Day Five - Goodbyes and back to Milano

With some of the Anglos in Milan - Finally, some good food

I did not sleep well.  I finally managed five hours sleep and was up again at 6.15 to finish packing case, shower before breakfast, which is the best meal of the day.  I am disappointed about the food at the hotel (along with the Italians who are really angry about it).  It has been bland, colourless and repetitive.  I think I could do better.  Last night, the starter was described as a tomato tart.  I do not know what it was.  It was served in a glass and I suspect the base was polenta (cold) and then there was a spicy tomato ketchup type sauce on the top.  I left mine and filled up on the salad, olive oil (not from Italy - the Italians are angry about that too), balsamic vinegar and some bread, which I think is good; the Italians do not.  The second course was roast beef and potatoes for the meat eaters.  To me, it looked more like fatty roast lamb and I had a frittata type of thing and some chips that were, well let me just say nothing like chips I have eaten.   The desert was a sponge cake which was dry as old bones and a dollop of chocolate sauce on the top.  I ate the sauce and left the cake.  It is such a shame as the Italians are so proud of their food and the important role it plays in their lives.  One group of the Italians did their presentation last night on Italian food and how they do not eat, and I will use their pronunciation 'sprog getty and meatballs' - never.  It was so funny. Personally, I like (quorn) spaghetti and meatballs but do not think I can ever have them again without thinking of that presentation. 

It is now 7.20 (6.20 at home) and I am all packed and ready to go to breakfast. We have a full-on morning then some lunch then we leave the hotel at 5.30 for our hour trip back to Milan.  I have a five minute walk from where the coach will drop me off to my hotel and I swear I am going to go and get some good food, shower and sleep.

Once again, the day was very full on but I did spend some time with Teresa (who had been very quiet).  She read through her presentation with me, and it was really interesting, she wants to go on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  She really  opened up and we chatted and chatted and you could see the confidence coming as she spoke.  It really was so lovely to see.  That was very much the day.  

Presentations.  However, we also found out more about some of the people we had been spending our time with.  One guy, who was so funny, is the Editor in Chief of Forbes magazine in Italy!!  He is going to write an article on the programme.  Roberto, who I interviewed for a job is the CEO of his own company and has, recently, worked with the government to secure trade deals.  I did suspect there was something 'powerful' about him just by how he was asking and answering the questions at the fake interview.  One woman is the deputy fisheries director for the region, another woman is an optometrist and travels the world with her job.  We also found out (later in the day) that they have paid around £1500 each (many have had their company pay for them) for the four days!

Lunch was vile; I left most of it and went and sat in the sunshine.  I have been so lucky with the weather it has been beautiful.  It was really quite sad when it was time to say goodbye.  I got a bit emotional to be honest as all of them had come on leaps and bounds and were laughing and joking in English.  I think I had a bit of a fan club, as a few of them come over and hugged and kissed me like I was a relative and said I had been brilliant with so much energy and humour!  Marco (the Editor and Chief of Forbes) said I was so funny and should be on the TV!  I told him to get it arranged.  Teresa come over and wrote my name down on her feedback form and I said to her 'am I in trouble?', her face dropped and she said 'oh no, no, no!' and I said 'well Teresa I will be disappointed if I am not!', I waited and around twenty seconds later she had got the joke and we laughed.  Anna-Maria and her husband are in London in August and she has promised to meet up, which will be lovely and she looks so much like my cousin Dawn! Massimo is going to get me job in his neighbourhood of NoLo and I can teach English lessons to the locals! Sure, why not.  NoLo sounds a wonderful place to live.

This has been a wonderful experience.  I have met so many wonderful people.  I have laughed and smiled all day and it has been great to be able to help others to improve their English and to enjoy the experience.  They are, in my opinion, all amazing as look at me, I cannot speak Italian.

Back in Milan and I was staying in the same hotel as three other Anglos so we

walked down to the hotel together, checked in.  The room is lovely.  Single bed, spotlessly clean and functional.  I had no time to shower so it was a quick freshen up and then all three of us, went to a local restaurant where we met up with three other Anglos who were staying near-by.  We had a fantastic meal.  Really, really, really good food, wine and laughter.  We have swapped FaceBook, phone numbers etc and made up our own little group so that we can keep in touch.  It would be good if we could.  Finally, I got to bed.  I cannot tell you how tired I am.  It reminds me of when I was a child and had been out for the day.  I cannot keep my eyes open.  Finally, sleep, as tomorrow I have a full on day in Milan.

As always, with my love x

Finally, some good food