First Semester in Review

Now that I have been home almost 2 weeks, I feel that I have finally (sorta) collected my thoughts about my last couple days in Rome and my first semester in general.  Plus, it is New Year's Eve, so what better time to reflect on my fabulous first semester in la citta eterna!

Amidst my packing and studying for finals during the last week (yes, believe it or not, I did actually study this semester!), I took some final walks around the city with the girls to do our favorite things for the last time of the semester.  I ate my favorite pear pasta as my final dinner in Rome, drank my last caffe latte at Pascucci, and visited the classroom building one last time....see picture documentation of every moment below :)

A very messy room 603!

My hard work paid off in the end---3 As and one B+ this semester!

Saying "ci vediamo" to Bruno, my favorite Pascucci man :)

Last caffe latte until second semester

The Tiz: my home away from home

Last dinner with my fall Rome girls

Pear pasta with creamy carrot sauce...a must try in Rome!

My regular seat in all my classes this semester

Final late night walk to the Pantheon

I also was able to attend my first papal audience of the semester because I didn't have class on that last Wednesday, and I am definitely glad I was able to go.  Pope Benedict is so little and precious...I just wanted to give him a huge hug :)  He gave a Christmas blessing in 8 different languages, and people from the respective areas of the world cheered in response when he began speaking their languages.  The whole experience just further solidified the fact that Catholicism is, by definition, universal.  We are not alone in our faith; quite the opposite in fact.  We are connected intrinsically and intimately with the Body of Christ throughout the world, despite our differences in culture, language, appearance, etc.  SO COOL.  This semester has definitely been a period of growth for me in my faith life.  If there was ever a doubt in my mind about any of it, it has virtually disappeared now.  It is one thing to read about the lives of the saints, but quite another to actually where they lived, worked, ministered, and are now buried.  Similarly, it is one thing to learn about the papacy in a religion class, but quite another to visit the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica to actually see where the process takes place.  I of course am not saying that seeing is necessary for believing, but living in Rome, amidst centuries of Catholic history, really makes you think, "How couldn't you believe?"

Il Papa Benedetto XVI

St. Peter's at Christmastime

Anna captured this moment as I was praying on my final night at St. Peter's Square

On Thursday of our final week (the day before we all parted ways), we had our final meal of the semester at the Tiz: the Christmas banquet!  Like the Thanksgiving banquet, everything was decorated and presented beautifully.  It was a great time to enjoy each other's company, talking about our memories of the semester, while also anxiously looking forward to going home to our families for Christmas.  Some of the girls on the program who are in choir back at SMC sang "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "The Belles of Saint Marys," and Dr. Prebys gave a great reflection on the semester in general, complete with quotes from famous writers about Rome.  

Needless to say, the banquet and the hours that followed were quite emotional for me--I just couldn't bear the thought of such a good thing coming to an end and not having my amazing friends by my side for second semester.  I've always struggled with goodbyes, but this one was especially tough.  Thursday night, I stayed up late reminiscing with my roomies, reading our "quote book" of the semester, and watching all our funny videos.  We all had separate flights back home, and I was the first to leave.  As the car pulled away at 4 am on Friday morning, all 3 of my quad-mates stood waving goodbye in their pjs from the steps of the Tiziano, and all I could think of was the quote, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."  Of course, adding to the emotion-packed 24 hours, it rained all the way to the airport, just as it had the night we arrived in Rome in September.

A lot has happened since that first rainy night when 49 girls from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana showed up in a foreign city, confused, nervous and excited for the adventure that awaited.  I've witnessed centuries-old history firsthand.  I've become more independent and comfortable in traveling.  I've seen the natural beauty of God's great earth in the unique places I've visited.  I've gained a semester of education unlike anything I've experienced before.  I've grown in understanding my Catholic faith.  I've made lifelong friends with whom I will always be able to share my memories of studying abroad.  And Rome is no longer a figment of my imagination, but a reality. A home.  The place I get to return to for another semester of adventure in January.  What more could I ask for? 

A special thanks to my Rome roomie and one of my new best friends, Hannah Ziegeler, for her fabulous photography over the past 3 months. You have beautifully captured so many memories that I will always cherish <3

Until January 2013, ciao for now, Roma!

Last bits of the semester

Christmastime is in full gear in la citta eterna.  All the streets are decorated in lights and tinsel and there are Christmas trees in the main piazzas.  It's so beautiful to walk around at night especially and feel the magic of the season in the city.  Two weekends ago, my roommates--with the exception of Cara--were away on trips, so Cara and I had a chill weekend getting our comm papers done (okay, maybe that part wasn't so chill), watching too many movies, and enjoying Rome in its wintery goodness (translation=chilly, but acceptably cold...no snow here!).  We walked along Via Condotti (the main designer/luxury fashion brands street in Rome) and people-watched/saw all the Christmas decorations.  Later we went to a nativity scene exhibit in Piazza del Popolo which included nativity scenes from all over the world made out of everything from popcorn, bread, pasta, and dried oranges, to wine corks, paper, straw, felt, clay, shells, and ceramic.  They were all so intricate and creative; definitely was a cool way to truly feel Christmas around me, especially in the Catholic capital of the world.

Piazza di Spagna

Pasta nativity scene...so Italy

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

Saturday, December 8th was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, during which the Pope visits Piazza Mignanelli (near Piazza di Spagna) every year to crown the Mary column.  Needless to say, all the streets even remotely close to the area were jam-packed with people.  We managed to get a decent spot along the Pope's route on Via del Corso and after a lot of waiting in the cold, we were rewarded with our first sight of il Papa!  He was so cute and tiny in his little popemobile!  I was so frazzled trying to get decent pictures (they were all coming out blurry) that I just barely looked up from my camera to actually see him go by.  Wow. What a "Is this real life?" kind of moment.  Here is the best pic I was able to snap of Papa Benny.  Hopefully I'll get some better ones next Wednesday when I go to the Papal audience!

Papa Benny

Last week was our last week of classes--how crazy is that?!  Last week was busy finishing final papers and projects as well as getting prepped for finals.  I must admit--the stress of papers and finals, the near approaching goodbyes and end of our first semester, and the million other little things to get planned and figured out in a week's time are all wearing on me.  I took a break yesterday to go with Anna to a prayer hour that Deacon Nick was leading and it was kind of just what I needed.  5 of us went in total to the convent/chapel of an American order of nuns who are studying in Rome (pretty much just like how the 6 deacons are studying at the North American College here).  They led a prayer hour that included a Rosary, Adoration, and Vespers--all of which we joined in on.  Afterwards, we stayed around for a good amount of time just to chat with them.  They were all so interested in our study abroad program and were so grateful to have visitors.  After we left, Deacon Nick bought gelato for the 4 of us who went at Giolitti and stayed around to chat with us!  He is always so nice to all of us SMC girls (as are all the other deacons and priests that work with our program).  I'm definitely looking forward to another semester of visiting all the cool Catholic things that this city has to offer with them.

On Friday of last week, 23 of us on the program took a break from studying to attend a cooking class that we had planned a couple months ago.  I knew I wanted to try to do some kind of cooking class while in Italy (aka the capital of amazing food), but I never imagined it would come together so well and be so fun!  The place is called Cooking Classes in Rome, and is run by Chef Andrea (an Italian) and his wife Erica (an American).  All 23 of us smicks worked together to make and enjoy a delicious four course meal with their guidance, which included a salad, homemade pasta, a meat dish, and tiramisu.  Oh and I can't forget, WINE!  We were given 4 different types of wine--one glass for each course!  Chef Andrea was so funny and nice, joking around with us in the kitchen and teaching us all about the best and freshest foods as well as tips for preparation.  Afterwards, he let us take pictures on his moped like true Italians :)  Talk about a great study break.  It was so much fun getting to know Andrea and Erica as well as talking to some of the other Saint Mary's girls who I haven't had much interaction with over the course of the semester.  It was really a coming-together of our group and another wonderful memory of studying abroad that we will cherish forever.

Chef Andrea and Erica

Love me some Smick Chicks

Biggest bottle of wine I've ever seen!

Homemade gnochetti

Tiramisu = amazing

Amidst the many emotions of these past couple weeks, I've come to a few realizations.  Or maybe they were things I already knew but hadn't yet thought about.  In either case, what it comes down to is that plans change all the time; you can't expect the best from everything, but you also can't expect the worst.  You have to expect (and truly know) that in the end, it is God's plan--not yours--that will prevail.  And His plan is where you will be happiest.  A few days ago I had to change my plans for our upcoming 4-week Christmas break.  I was intending to travel Europe with Ann-Marie for 10 days before continuing further travel with Shannon (who is also staying for spring semester); however, I had to reevaluate my plan, and it turns out that now I am returning home for the Christmas break.  At first I was upset at the change of plans, especially amidst the stress of finals and my last week.  I was so intent on seeing everything I could possibly fit in during my study abroad experience, but the truth is, it is exhausting trying to do everything!  I feel that I have certainly made the most of my fall semester, and that I am in great need of time to relax and recharge at home for Christmas.  Plus I get to reconnect with my family who I miss like crazy, especially during the holiday season.  And the best part?  I don't have to say goodbye to Roma quite yet.  It's just "see you later" for a month until I return for spring semester in January!  Even though it wasn't my original plan, I know it's going to be great--and probably much better--than anything I could have planned!  There's no place like home for the holidays!  So as of today, I have 5 more days in Rome until I return to my little Egg Harbor.  I just have one more final tomorrow and then I will be soaking up the remainder of my time with the fall semester girls.  I'll be sure to post my final first semester blog entry later this week!

Rainy adventures in Venice and Verona

Another great weekend is behind me! On Thursday after Italian class Shannon and I took the train to Venice. It took us about 4 hours during which time I got some homework (but mostly sleeping) done. Our hotel was very nice and conveniently located near the train station. Our room reminded us of a cruise ship room--not much space around the bed, but all that mattered was it was clean and we had our own nice bathroom! So I wasn't complaining. We didn't venture far the first night since it was late, but we did have some pretty good pizza and vino at a restaurant near the hotel. Somehow during the short period of us eating, the sidewalk entrance to the street of our hotel became completely flooded! We were not about to go walking through the deep water, so we navigated around the block just to avoid getting our feet wet. haha.

First dinner in Venezia

Shannon made sure I was up bright and early on Friday so we could make the most of our sightseeing time. I had researched very little about Venice, but the things I had read all said not to even worry about maps in Venice. The city has too many streets that dead-end into canals and it is just not worth it to try to navigate ahead of time. So taking the advice to heart, we decided to purposely get lost all weekend long, and let me tell you, it was the best way to travel! People say Venice itself is the sight--more than any particular monument or building within the city--just because of how unique it is. I definitely agree with that statement. Venice was unlike any place I have ever been. Absolutely zero cars. Just narrow streets, bridges, and over 300 canals. There are little doors facing the canals that act as back entrances into peoples' homes for when they get out of their motorboats. And parts of the city just flood at random points during the day. We would be at Piazza San Marco in the morning and most of it would be covered with water, and then a few hours later it would all be gone, even though it had rained throughout the entire day. There are elevated "sidewalks" in many places so that people can still get where they need to go without having to swim through the puddles. I definitely was regretting not bringing any rainboots to Italy though! You could definitely tell the locals from the tourists because the locals were wearing the heavy-duty rainboots, while tourists waded through the water wearing plastic shopping bags over their shoes!

Ooops, wrong way ;)

How presh is this?!

Piazza San Marco

I loved not having an agenda of things to see or places to go; instead we just wandered and saw things as we happened upon them. Friday we saw Piazza San Marco (we actually went into St. Mark's on Saturday), the Bridge of Sighs, the Naval Museum, and the Rialto Bridge, as well as several churches. It rained nonstop all day Friday and being soaked did not help with the fact that we were freezing! We attempted to use our umbrellas a few times, but we gave up after the wind kept turning them inside out. We must have looked ridiculous once we finally sought shelter in a restaurant to warm up and dry off! Shannon and I were enamored by the several Murano glass (glass from the nearby island of Murano) stores everywhere--at every colorful window display, we would stop and go inside. We must have gone to at least 20 stores! At one of them, the shop owner was making the jewelry right in front of us and giving us a whole history of the glass in Italian! Once he got talking, there was no stopping him, but Shannon and I didn't mind, as it was great practice for our Italian listening comprehension! And we surprisingly understood the majority of what he was saying. He told us about the various dialects of Italian spoken throughout the country and how if someone speaking Venetian talking to a Sicilian, neither would understand the other at all! How crazy is that?!

Murano glass

Bridge of Sighs

Venice waterfront

Oh, you know, just hanging your clothes out to dry over the canal :)

VERY WET

On Saturday we went inside St. Mark's right when it opened and then went up into the Campielle tower in Piazza San Marco for fabulous views of Venice. It was great being there outside of the tourist season, because although there were quite a few people around, we never had to wait in any long lines. The top of the tower was absolutely FREEZING and very windy, but the views were spectacular. In the late afternoon, we took a gondola ride--a must during a visit to Venice! Our gondolier, Diego, was very interesting and told us that gondoliers have to go to a special school for 18 months to get licensed! They have a special system of signaling to other gondoliers when they are rounding corners, but they navigate the narrow canals very skillfully. The gondola ride may have been one of my favorite parts of the weekend because we were able to just sit back, relax, put our feet up, and peacefully cruise the canals of this quiet and very unique city (especially after scaling it on foot for two full days!). Italy at its finest.

View from the Campielle 

Bella Venezia

Overlooking the beautiful city!

On the gondola with Diego, our gondolier

That night we ventured into another neighborhood of Venice and had dinner at an off-the-beaten path restaurant. It was fabulous to have the waiters speak Italian to us and to feel like we were in a cute family-owned place rather than a tourist trap, like so many other places. It's crazy though how hard it is to avoid the tourist traps! Wandering around the back streets, it was so cute to see how authentic Italians live: a woman hanging her clothes out to dry outside her window, a father and son playing soccer with a crushed-up water bottle in the middle of the street, and people out for their evening stroll, stopping to engage in conversation with other passer-byes. You can't help but smile as you take in the slow-paced life in this Italian town.

We left Venice Sunday morning to spend the day in Verona, a city about 90 minutes away, the setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. That was pretty much the extent of my knowledge about Verona, so we just kinda showed up and figured it out as we went! I love that about traveling here--we just arrive in a new city and go. We took a bus to the city center, Piazza delle Erbe, which was all decorated for Christmas, complete with a tree, decorations, and Christmas markets. We climbed the main tower, the Torre dei Lamberti, in the square for another great view (my third tower climb in a week!). Afterwards we went to mass at one of the nearby churches, St. Anastasia (incidentally, the name of my grade school in LA!). Of course mass was completely in Italian, so needless to say I had a bit of trouble staying awake haha. During our few hours in Verona, Shannon and I made our obligatory visits to Juliet's house and courtyard, a major tourist attraction where people take pictures on the balcony (which I read was actually added in the 1930s to draw tourism!) and rub the Juliet statue's right breast for good luck! The tunnel that leads to the courtyard is covered in colorful gum and graffiti with messages to Juliet and proclamations of love. After seeing the courtyard--and escaping some creepy French guys who wanted to take pictures with us there--we went to Juliet's tomb, visited Castelvecchio, and went inside a few churches throughout the city. It took us a bit to figure out the bus system back to the train station, but we got there in time for our train back to Rome. Our first train was a regional one to Bologna, meaning that we didn't have assigned seating. It was packed to the brim, so we had to stand in the crowded aisles for the hour and a half ride. Not the most conducive to relaxing, but we were able to sit and sleep on the next train back to Rome.

Christmastime in Verona

Piazza delle Erbe

View from tower in Piazza delle Erbe

Casa di Giulietta

Casa di Giulietta

Verona

Altogether, it was a fun weekend and so much less pressure to travel with only one other person. That was my last weekend trip for two weeks, as we are rounding out the first semester here in Rome. This weekend, two of my roommates are going away, so Cara and I are going to be hanging out here together. And then next weekend we have finals! I seriously cannot believe how fast this has all gone. I am so incredibly thankful that I don't have to go home yet! I still have Christmas break to travel Europe plus another whole semester in Rome. I sure am going to miss my fall 2012 girls though! Amidst final papers and exams, I am soaking up every last moment of this beautiful adventure!!

Thankful

Wow, what a weekend! This Thanksgiving definitely goes down in the books as one of the greatest.

It all started on Wednesday afternoon, when the Hotel Tiziano staff pampered us with a gourmet Thanksgiving banquet.  The staff went all out, decorating the tables with gorgeous fall centerpieces and candles and cooking traditional Thanksgiving food just for us (since of course the holiday isn't celebrated over here). I must admit, it was a little bittersweet, all of us being away from our families on a holiday so family-oriented in nature. After all, this was my first major holiday away from home and knowing that my family was all together celebrating in Boston made me a bit homesick. But looking around the room at all my girls in the same position, there was a feeling of quiet understanding and peace with where we were in that very moment. My friends and I all went around the table and said one thing that we were thankful for--much like the tradition we have at home. We all said something to the effect of feeling blessed and fortunate for this study abroad experience. Talking, laughing, and enjoying a delicious meal with all my Smicks, I experienced yet another moment of profound contentment...like I know that I am right where I am supposed to be. Even though it meant missing out on a holiday with my family, I know that in my mind, I will forever return to the special Thanksgiving I spent abroad.

Thanksgiving banquet at the Tiz

And that was just Wednesday!! Early Thursday morning, 8 friends and I departed for London for the 4-day weekend. Our travel day went seamlessly until our flight from Rome to Paris arrived late and we had to rush through the Paris airport in an attempt to make our connecting flight. Unfortunately, we got to the gate about 3 minutes after they closed it and they wouldn't let us on. It ended up working out fine because they booked us on the next flight and gave us meal vouchers (which we of course used for Chinese food....haha) for our 3-hour wait. Although we arrived in London later than we had originally anticipated, we were still just as excited for a weekend of adventure. Our first stop--even before we went to the hostel--was Starbucks. What can I say? Sometimes you just need that little piece of home, and a peppermint mocha did the trick :) Our hostel was much nicer than I expected and pretty good for my first hostel experience. Since there were 9 of us girls we had one room and bathroom all to ourselves. The hostel was full of students just like us and was located in the Hyde Park area, very close to the nearest tube station. After regrouping quickly, we navigated the city via the tube to the area around the London Eye for dinner. I met up with an old elementary school friend from California, Emma, who I hadn't seen in about 4 or 5 years. She now lives in London and goes to college at the Guilford School of Acting. It was so great catching up with her and introducing her to my friends while enjoying a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner (of Mexican food!!) on the Thames River.

SO EXCITED to have our Christmas Starbucks drinks!

Emma and me on Thanksgiving

Friday morning Shannon and I got off to a very early start. We set our alarms for 6:30am, but because we had forgotten to adjust the clock for the hour time difference, we were actually waking up at 5:30! It was quite an unusual surprise for me to be up and out the door by before 7am, but it felt good knowing we had a full day to sightsee ahead of us. The two of us got our first look at some of the major sights in the chilly morning air--Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Then we met up with the rest of the girls for the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. We had to get there about an hour and a half early to secure a spot against the fence, but it was well-worth it and I got several pics and videos to document the experience. Afterwards, Shannon and I walked through St. James's Park(in all its autumn glory!), saw Trafalgar Square, and then met up again with the rest of the group at Chipotle. Can you tell that we are Americans dying for something other than Italian food?! Don't get me wrong, Italian food is fabulous, but we were all ready for a change from pasta and pizza! Crazy coincidence at Chipotle--we started talking to a guy who was behind us in line with his wife and young sons, and it turns out he was an ND grad! He and his family live in London now since he is in the Air Force. Always great to meet a fellow Irish fan and share our love for the place we all hold so near and dear to our hearts.

"Hands down..best abbey I've even seen" -Joey :)

So London.

:)

Front and center for the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace

Crowds gathering for the changing of the guards

Buckingham Palace!!

Lovely autumn day in St. James's Park 

Friday afternoon, all 9 of us went on the London Eye--definitely a highlight of the weekend. The sun was setting as we reached the top, making the panoramic views of the city that much better. In the evening, we split into groups yet again (as you can probably imagine, it's a little difficult to do everything in a brand new city with nine indecisive girls...) to see various other sights on our list. A few of us went to the Tower of London, which was unfortunately closed at the time, but since we were in that area we grabbed Starbucks (again) and saw Tower Bridge all lit up at night. Afterwards, we went to see the musical Billy Elliot, which was absolutely fabulous! The acting, singing, and the DANCING...oh my goodness, so incredible and fun.

London Eye at sunset

Simply amazing.

View from the top of the London Eye

We made Saturday another early day so as to make the most of our sightseeing time. In the early morning, a few of us went to Notting Hill and walked around the outdoor markets. Then we all met at Harrods--another highlight of the trip. I was so overwhelmed in that store, let me tell you, but honestly, who wouldn't be?! 300 different departments and 6 stories full of Christmas merchandise, designer items, gourmet teas and food, and so much more. Apparently there's also a pet spa in there--I missed seeing that, as we limited ourselves to spending only about an hour and a half in there. I could have spent my whole weekend and then some exploring this fabulous department store! The fact that it was all decorated for Christmas made it that much better. Christmas + shopping + London = heaven on earth.

I LOVE HARRODS!

Necessary.

Later that afternoon, we made our way back to the Tower of London while it was still open to see one of the sights I was most looking forward to--the CROWN JEWELS! The Tower of London is huge, but we managed to see the highlights in the hour and a half before closing, and I can say with certainty that the crown jewels were my fave! We didn't take a guided tour, but the security officers inside the exhibit were more than willing to answer our questions and give us just as much information as any tour guide. One of them stood there and pretty much told us the whole story of the British monarchy as it related to the significance of each of the jewels in the Imperial Crown. The concept of royalty there is just so fascinating to me since it's not even remotely close to anything we have in the States. I can't even imagine how much money those jewels alone are worth, not to mention, everything else associated with the royal family.

Our final sight of the day was Saint Paul's Cathedral, the Church of England cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of London. Many important events, including the funeral of Winston Churchill, the wedding of Charles and Diana, and the Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II, have taken place here over the years. It was beautiful, but definitely gave me a different feeling than all the Catholic churches I have seen in Rome. I definitely like Rome's cathedrals much better :)

On Saturday night, everyone wanted to do/see different things, so Cara and I decided on going to another broadway show at the last minute. We went to the discount ticket office and were ready to see whatever was available--we ended up at Shrek the Musical and it was so much fun! The theatre was full of parents and children, but the play was as top-notch as Billy Elliot the night before. All of the costumes and sets were so creative. We happened to be sitting right next to a family that was speaking Italian, so during intermission, I turned to the mother and asked, "Di dove sei?" (Where are you from?). She looked pleasantly surprised to hear familiar words of Italian, especially coming from the young blonde next to her and responded with, "Parli italiano??!" From there, we proceeded to have a brief conversation in Italian about where each of us were from, and what had brought us to London. She and her family were from Bari, Puglia, in southeast Italy and they were very interested and happy to hear that Cara and I were studying in Rome. I felt so accomplished practicing my Italian--figures it would take me going all the way to England to actually practice the language!

Cara and me after Shrek the Musical

Sunday was a long day of travel back to Rome, and we were exhausted from going constantly all weekend. But it was a relief to get back to our comfy room at the Tiz and catch up with Anna (Cara, Hannah, and I all went to London but Anna stayed in Rome for the weekend). The four of us then went out for a roomie dinner in Campo dei Fiori and shared our stories from the weekend....yet another moment of gratitude for my wonderful friends :)

Roomie dinner and desserts in Campo dei Fiori

So if you couldn't already guess, I LOVED London! It was so fabulous to have different cuisine and be able to read signs and speak in English. It made me feel comfortable and competent navigating the city almost instantly. I loved the architecture, people (and their accents!), and atmosphere in general--it reminded me of some of the east coast cities in the States. All in all, it was a good place to spend Thanksgiving, and DEFINITELY a place I would visit time and time again; however, I am VERY grateful that I chose to study abroad in Rome. My experience here is much more cultural in terms of the foreign language, customs, people, etc. Plus I feel so in touch with Catholicism here, and as a result I am learning so much about my faith and myself.

I'll be honest--I had some moments of feeling like I missed out at home/school this past weekend. After all, how INSANE is it that I missed the season that ND went undefeated??! Knowing that I won't be able to go to the National Championship game and seeing pics of my fam all together without me made me wish I were home. But I guess the truth is that no matter where I am in the world, at some time or another, there will always be someone I miss, some place I wish I could be. But know how much I am going to miss this experience come April 17th when I head back home, so I'm embracing it with all my heart and soul---and that's not hard to do when you get to live in the center of Rome on a daily basis!

Yesterday confirmed my love for Rome once again, as I went on an excursion to climb the cupola at St. Peter's. Easily, my favorite thing I have done in my time abroad! The 500+ steps were quite a workout, but the panoramic views of Rome from the top were well-worth every step. Looking out over St. Peter's Square, the Vittorio Emanuele monument, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and all the other major sights of Rome, I had grateful moment number one million. Today I'm thankful for God, life, love, family, friends, my education, and this incredible experience. God is good!

Looking down into St. Peter's Basilica

Tiny staircases up to the cupola

It was a tad windy at the top of the dome haha

Bella Roma

Happiness :)