This is the 4th, time that I’ve gone to class and it wasn’t there. I am just too accustomed to the ‘way things work’ at Berkeley:
First week of school, International and European Law, 845am
Why is it not there? English classes start the 2nd week of school
Random day in October, I & E law, 845am
Why is it not there? Because I didn’t check the schedule; that day there is no class
Here is the schedule:
Tuesday from 16.15 to 17.45 from 20/09/2005 to 20/09/2005 Room ZAPPA
Wednesday from 16.15 to 17.45 from 21/09/2005 to 21/12/2005 Room ZAPPA
Thursday from 08.45 to 10.15 from 22/09/2005 to 06/10/2005 Room ZAPPA
Tuesday from 16.15 to 17.45 from 11/10/2005 to 11/10/2005 Room ZAPPA
Tuesday from 08.45 to 10.15 from 18/10/2005 to 18/10/2005 Room D
Thursday from 08.45 to 10.15 from 20/10/2005 to 22/12/2005 Room ZAPPA
See? No thurs class between Oct 6 and Oct 20
Following day in October, Urban Economics, 130pm
Why is it not there? After going to office hours, I find out that the online schedule is wrong. Class started at 130 before, and 230 from that day on.
Today, History of Economics, 415pm
Why is it not there? No class for the next 2 weeks. Why? Because there are midterms.
How do I find out where my midterm is located? The morning of the test, they post the lists on a bulletin board inside the main building.
I am in a constant state of confusion.
I will also point out that this is known to be the most organized university in the country.
More ranting:
Permisso di Soggigorno- residence permit
We had already applied for one in Rome a few weeks after we arrived and got receipts that are valid for 3 or so months. In Milan, applying for a permit involved getting up at 5am, and getting in line. The line was pretty long by the time we got there. The office opens at 8am and they give out numbers. When the numbers are gone, well, you come back the next day. By 8 o’clock, we were too far back in line to get numbers (Italians are bad at waiting in line), but our director told us to wait anyway. She was inside trying to get info/appointments for us. We meet her at 11 at a cafe and she tells us that our letters of acceptance are dated from Sept to Feb. In order to get our permit, we have to give them the permit from Rome. To get the Rome permit, we have to go back in a few months to pick it up at the office. So… It was all a total waste of time. Buh.
Bus Pass
I waited for 2 hours at the station office until I could submit my form. Turns out there are separate forms for students. So it took me another 1/2 hour. After all that, I get another reciept (and a pass valid for a month). Come back next month. Your electronic pass will be ready. Somehow I lost my reciept, so when I went back they told me to go to the main station. At the main student station, I was sent across the way to the general main station. He tried to send me back to the student station. Finally, he just told me it was lost and I had to fill out new forms. Back to the central station. Ok, breathe, try again. This time the agent looked my name up in their local system and told me my pass was ready. I just needed to go to the table across the station to pick it up. When I got there, the man asks me for my passport. Fortunately, the day before I was supposed to give my director a copy of my passport. I forgot to do that, so I was fortunate enough to finally get my bus pass.
Though in general I enjoy being here. Every time I have to deal with bureaucracy I more or less want to jump on a plane right back to America, but Milan is a lot of fun most of the time. To some extent, I wish I had more time here so that I can find my nitch. I have more or less bored myself because I have been spending a lot of time with peers my age (By that, I mean they primarily prefer to drink and party). The clubs are fun and exciting, and I always have a good time, but it is ultimately unsatisfying. I found myself craving the intellectual stimulation in which I was accustomed to being surrounded. So I slowed down the partying/drinking and bought some books. It is very easy here to fall into the trap of constant, instant, meaningless gratification. Though, I am learning a lot, and I have come to truely appreciate California for all it has to offer. I miss the variety– food, ethnicities, restaurants, interests, art, culture, ideas. Italy is depressingly homogenous. All in all, it is a wonderful place to visit and live for a little while, but I can never see myself living here.
