Today I spent almost three hours in skype with my friends, with whom I spent almost a year and a half, my life. Remember our adventure and it inspires me for an article.
From my travel adventure diary ...
Once, fate threw me into a beautiful country - Italy. I had to spend six months there. Italy was the first country in Europe I visited. And after a long life in the East, finding myself in the West, I was almost sent into a parallel world. I will not say that I have a culture shock. For a culture shock, I have lived in a foreign environment for a long time. But one thing I will say for sure, East and West or Asia and Europe, it is like heaven and earth. If an Asian student takes a certain time to start full communication in Europe after 5 minutes of acquaintance you have gone to informally "you" and sat together in a bar, drinking cocktelchik. And in Italy, even just dropping in to a coffee shop in a coffee shop, I rarely sit alone, someone will say something, even though their English is in a few words, and my knowledge of Italian, which I never taught. Although, later, I am still replacing this deficiency, even the certificate for the A1 level is accepted.
Rome
To go to Europe you need a Schengen visa, unless, of course, you are an EU citizen. I have no problem with getting a visa. I signed up to make an appointment, submit a document, get a certificate, on what day will come with PASSPORT to collect a visa. Even passports do not have to be abandoned. By the way, by the way, I took advantage of this and waited for my kunakleech Visa, while visiting Cambodian temples. So when my friends talk about the thorny path they have to go through to get a visa to Italy, I sympathize with them: how lucky I am.
Get a visa - that's half, you still have to go to the destination, or even to Italy, to its beautiful fashionable capital in Milan ...
I traveled from Seoul to Milan, and it turns out with a transfer on Moscow tickets 3 times cheaper. The transplantation is not difficult, just 2-3 hours you have to wait, just to drink a cup of coffee and go for duty in charge of looking for hair iron, which I forgot in Korea.
I flew to Milan at night. I have a perfect plan, how to get from Malpensa airport to the apartment I ordered at that time with my future friends. I found my colleague on the Internet, we had to study together, so I almost did not dare to rent an apartment with friends who are completely foreign.
Well, before I flew to Italy, I carefully took a walk. The plan is as follows. I arrived at Malpensa airport, took the train to Bovisa metro station, which is a 15-minute walk from my future home. But, since I have 2 suitcases with me, I plan to take a taxi from Bovisa station. Think just a 15 minute walk, then taxi for 5 minutes of home is just a doedu, have time with future roommates to drink tea, take a shower and the rest of the way ... But what trip without incident ?!
Rome
So, I flew to Malpensa. It was 8 pm. The airport was deserted. Hardly anyone, only passengers flying with me. Cafes and kiosks are also closed. After Incheon airport, where life raged 24 hours a day 7 days, I felt that I was in a small suburban area. Taking the suitcase, he reached the train with signs. I bought a ticket at the vending machine. So it is necessary to understand which path should be lowered: left or right. I went to the clerk. Has been asked. He spoke something to me in Italian, pointing to the scoreboard, then left and right, and again on the scoreboard. I decided to give in to the feelings of the flock and follow the crowd, more precisely to two passers-by.
Let's have a cup of coffee and continue the story ...
I lowered my two suitcases with sadness. I decided again to try my luck, I approached the people standing on the platform, to clarify whether I had come down to the right. In response, the same storm speech, accompanied by movement, showing something on the scoreboard, then on the rails, then on the clock ... In general, I decided to wait. And on the opposite side, no one. So I sat on the platform waiting for the train. Next to me is a man 5-6. Two of them are the same Italian. After 15 minutes, a few more people came down. Exactly strangers. Have you come to me to ask if the train goes downtown from here. Hmm Has been found from who asked. Then two more people came down and again approached me with the same question. I honestly told them that I myself do not know. But if everyone waits here, then I will wait. One of the men said that he would go upstairs and try to find out something. He ran away. We were with friends to live on the platform,
Then the train stopped ... But, on the other side. The second guy ran up to us, shouting that we had to move to the other side, which was climbing and descending with luggage on the stairs, with an escalator not working. I had thought of everything, I had to wait for another train or walk to the center. But the people did not leave me, they took my suitcase and helped me finish this difficult quest.
A minute later we sat on the train, trying to catch our breath after an unplanned run. Apparently, on the way to the city center, one of them came from Finland, and the second came from China. They traveled together in Europe, but a few days later they had to return to China, where they now live.
Sunset in Rome
When we travel on the train, I think the most difficult test has been completed, soon I can take a shower and rest. But it does not exist