Last Thursday, since Charlie and I didn't have our opera class, and there were construction workers in our house all day, we decided to go to the Public Gardens. We just hung out there for a few hours and people-watched: Charlie played guitar, I watched the dogs fight each other. Then we ate really good salads at this little cafe and listened to the conversations of the old Italian men nearby. We went over to Matt's for dinner that night...a good conclusion to a very relaxing day.

Friday, Alex, Matt, and I went to a salon down the street to get haircuts. The woman I had gave me a mini faux-hawk...I am liking it. Now I have euro hair right before I go back to the US. That night, Emily, Roshni, and Elizabeth had everyone over to their apartment for a potluck. The food was delicious, and they even had a sundae bar for dessert.

Saturday was (thankfully) the last day the construction workers woke us up at 7:45 AM. They left the place kind of a mess, but at least they finished it all up. That night Alex and I stopped by Mexicali (a very close and very cheap aperitivo place) for one last time before going out.

I have had two midterms already: my art one on Monday and my Italian yesterday. They went well. I have my last one (theatre) in about an hour, so this is probably going to be my last day at IES. Tomorrow I am singing at the final concert before the farewell dinner. And then it is officially summer for me.

Last night our professoressa had the whole Italian class over for dinner at her home. She lives in a ridiculous penthouse apartment (her husband is so loaded she chooses to work for fun), with two floors. The top is a garden terrace overlooking the entire skyline of Milan. We ate dinner up there and talked about our semester, and her husband played piano for us. She was a really fun teacher, and she makes killer food.

So, there are four days left here. It's already sad, but these last days are going to be great. Now that school is done, we can get around the city and do the things we need to do before saying our good-byes. A lot of IES kids are leaving on Friday...I am glad I will have an extra two days to do all that stuff.

I'm not going to get all schmaltzy, but I think I honestly have had some of the best times of my life so far in Italy, especially in Milan. Good people, good culture, good times. I can't wait to come back.

The next time I write, I will be back in the states.