Common Sense Magazine

#48 Monaco and Roman’s Farewell

Country #11 Monaco

Destination # 21 Monaco

After a short ride, Roman and I arrived in Monaco. After exiting the train station, we walked around Monte Carlo. The country is the most densely populated in the world as the wealthy from across Europe buy up properties to escape income taxes. The country is very clean and sophisticated as it filled with yachts, private banks, country clubs, and fancy apartment buildings. Roman wanted to test his luck with poker here and we tried to find the Casino. Roman found a sign that said Casino which actually ended up being the name of a local grocery store to his dismay. We then hiked up a steep hill in Monaco to see the prince’s palace and old Monaco. The view from the palace allows to see the whole country from the top of the cliff. We then climbed down and went to the Jardin Exotique, a botanical garden before finding a map and turning around.

After hiking to the top of another hill, we went to the Monte Carlo casino. We needed sports jackets and a 10 euro cover charge to get to the tables so we left. There was a more Americanized casino I showed to Roman, but he could not find a poker table there either. Frustrated, Roman decided to bet 5 euro at a random slot machine. He ended up winning 20 euro after the first spin and I convinced him to cash it in before he could loose it all. We left to head back to the train station and catch our train to Milan. However, we arrived over twenty minutes early. Wanting to press his luck, Roman decided to use this time to gamble some more and took off to the casino. I’m worried that I have given him a future gambling problem.

I decided to wait at the train station. I got some sour gummy worms from a vending machine and listening to a NBA podcast. It was five minutes until the train arrived and Roman was still not back from the casino (Thankfully I made him fork over the tickets before he left). I was worried about if he did not get back in time and how I could rationalize leaving him behind. Thankfully, it did not come to that and Roman made it on time from the casino to get on the train and we returned to Milan.

We got back at 11PM and Roman and I were starving for dinner. Since Roman wanted pasta we went to a past place by Bocconi. I had spaghetti which was especially “al dente” (harder/less cooked). After dinner, we went back to my dorm, and snuck Roman in so he would avoid another night at a hotel. Since I did not have a second bed, I made a makeshift one out my sweatshirts with a towel as a blanket. We watched a little of the movie Wall Street until I fell asleep. Roman watched the rest of the movie and had a hard time sleeping on the makeshift bed/cold hard floor.

That morning, Roman and I woke up at 6:30 for his early flight back to the US. I walked him to the metro station and said goodbye. I was still tired after four hours of sleep, so I returned my dorm and pretty much slept the rest of the day.

It was nice to have Roman come and visit me for Thanksgiving. I was able to have a family member and good friend of mine here for the weekend. Homesickness has really started to creep in and it was nice that somebody from my life at home also visited and we had a fun time in Milan and the French Riviera.   When Roman was here, I also realized that I have burnt out from living overseas. Ever since I returned from Morocco, I have slowly grown tired of the foreign experience and the struggle associated with it. I have had a great time here, but I feel ready and anxious to return stateside. I have one major trip left to Greece this weekend and then final exams, so I am still somewhat busy until I return.

I have also learned that I would prefer not to work overseas after graduation (especially outside the Anglosphere or Switzerland). I love traveling and seeing/experiencing new things, but living abroad is a totally different story. Even though I dislike American politics, I love just about everything else about my home country and a lot of the things I enjoy the most out of life relate to my home environment (my deprivation of them has caused the bouts of depression/homesickness). Traveling will still be a large part of my life and I plan on visiting at least thirty more countries and many regions within countries I have already visited during my lifetime. However, I plan on keeping my permanent home in a warm weather part of the US unless if an opportunity on Wall Street comes up or other investment management entryways in the northeast.

While Roman was in town, I also found out that one of my applications to Morgan Stanley was “accepted” for the strategy analyst position in New York. I have received no e-mails from the firm, but I will call them today to find out if I have an interview or position with them. That would be a great opportunity to break into Wall Street and I hope something comes through.