Life begins...

It takes around about 24 hours to get from Sydney to Bologna, a long way to come just to be plunged into below zero temperatures and start getting settled in a place you know nothing about. My exchange has finally begun. It's been years in the making- both I and my best friend Mela always dreamt of going together, and when we found out we had both been accepted to Bologna university, the dream came true. Two Italo-Australians, one Italia.

This blog really began as a diary to be written in a beautiful red leather journal I was given on my 21st birthday last year, then the diary became a word document because I couldn't be bothered putting pen to paper, and now the diary has finally been transformed into something that can be enjoyed by all.

Upon arriving here, after a week of calling apartment owners and arranging to see if their properties were liveable, we finally found one we could call home. I must say apartment hunting was an exciting experience, especially since I live at home in Sydney and have never had such responsibility before. Not only this, it gave me my first chance to practice Italian, which is what I have really come here to do. The apartment is in a palazzo on Via Nazario Sauro, a street off one of the main roads called Via Ugo Bassi. Ugo Bassi is the equivalent of George St in Sydney, with punks instead of goths. Mohawks are all the go here, forget Dolce and Gabbana or Fendi. I had no idea that Bologna had such an alternative culture within it.

After a couple of days shopping at the two main David Jones/Myer type department stores here called Coin and Upim, we had all the cushions, sheets and household items we would need to feel truly at home.