Shampoo costs more than wine

So we all made it to Venice!  The trip over was rather excruciating.  I got there really early and met up with Nicole before going through security.  I'm very impressed with my mum who held it together really well.  Security wasn't a problem and when we got to the gate we met up with Crystal and Sarah and after that everyone slowly trickled in.  

The flight over was ok. I had an isle seat and was across from Maxine, who held my hand during my freak-outs at lift-off and landing.  Unfortunately I got stuck next to some random old guy the in my row, but he didn't seem to speak English very well, or French so that was fine.  Shortly after settling in I realized I couldn't find the benadryl in my bag, so it was a sleepless flight for me.  Luckily they had those seats with the mini TV's in the back so I watched Tropic Thunder and most of Mama Mia, but I missed the last couple minutes because the plane was landing so they shut everything off. 

We spent 5 hours waiting at the gate in the Paris airport.  I got to practice my French a bit, got some lunch (breakfast, dinner, I don't know what to call it), and about 45 minutes of sleep.  We were quite the sight, at least 4 people were sleeping on the floor on their stuff at one point or another.  We took up a whole row of seats.  Finally around noon we got on the plane to Venice.

The flight over was much better.  It wasn't nearly as crowded (Jersey got a whole row of seats to herself and lied down, the lucky duck).  I slept most of the way, and woke up once just in time to see the alps, take some pictures and miss the inflight meal.  

Finally we got to the Venice airport.  I could see the city from my window while we were landing.  We met Val, a 25 year old grad student who lives in the apartment under ours, and Robin, a soft-spoken girl from England whose position or title we have yet to discover, but we assume must be associated with the scuola in some way.  We had a lot of luggage with us so we had to take w two separate busses across the lagoon to the city.  We attempted to get some kind of student passes for the boats, but I guess we all need letters from the scuola, so we'll have to go back and do that.  We got a boat down the Grand Canal and passed many really pretty buildings and bridges.  

We were all warned to pack light, but I don't think anyone listened.  We had to drag our suitcases up and down the biggest bridge ever.  My shoulders are still sore.  Once we got to the apartments we found out who would be living with who.  I'm on the fourth floor sharing a room with Maxine.  Also in our apartment: Jersey, Dana F., Nicole, Crystal, and Francesca, a girl from UMass who's lived in Italy a few times before and speaks much better Italian than any of us.  Everyone else lives on the two floors below us, but apparently we have the "best" apartment because this is where the visiting artists would stay last semester.  We do have three bathrooms and a balcony, but its on the cold side.  I am sooo happy to have long underwear, it made last night much better than it could have been.  

Dana Jersey and I went out to try and find some dinner after getting settled around 6 or so, but we headed in the expensive direction.  We passed Fendi, Gucci, Chanel, you name it.  And outside each store was a man selling knock offs of that brand.  Eventually we reached San Marco.  It was empty and breathtaking.  Almost no tourists or pigeons, and the buildings surrounding it were lit up.  I can't wait to go back in the daytime.  We couldn't find a restaurant so we settled for pizza. Delicious.

Even though I'm still sick, Val wanted to go out with us so after talking to the parents, Maria, and Eric a few of us went out to Santa Margarita, a piazza close by that has a few bars.  It was pretty empty for a saturday night, but apparently thats the nightlife here in Venice, especially when it's cold.  I didn't drink in favor of my health, and Jersey and I left early, but the other Julie, Crystal and the Danas all got "surprises" from the waiter, which I tried, not bad.  

This morning we woke up at noon, way later than we all thought we'd sleep, but everyone was exhausted.  Val told us she was taking everyone to Billa, the grocery store, so we could shop.  We said we'd be ready in 20 minutes, but they left without us.  So Jersey, Dana F., Maxine, Nicole, Crystal, Sarah S., Colleen, Becky and I decided we could find it.  We couldn't.  After about ten minutes of being lost, we split up and Dana, Nicole, Max, Jersey and I went off on our own, because Dana and Nicole had maps.  

Two hours later, we found it.  It wasn't the worst getting lost, and we accidentally stumbled upon lots of different churches, the Guggenheim museum, and countless allies and canals.  After giving up and heading back home, we stopped to get some coffee, asked the people there, who just told us "left" and we found it!  And the title of this entry is completely true.  Large bottles of wine you can get for one or two euro, itsy bisty bottles of shampoo and conditioner costs three or four.  We are just glad we got lost getting there and not coming back because our bags were so so heavy.  

Dana cooked us some delicious chicken parm, and we played Uno and drank our wine. Cooking was a bit of an adventure, you have to light the stove with a cigarette lighter and I kinda burned my thumb a bit, but we figured it out.  Later on we went down to the other apartment and where everyone was talking and drinking.  

Now I'm back up in my room and Max is giving out massages, so I'm going to take advantage.  Its been a crazy few days, but Venice is lovely.  Its still all surreal, and I woke up this morning thinking I was still in my bed at home.  Tomorrow we are meeting downstairs at 10 to do... something.  It might have something to do with paper work and the government, it might have something to do with school, it might have something to do with touring the city, no one knows, but as Val keeps saying, "Welcome to Italy!"