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xoxo
God love ya!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
3rd day and still running
Sunday night we had more orientation and then Fr. Justin from the diocese of LaCrosse said mass for us here in our chapel. Following we had our first community dinner. It was great to have all of us smooshed around one big table in the basement sharing life with each other. I can't wait to experience more of these nights.
Yesterday we had our orientation at the Angelicum where we will be studying. Actually, it turned out to be a start to the first class of Church and Culture of Rome (AKA Art History etc). She is ABSOLUTLY hilarious. Very spunky. We will alternate weeks going on site to listening to her lecture. She's also bringing us to Florence the 10th and Bologna later on in November.
After that we got a mini tour of the area and ended up at noon mass at GESU (The "motherhouse" of the Jesuits). WOW. Amazingly beautiful. There was so much to take in. Also my first mass in Italian. Very interesting. St. Francis Xavier's arm is there as well as (I think) an arm of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The reality of the saints here esp. is amazing!
Afterwards some girls and I meandered about just taking random streets wherever we felt like it. The life around here is so busy...there is just so much to see! We managed to meander all the way to the Tiber river...and realized the Vatican was a hop skip and a jump away...so why not?
Wow it was exciting and also very unreal to fathom being at the Vatican. There were so many people just gathered around St. Peter's square...it is so beautiful to see everyone from all over the world! We just sat in the square and soaked everything in for about a half hour.
Laura Lizzie myself and Claire- (Liz's pix)
Again...I can't really describe it. It's crazy being here. Everywhere you go you walk past a historical monument that just stands about various shops and restaurants.
After all that crazy walking we finally got back and I got an exciting present...MY LUGGAGE! :) Praise the Lord!
Afterwards Laura Marisa and I ventured over to the Borghese Gardens for Laura's track workout...I got my butt kicked but it was great!
Went to dinner...thought I was getting pasta with ham and a little salad. Turned out it was just 8 small pieces of smoked ham...some leafy greens...parmesan....and a huge lemon. That was neat. ;) But we had the house wine (thank you Aunt Jackie for the tips)...and I was zonked out. :)
Yesterday we had our orientation at the Angelicum where we will be studying. Actually, it turned out to be a start to the first class of Church and Culture of Rome (AKA Art History etc). She is ABSOLUTLY hilarious. Very spunky. We will alternate weeks going on site to listening to her lecture. She's also bringing us to Florence the 10th and Bologna later on in November.
After that we got a mini tour of the area and ended up at noon mass at GESU (The "motherhouse" of the Jesuits). WOW. Amazingly beautiful. There was so much to take in. Also my first mass in Italian. Very interesting. St. Francis Xavier's arm is there as well as (I think) an arm of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The reality of the saints here esp. is amazing!
Afterwards some girls and I meandered about just taking random streets wherever we felt like it. The life around here is so busy...there is just so much to see! We managed to meander all the way to the Tiber river...and realized the Vatican was a hop skip and a jump away...so why not?
Wow it was exciting and also very unreal to fathom being at the Vatican. There were so many people just gathered around St. Peter's square...it is so beautiful to see everyone from all over the world! We just sat in the square and soaked everything in for about a half hour.
Laura Lizzie myself and Claire- (Liz's pix)Again...I can't really describe it. It's crazy being here. Everywhere you go you walk past a historical monument that just stands about various shops and restaurants.
After all that crazy walking we finally got back and I got an exciting present...MY LUGGAGE! :) Praise the Lord!
Afterwards Laura Marisa and I ventured over to the Borghese Gardens for Laura's track workout...I got my butt kicked but it was great!
Went to dinner...thought I was getting pasta with ham and a little salad. Turned out it was just 8 small pieces of smoked ham...some leafy greens...parmesan....and a huge lemon. That was neat. ;) But we had the house wine (thank you Aunt Jackie for the tips)...and I was zonked out. :)
Tuesday
Today we had orientation with Fr. Charles at the Ang and then got a mini tour and afterwards he said mass for us in the chapel there. It was great to have it in English. :)
Then Leandra Rick Mike and I walked around...I got my first gelato! (raspberry) Oh man...I'm going to have to contain myself!
We got some school supplies and they dropped me off at the art store where I wandered about in heaven for a very very long time....
On the way to the art store Leandra and I were walking along in a Piazza then halfway down the steps we stopped to look at a map and realized.....we were on the Spanish steps!
Rome is crazy like this!
Then I walked back and it was soooo so nice to be able to walk myself home! :)
Back at Bernardi I just relaxed, Leandra and I went grocery shopping, I made some noodles, and sat on our terrace looking at the city and made my first sketch...of St. Peter's dome :) (Yes I can see it from our terrace! :) )
I'm going to go to bed soon. We're getting up at 6 tomorrow morning to walk to the Vatican to attend our first Wednesday audience the the Pope!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D
Ciao bella!
xoxo
God love you!
Sam :)
Today we had orientation with Fr. Charles at the Ang and then got a mini tour and afterwards he said mass for us in the chapel there. It was great to have it in English. :)
Then Leandra Rick Mike and I walked around...I got my first gelato! (raspberry) Oh man...I'm going to have to contain myself!
We got some school supplies and they dropped me off at the art store where I wandered about in heaven for a very very long time....
On the way to the art store Leandra and I were walking along in a Piazza then halfway down the steps we stopped to look at a map and realized.....we were on the Spanish steps!
Rome is crazy like this!
Then I walked back and it was soooo so nice to be able to walk myself home! :)
Back at Bernardi I just relaxed, Leandra and I went grocery shopping, I made some noodles, and sat on our terrace looking at the city and made my first sketch...of St. Peter's dome :) (Yes I can see it from our terrace! :) )
I'm going to go to bed soon. We're getting up at 6 tomorrow morning to walk to the Vatican to attend our first Wednesday audience the the Pope!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D
Ciao bella!
xoxo
God love you!
Sam :)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
At Home in Rome
Hello lovely family and friends!
I am here and SAFE in Roma!
And it was a LONG trip coming here! I left Friday night at 6:45 from the Appleton airport. Jenny, Arch, mom, and even DAD was there! For those who don't know, my dad got sent down to Texas to help put the power back on after the hurricane and everything and wasn't supposed to be home for another two weeks. I was finishing packing Friday afternoon and mom came home from school and DAD WAS THERE TOO! It was a wonderful surprise since I did not think I'd see him until December! Praise the Lord!
I was really nervous about all my carry ons and everything...I managed to pack only one huge bag, my carry on was Jenny's backpacking pack and my "purse" was my regular backpack from school. I don't know how I managed to get through with that but they didn't really care!
I got to Minneapolis and had to walk it seemed like a mile to the other end of the airport but it was so nice because I was able to meet up with the other 8 St. Thomas students there! We finally left St. Paul at 9:15 and landed in Amsterdam at about 5am USA time/12 noon there. The majority of the group got on a flight right away but Laura Janas, and Marisa Wachtel and myself had a later flight out of Amsterdam...not until 5:45! So we bummed around the airport, I took a little nap on the floor, and it wasn't really that bad.
The woman I was sitting next to on the flight to Rome was from Tokyo and her boss lived in Appleton originally! What a small world we live it. :)
We arrived in Rome finally at 8pm Roma time. We were SO EXCITED to finally have been here after what seemed to be the longest trip of our life! Unfortunatly to make it longer my luggage never came...! :( We were worried because Thanos (The campus director over here) had arranged a car to come pick us up at 8pm and by the time I got it all sorted it was past 9pm. Apparently my luggage never left Minneapolis! At least they found it though and it should be arriving any time now. Thank you Lindsay and Mrs. Adams for the packing tip! I had enough clothes and things in my carry-on to be taken care of.
Well the car was still waiting for us...the 2 men hardly spoke any English-it was so funny. Us three girls were just SO HAPPY to finally be out of an airport! But then the car ride I think I feared more than the flight. I think we almost died 20 times. There is no such thing as traffic rules at all. We were in this big 8 seater van and the driver would speed up and slow down and go through stop signs and make illegal turns like it was the way you were supposed to drive! It was quite the Italy driving experience.
Dad, I do NOT suggest us renting a car while being here!
We made it to Bernardi (the name of the campus/building where we stay). It is much more busy than I would have thought around here. It is SO BEAUTIFUL though! I just kept running to the girls rooms and saying over and over again "We are REALLY here!"
I'm soooo happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today Leandra (my roommate) and I got up for morning prayer in the chapel (this building was an old convent and YES we have our own chapel! I can stop by to visit Jesus any time!) and then breakfast. All of the seminarians here have been in Europe since the beginning of September for a pilgrimage and to do some of their own travelling so we got to hear some funny stories from that.
Jenny--some of the guys went to INNSBRUCK! I ausgeflipt :) Unfortunatly they didn't go to the Butse Hutte. :(
We had a bit of orientation and now we have a break until more orientation later.
We have an exciting itinerary ahead of us. There are a lot of things planned for us to attend. On Friday October 3rd we get to go on a Scavi tour! AND what I am MOST excited for is the ordination of the NAC deacons at St. Peter's!
Thank you all for your prayers and support! I'm so excited for this year!
God love you!
xoxo
Sam
I am here and SAFE in Roma!
And it was a LONG trip coming here! I left Friday night at 6:45 from the Appleton airport. Jenny, Arch, mom, and even DAD was there! For those who don't know, my dad got sent down to Texas to help put the power back on after the hurricane and everything and wasn't supposed to be home for another two weeks. I was finishing packing Friday afternoon and mom came home from school and DAD WAS THERE TOO! It was a wonderful surprise since I did not think I'd see him until December! Praise the Lord!
I was really nervous about all my carry ons and everything...I managed to pack only one huge bag, my carry on was Jenny's backpacking pack and my "purse" was my regular backpack from school. I don't know how I managed to get through with that but they didn't really care!
I got to Minneapolis and had to walk it seemed like a mile to the other end of the airport but it was so nice because I was able to meet up with the other 8 St. Thomas students there! We finally left St. Paul at 9:15 and landed in Amsterdam at about 5am USA time/12 noon there. The majority of the group got on a flight right away but Laura Janas, and Marisa Wachtel and myself had a later flight out of Amsterdam...not until 5:45! So we bummed around the airport, I took a little nap on the floor, and it wasn't really that bad.
The woman I was sitting next to on the flight to Rome was from Tokyo and her boss lived in Appleton originally! What a small world we live it. :)
We arrived in Rome finally at 8pm Roma time. We were SO EXCITED to finally have been here after what seemed to be the longest trip of our life! Unfortunatly to make it longer my luggage never came...! :( We were worried because Thanos (The campus director over here) had arranged a car to come pick us up at 8pm and by the time I got it all sorted it was past 9pm. Apparently my luggage never left Minneapolis! At least they found it though and it should be arriving any time now. Thank you Lindsay and Mrs. Adams for the packing tip! I had enough clothes and things in my carry-on to be taken care of.
Well the car was still waiting for us...the 2 men hardly spoke any English-it was so funny. Us three girls were just SO HAPPY to finally be out of an airport! But then the car ride I think I feared more than the flight. I think we almost died 20 times. There is no such thing as traffic rules at all. We were in this big 8 seater van and the driver would speed up and slow down and go through stop signs and make illegal turns like it was the way you were supposed to drive! It was quite the Italy driving experience.
Dad, I do NOT suggest us renting a car while being here!
We made it to Bernardi (the name of the campus/building where we stay). It is much more busy than I would have thought around here. It is SO BEAUTIFUL though! I just kept running to the girls rooms and saying over and over again "We are REALLY here!"
I'm soooo happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today Leandra (my roommate) and I got up for morning prayer in the chapel (this building was an old convent and YES we have our own chapel! I can stop by to visit Jesus any time!) and then breakfast. All of the seminarians here have been in Europe since the beginning of September for a pilgrimage and to do some of their own travelling so we got to hear some funny stories from that.
Jenny--some of the guys went to INNSBRUCK! I ausgeflipt :) Unfortunatly they didn't go to the Butse Hutte. :(
We had a bit of orientation and now we have a break until more orientation later.
We have an exciting itinerary ahead of us. There are a lot of things planned for us to attend. On Friday October 3rd we get to go on a Scavi tour! AND what I am MOST excited for is the ordination of the NAC deacons at St. Peter's!
Thank you all for your prayers and support! I'm so excited for this year!
God love you!
xoxo
Sam
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Beginning
This is the start of my blog for the year while I'm studying in Rome, so that my friends and family can get a glimpse of my experience! I leave Friday, September 26th and my program ends around the first week of June. Please pray for myself and my group!
God love you!
God love you!
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