A Russian Abroad: Two for the price of one.

I have come to realise that being one of the lucky ones who has two erasmus experiences over the course of one year means I get to learn two languages, about two cultures, experience two different cities/countries and meet completely different types of people. So no matter how tough leaving one experience might be, I get to do it all again.

My last few weeks in Italy were packed with doing as much as possible accompanied by the odd panic attacks about going to France. Living in a city for just a few months, I saw parts of the city that residents of many years had never bothered to seek out because I felt the pressure of a time limit to get to know the city so I tried to do as much as possible. This included the interactive museum of the history of Bologna, the museum of the history of pianos, the music museum, going for sushi one last time, visiting all the little places which I had thought looked nice but never actually tried and saying yes to every invitation, not wanting to miss out on seeing friends that I would soon need to leave or missing out on more time walking around the city. Among all this I was introduced to a new italian word - cicisbeo - is a word from the 18th and 19th century which basically describes a companion for a married woman who would escort her around town and to various social activities when the husband is otherwise engaged. Now I'm definitely not married but when I found myself on my own, I did often call on the same two italian guys to accompany around town. In my last week I also discovered that the best place to visit in one's first week of living in a new city - no matter how much you might want to fit in - is the Tourist Information Office. I wish I had gone there every fortnight or so to find out all the latest information and things going on in the city.

Taking advantage of discounted erasmus activities, I went skiing for the first time (cross-country skiing at the age of 3 doesn't really count). The first couple hours involved people getting more frustrated with me taking my time to come to terms with the concept and the technique. After a lunch break I found my rhythm and was having an incredible time. Why hadn't I discovered it before? I blame my parents. I got on the bus at the end of the day full of adrenaline and excitement for how well the day had gone and woke up the next day thinking about doing it all again. How many people can say they have gone skiing for a day in the north of Italy and then the next day taken a plane to the south - Palermo, Sicily. (Yes, this is the seamless link onto my next paragraph).

I was lucky enough to be treated to flights to Palermo as a christmas present and so I went there for five days at the end of January with my friend Giuseppe who is Sicilian and was very keen to show me the city. I learnt that Italy is a country with 60% of Europe's churches and an unbelievable amount of very diverse history. I was also repeatedly told that Sicily is the most beautiful island in the world and that the fact is undebatable - I would have to say it's the second most beautiful after Vancouver Island in Canada... I can't be disloyal. I saw 2% of Palermo's 250 churches, I learnt about Serpotta - a renowned italian sculptor from the 17th and 18th centuries whose work is all over Palermo and who worked with stucco* - and I sampled the delights of le arancine and i cannoli and a brioche with ice cream inside. I saw one of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen - in Monreale and decorated entirely with mosaics - and I learnt that though I think I understand and speak italian - sicilian is a complete different thing...definitely not italian that's for sure. The city is beautiful but it seems that some of the people don't respect or appreciate their city. It's sad to see and hear about people throwing rubbish out of their windows and stray dogs all over the city. It is difficult to know where to start to help improves thing, maybe the education in schools in order to target the younger generation?

I left Italy feeling sad for having to leave a place in which I'm so happy and a culture with which I have completely fallen in love, but with curiosity for the new city and the people I might meet.

After a 20 hour coach journey filled with butterflies and the odd tear, I arrived to Toulouse. I'm very lucky in that I was met at the station by another stagiaire and treated straight away to lunch at my boss's house. The first thing I did in the afternoon, having learnt from Bologna, was to go to the office with all the information of things going on for young people in the city. I picked up a pile of leaflets and booklets about things to do so at least I won't be bored. I had already had a room lined up with a french

family who are very welcoming and arriving in a new country with home comforts already set up is very reassuring. My second day here my boss invited me to join her and a couple of her friends to visit a lovely medieval town about an outside of Toulouse called Cordes-sur-Ciel which is very charming and was tranquil without the throngs of tourists which come with high season. A pleasant start to life in a new place - which definitely beats staying at home and wondering how I am going to make friends.

Having gotten used to italian culture and habits, it will take time to readjust however, on the plus side, I at least understand everything that is said to me (the same can't be said for my arrival in Italy and I didn't understand anything) even if my attempts to express myself come out more in italian than in french.

A la prochaine fois,

xxx

*stucco - is a special technique used for sculpture in which it is applied wet and so the sculpture must work very quickly to ensure he finishes before it dries. The finish is more refined and smooth and very light in colour.