway were for the trains that I just came off of. No one around to ask/point and grunt to and coupled with the rain and sadness of being alone I gave up, shopped at the train station for chocolates (an entire Lindt chocolate store was HEAVEN!) and lunch at a grocery store in the station and headed back to Bergamo. I was officially in Milan for 35 minutes. Went back to the hostel, checked into my new room and felt sorry for myself for a good hour and had a nap. Woke up, decided life is what you make it and treated myself to a very expensive birthday dinner (AKA ate my feelings) at a hotel where English was spoken fairly well....when pertaining to the menu :) Wandered around a bit more, checked out the Christmas market and the streets, but it was pouring and cold so I was pretty miserable. Monday woke up bought an umbrella and went into the old town (up the hill). It's amazing how an umbrella can improve conditions! Wandered through the cobbled streets and took a few pictures and retail therapied the shit outta 30.

Work wasn't too busy the first two weeks of December, but the social life was. Devon made two trips to London for auditions and it was so nice to hang out with her. We wandered around Covent Garden and bought gluten-free muffins. It was great to spend so much time together!

The Jillians left to go back to America and that was REALLY hard. Jill stopped talking to me the week before she left....She avoids her feelings :) We would sit at her flat and stare at the TV, look at each other, start to cry and go back to silence. It was a BRUTAL week. On her last day I made her get dressed and go on an open bus tour. My favourite thing to do! It was FREEZING, but we had a great time being tourists around sites that we'd been around for months.

My Mom bought me a plane ticket home for Christmas and we surprised the family on the 23rd. We went to Aunt Deb's work and made her cry because she was so surprised to see me. It was great! Was supposed to fly back on the 30th, but I was really sick and had to move my flight to today. And now there is a huge snowstorm in London and Gatwick is closed....Not sure if I will make it back today, but I hope so!

Looking forward to a new semester, my contract got extended to 30 June so I am still at the College. New batch of students and trips to plan! All of the trips are the same but I am looking forward to going back to explore more!

I will try to blog more, but once work starts going it falls into the routine and not that entertaining....But I'll try!