"So... how was Rome?"

As we prepared to leave Rome, we all knew this question was coming. You get home and your family and friends want to know all about it. What was the best part? Where did you go? What did you see and do? 

After a full semester growing as a person and gaining 28 new siblings, this isn't a simple question to answer. There is no real way to share everything I got out of Rome, so here are just a few things I've learned/gained:

Learning About Myself

One thing I was excited for when I left for Rome was to learn more about myself. As someone always close to home, it was a new experience being away from home for months. I learned so many things this semester. 

--I learned what things are most important to me. 

--I learned that I am capable of good time management. 

--I learned to make decisions when faced with multiple options: homework, hang out, etc. 

--Figuring out how to feed myself was wonderful too. 

--I really think I matured as a person both in learning to look out for myself and in learning to let others look out for me (letting them in). 

--I learned about the interesting balance I have between being an introvert and an extrovert.

--I learned more about what brings me joy and what makes me tick.

--I learned about fears that have held me back from doing things in my life.

--I learned more about what things affirm me and what things make me self-conscious.

--I learned that I can be my crazy self in front of a group of people, and, if it's the right group of people, they'll still love me.

--I learned about my limits as well as my capacity to do things.

--I learned to love and to be loved (especially by Our Lord).

The Community

When people ask me what my favorite thing about Rome was, my honest answer is always, "The people I lived with." Seriously! I lived with a wonderfully diverse group of people. 

--We got to experience each other's quirks, strengths, and weaknesses. 

--We got to see that having a love for God in common is really all you need. 

--It was wonderful watching people open up throughout the semester (this includes myself) and learning that sometimes the people I thought I had very little in common with were actually the people I had the most in common with.

--The laughter, love, faith, and solidarity (Dr. Heaney would like my use of that term ;) ) were truly the highlights of my semester. We got to experience so many new things together. We grew through each other. Our stories of our faith and our experiences strengthened each other. I really think we all looked out for each other. We opened up to each other lovingly.

--The thing that brings me the most joy leaving Bernardi is that I can truly say I developed a personal connection with every single one of my brothers and sisters at Bernardi. We didn't just coexist. We really got to know each other as friends. (Some people I may know better than others, but I got to hold at least one conversation with each fellow Bernardian throughout the semester, and I can honestly say that I love all of them equally.)

--Seeing the witness of other people's faith - especially through the Seminarians' total gift of self to God - was truly moving for me and gave me strength to do the same. The beauty of the experience of seeing men (and women) give themselves to Christ is/was truly inexpressible. THANK YOU!

Spiritually

My faith experience throughout the semester was very personal but very beautiful. While I won't share all the details, I can definitely say that:

--Never before have I had the courage to open myself up to the Lord as much as I did this semester.

--I learned to converse with the Lord genuinely. I learned to ask Him for me to want, to pray for, and to accept His Will regardless of what it might be and for Him to help me to love and embrace His Will. [He answered all of my prayers in the most beautiful, even if not painless, ways!]

--The biggest changes I experienced in my approach to my faith while in Rome were learning to: 
(1) Ask God for me to want what He wants
(2) Tell all of my fears to the Lord. He already knows them and is there to listen.
(3) Through the grace of God, find joy and PEACE in God's Will --> realizing what a huge burden is taken off of my shoulders when I put my life in His hands. I may not always be able to trust myself, but I can trust Him.

Culturally

Culturally, Rome was an adventure. I'm glad to be back, but it was cool experiencing a different way of life. Having been in the center of Rome, I won't exactly miss the calls of the selfie-stick vendors or the sound of fake ducks quacking at me (though I might experience some sentimental deja vu from those experiences). 

The Italian way of life is different in a number of ways. They move at a slower pace. I like this (except for when I am walking to class behind a couple moving at 0.5 MPH). People are really nice in Italy overall. I appreciated the kindness of Italians who looked out for me: on multiple occasions I dropped something and was helped by a kind European. I will miss the times I was mistaken for being an Italian too. And I will miss the Sisters!

I will miss the lay of the land in Rome. It may have smelled bad and have been crowded, but picturing a map of Rome just reminds me of all the wonderful, long walks I went on with my fellow Bernardians to classes and Churches. I won't miss the traffic. Well... actually... maybe a little. Sometimes it's exciting when you come within inches of being hit by a car. But I'm sure glad I never had to drive there!

I'll miss being within walking distance of St. Peter's. I didn't realize until towards the end of the semester just how much that meant to me. 

I will miss the Bernardi terrace, co-cooking in the kitchen, chatting over meals in the dining room, and running up and down the stairs of Bernardi with greetings from those in passing. I will also certainly miss the chapel where I learned to put my life in the hands of the Lord and LET Him give me His peace.


This may have trailed off from a "cultural" aspect, but I really will miss Rome. I hope that the spiritual life, self-growth, and friendships/familyships that I gained in Rome will come home with me and stay with me all of my life.

I now look forward to reminiscing with my fellow Bernardians and seeing what life has to offer, because life isn't over. Life has just begun.

The Last Few Golden Weeks

Food Tour

Thanos planned some wonderful adventures for us to help end the semester with good memories and not just tests and papers. A ton of us signed up for a food tour. We took the metro to a town filled with nice shops and restaurants. The food we had was pretty epic. It included deep fried zucchini, tiramisu, bruschetta pomodoro, parmesan cheese (only made in that part of the world), and other amazing, mouth-watering things! We finished off the day by learning how to differentiate real gelato from "the fake stuff." It was an epic journey and a well-spent day. :)

Zoo!

May Day! May Day! Kyle's 21st birthday came around, so Ben B. planned an epic, surprise celebration for him at the zoo. The crew included John B., Cassie, Patrese, and me. We had trouble finding Kyle and Ben, but when we did that was pretty epic! I would like to share with you that the exotic animals at the zoo included guinea pigs galore and a cow!!! But there were other cool creatures including peacocks (Ben, Kyle, and I actually got to see one in full bloom), sassy chimps, the cuddliest-looking grizzly bear, super majestic tigers, and so many other awesome creatures! That was a day well slept, and it was delightful to see Kyle's face light up when he saw us. The day ended with a wonderful May crowning (though I was too exhausted to go).

Churches

I got to see St. Mary Major the last week in Rome with Danielle and Patrese! When I first went to confession, the priest opened up in Italian, but thankfully he switched to English when I did. Patrick and I may have taken a few wrong turns on the way back, but eventually we found our way back to the Ang. on time for our last class with Fr. Murray.

Sports Days

Thanos planned an event for us to go see a real ROMA soccer ("football") game! Unfortunately, the tickets sold out at an oddly rapid rate, so we weren't able to go. But I think our alternative was just as fun. A whole group of us including Kyle, Reed, Alex, MK, Danielle, Risa, Liz F, Tasha, Ben B, John M, John B, and Cassie went out to the park to get in our own sports games. We had some pretty epic and close games, starting with Ultimate Frisbee and ending with Football.  It was my first time learning these sports. TONS of fun. The only downside to that day was John M's sprained ankle. Someone was bound to get hurt :(

Another event we had to end the school year (our last Thursday) was "Sports Day at the NAC." This took place after our Final for Fr. Murray's class. A bunch of people were studying, so had a small group show up, but it was a blast! Ben B, Reed, Josh V, Michael, Alex, Liz M, Lizzy, and me alongside major sems Joe and Aaron. Lizzy was so kind as to join me on the tennis courts. After an hour of playing there, we transitioned to watching the others playing soccer and ultimate frisbee before we joined them for a game of basketball. Basketball was way fun, even if my arm did almost get twisted. :)

Beach Day

To follow up sports day, our last Friday in Rome was "Beach Day." This is my favorite of the events Thanos planned of us. I'm so glad I decided to go and was provided with car sickness meds from Liz M. Most people went on this trip. The bus drive was an hour or two to get to the sea. I have never tasted salt water again. As beautiful as it is, I hope to never "taste" salt water again. It was my first time body surfing and for the first portion of the time I felt like I was drowning. The salt water wouldn't stop going up my nose and in my mouth. So many of the waves were huge, so you had to constantly be holding your breath and just take quick gasps for breath. Recovering from face slaps of water was interesting. Once I did get the hang of this though, it got better!

Before swimming, we got to get a ton of BEAUTIFUL pictures by the blue seashore, and Thanos treated us all to an epic, four-course meal. The day ended with gelato, provided by Thanos. We truly are spoiled. What a fantastic way to end the semester! Body surfing and playing on the beach with my fellow Bernardians!

Finals Galore

Amidst all of this fun, Finals were a thing too. Most people had more to deal with than I did, as I decided to simply audit one of our classes. The two Finals I had our last week were Fr. Murray's and Fr. Giertych's. I actually enjoyed taking Fr. Murray's final. I studied a lot the day before, using storytelling as a memory device: "15 Themes of St. John of the Cross." I was delighted when that Final was over, but I will miss Fr. Murray who is a living saint with such a gentle voice and disposition.

The Last Week

My last week in Rome was straightout interesting. Minnesota interesting? Maybe. But it was such a great experience for me. I larded a lot and gained skills and confidence. I stayed at Guest House run by Carmelites for this last week. I got in the gate and checked in, though it was a bit tricky because the Sister who gave me my key didn't speak any English. I spent most of my first three days cooped up in my room, writing a paper. I got out once and wandered the streets of this unfamiliar, outer-part of Rome until I found a supermarket. I had trouble knowing how to even get out of the door of the courtyard (I learned eventually that you pretty a button), so that in itself was an adventure. It's probably good I didn't go much these first few days, because I knew I had to write a 10 page paper that was due that Saturday.

The second half of my week went much better. I actually left the Guest House twice to travel into Rome. The first time, I went to Bernardi, because the WiFi at the Guest House was almost nonexistent. It was a relief getting food at familiar old Tuodi, seeing Thanos's familiar face, and feeling the comfort of being at Bernardi. The next day I went out I enjoyed going through gift stores to get souvenirs for family and friends. (I'm one of the pickiest shoppers you will meet, heads up if you ever want to go shopping with me.) After comparing things at about ten or more different stores, I picked out a few things that I thought would be a good fit for family and friends. I also managed to get a panino and made it to an Evening Mass on Sunday.

I was so happy to get to spend my last day in Rome with Patrick, Danielle, Liz F., and Reed. The first time I ran into Reed it was totally by chance/providence. We just passed each other on the street to the Vatican, and I realized this was a familiar face that I missed. I got to meet his family which was the coolest thing ever! I did some of my own shopping and got some delicious pizza while Patrick, Liz, and Danielle climbed the Cupola. It was relaxing.

In the evening, I got my last Old Bridge and said farewell to the Ang. alongside Patrick and Liz. We met up with Danielle and Reed at the Trevi Fountain. (Side note: A guard will yell at you if you try to play cards next to the Trevi Fountain. Who knew?) We had a phenomenal last dinner, the five of us. The food was amazing and the waitress "Bre-sheila" was wonderful. We bonded over our name(s). After this we got gelato.

The highlight of my last week in Rome (also one of the highlights of my entire time in Rome) was when the five of us went to gaze upon St. Peter's. It was a faith filled experience beyond expression. We all just tried to take in the blessing of our semester of God's Love and of St. Peter's. Reed noted some great questions, including, "Why did God choose us, of all people, to be standing here, right now, outside of St. Peter's, getting to experience this?"

We said our farewells that night. The next day Liz walked Danielle and me to Bernardi where we met Patrick. Our taxi driver had to load a ton of large pieces of luggage into his car. He was a very kind taxi driver. We said farewell to Liz at Bernardi and rode to the airport with Danielle and Patrick.

It was a relief not traveling home alone. I had thought I booked a seat next to Patrick on the flight home, but it turns out my seat was next to a wonderful Sister. We had some good conversations on the flight. My screen didn't work on the plane, so I couldn't watch movies, but I'm grateful for that. I think that was God's gift to me. Watching movies me eye-aches and makes my head feel foggy. I napped for the portion of the ride when I wasn't eating delicious food (the orange chicken was incredibly good for plane food) or talking to Sister.

Patrick was very helpful at the Chicago airport. He got me my bags, and I ran to my connecting flight after waiting in some pretty long lines. People at the airport were incredibly helpful in directing me onward to my destination. I'm lucky that on the flight Sister told me where I was supposed to go for my next flight or I would have been in absolute confusion. God looks out for me like that. Thank you, God :)

On the second flight, I was just ready to be home. It was funny listening to the conversation behind me on the plane as two men talking about fishing and going out on their boats on the lake. In my mind I just said, "Yes. This is definitely Minnesota." I had been up for 21 hours by the time I arrived home. I wasn't sure were to find my luggage, so it was a relief when my dad showed up and knew where to find it.

To finish off the story, I was exhausted, sick of travel, and so happy to get in my own car and drive home. The remainder of my day consisted in pranking friends and seeing family (including 6 wonderful gerbils).


I am glad to be home to see familiar faces and familiar sights, yet Rome will forever be a special memory; and the friendships I made there, the family of 29 kids that I became a part of there, that is only the beginning :)

Spring Break Shenanigans and more

I haven't written in about a month, and I feel like this past month has been the most eventful month yet. That's crazy! I'm sure to forget things, but here are some updates:

Pompeii

I can't believe I haven't blogged since Pompeii! Basically, for the first week of spring break, I hung around at Bernardi with about seven other people. We had tiny community meals and plenty of introvert time. A highlight of the first half of break was going to Pompeii. While I certainly needed time to relax and revive (hence, a week without major travels), I think we also all needed a little boost of adventure.

Caroline laid out the travel plans, and six of us headed off of to Pompeii on Monday. (I think it was Monday. This was so long ago.) The train ride there was great. We ladies - Cassie, Caroline, Liz M., and I - basically slept, and the boys - Reed and Michael - got to chat with two, nice young ladies who had super cool British accents and, in my eyes at least, were very sophisticated. I like the Brits.

At Pompeii we had lots of time to travel around. It was the coolest site I've visited, because we literally got to walk into the lives of these ancient people. We got to see their houses, tubs, etc. up close. We could even walk into a lot of places and touch things like what would have been the kitchen table. (That might not sound so exciting, the way I put it, but I assure you it was!) I also got a pet dog for a day. We discovered it was a boy, but, until then, I called him "Lui-e-Lei." I now realize it should have been "Lui-o-Lei," because there was no chance he was both a boy and a girl. I got to pet him a ton and walk through the streets and meadow with him at my side. THAT was a highlight. Dog lovers unite!

We walked to a nearby Church and finished our day with some gelato. Reed and I had both been interested in climbing Mt. Vesuvius, but we were all pretty worn out after hours of walking and whatnot. We took the train back to the station and from there hopped on our train back to Rome. The ride back was rather fun. We read the liturgy of the hours on the train and played the Bacon game :) If you don't know it, you should learn it. I failed miserably on my first try but have improved since then.

The Triduum --> St. Peter's Basilica

Do I want to remember The Triduum? Most of it = yes. Certain parts of it = no.

The Chrism Mass (Thursday morning) was divine. That was my first time being so close to the Pope. When he first processed in, I missed him, because I didn't expect him to be in-between some Bishops blending in. On the way back I made sure to get a glimpse of him though. Just hearing the Holy Father's voice saying the Mass is pretty special and moving. I also loved the books we were given to follow along in. They had Italian and Latin and English translations of pretty much everything! I also had great company: Lizzy, John B., Tasha, and Ryan.

Good Friday was EPIC. We went to a sort of Mass, except that it wasn't a Mass, because it was Good Friday. Anyhow, we got to receive The Eucharist! At the Church we went to, there were relics of the cross, the nails, etc. all from Our Lord's Crucifixion. That was pretty amazing!!! I didn't know we still had access to those things! Afterwards, Cassie, Risa, Ryan, and I climbed the stairs that Jesus was condemned on, on our knees. This was probably the most uplifting experience I've had in Rome yet. We actually got to TOUCH the places were it is assumed Jesus's blood fell. WOW!!! What an epic day. No Good Friday can top that one. So close to Jesus.

Saturday was a combination of Purgatory and Heaven. Waiting in line for the Easter Vigil was a definite Purgatory. I was lucky to have Caroline, JoshW, and Kyle with me, and I made some friends on the way including a super great girl named Mandy who had come for a FOCUS trip. Those were the perks. The hard part was being almost squished to death and being yelled at and having an accusatory finger in my face when a woman kept on shoving me then attempted to throw the blame my way. Oh my. At least Purgatory wasn't alone.

In the end, many of us got separated. It was just Kyle and me when we finally got into St. Peters. We got a good spot to sit in and met some really nice German guys our age! We also learned that the family sitting in front of us was from Mankato and that the father had attended St. Thomas. SMALL WORLD!

Half an hour before Mass, I decided to go to the bathroom. I met two girls in line and learned when I ran into them later (in the presence of the Pope) that they were both traveling with Dr. Klein from St. Thomas. Small world again??? Here's the cool thing --> The bathroom line was long, so by the time I got back into St. Peters, access to the main part of the Church was temporarily closed so that the Pope could...well...have his space and safety. I ended up at the back of the Church and got to watch the Pope from 30 to 40 feet away for at least 10 minutes straight. I was standing behind the Cardinals in the back of the Church when the Pope began saying the Mass and lit the Easter Candle. So basically my bathroom excursion got me the best view of the Pope possible at the most opportune time. WOW!

After Mass we went to my new favorite gelato place --> Old Bridge Gelateria. So that's the gist of my Triduum. We had a lovely, Community lunch at Bernardi on Easter Sunday. I spent most of my day in the computer lab checking flights and chilling. I got to Skype with my mom too. A good day.

On a side note: walking to the Ticket Office multiple times over break ended up being SUPER fun! The first time I went with Tasha and Caroline. The second time, I was proud of myself for managing to go there alone without getting lost and managing to get back to Bernardi without getting lost. There's such a joyful freedom when you discover you can do things on your own.

Spring Break --> KRAKOW

Krakow was the most epic part of my break --> though I may have said that about everything by now. But SERIOUSLY! I expected it to be "ok," and it was more like a heaven on earth! From the start, I loved the atmosphere. I felt like I was in a little old town in a Disney movie. And there were families with little kids everywhere. The food was OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD (particularly the meat). My travel companions were the best.

We settled into Krakow on Monday. This is when we first saw our tiny but adorable and fun B&B. Lizzy and I shared a futon on the lower level while MK and Cassie took the loft. We had a divine dinner that night. Truly epic food and company.

On Tuesday we traveled to the Divine Mercy Chapel. It was a lovely walk there. The chapel itself was super crowded, and MK and I wanted to tidy up after walk. We found FREE! bathrooms and ate our sandwiches outside on some curved steps. It was a WINDY day. We had a lovely walk up the Divine Mercy Tower and a grand time visiting the Church that is being built for JPII. This was another highlight of my spring break, as I actually got to spend time getting to know and really chat with MK. We then went to a Mass in the Divine Mercy Church (which is surprisingly modern). I loved the sound of the Polish words in the Mass even though I couldn't understand them. MK and I joyfully joined in whenever we sang an "Alleluia." That was the one word I knew by heart. :) We met up with Cassie and Lizzy after Mass and figured out the Tram system to get home. We had a mediocre dinner at a restaurant a short way down the river. We also witnessed a stone dragon actually breath fire. (Unfortunately, I was not able to record this epicness, because the dragon got stubborn when I pulled out my camera. So you'll just have to believe me. And, if you haven't been to Krakow, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about anyway........so ya.)

Wednesday was our day to visit Auschwitz. Aside from car sickness, it was a good experience. Naturally, it was a very serious experience. We were shown a rather graphic film about Auschwitz (with actual footage) on the bus ride there. At Auschwitz 1 we saw lots of the belongings of people who died at Auschwitz (as well as their pictures). It was very moving. We even got to pass the grave of St. Maximilian Kolbe. We spent less time at Auschwitz 2, but we did get to see some buildings. It's absolutely insane the things that went down there. It left me aware of the power of brainwashing while still wondering how people could be so inhumane and cruel. On a separate note, we had a wonderful dinner at...yes, an "Italian" restaurant that night. We ate outdoors (blanket and heater provided) and got to spend a lovely two hours out there together.

On Thursday we went to what was/is probably my favorite place in Krakow. (But actually! I mean it this time!) Cassie, MK, and I visited the Salt Mines. Our tour guide was pretty much hilarious. For me, it felt kind of like a combination of Disney World and the log ride at Camp Snoopy. Before we finally got down into the min, we climbed down some stairs that seemed to never end. The things we saw down there were amazing. I thought it was cool that they had wax figures to portray what the miners would have been doing and would have looked like. That was the part that reminded me of Camp Snoopy. In a few of the rooms, the lights were turned off on us, and they prayed movies around us. That was one of the things that reminded me of Disney World. At the end of the tour, we had the chance to stop at shops and eat lunch at an underground cafe. It basically felt like we were in a fancy hotel underground. (P.S. There's an epic Church down there! I forgot to mention that!) In summary, if you ever have the chance to go to the Salt Mines JUST. DO. IT. They have tons of different tours, some longer than others, and I would go back in a heartbeat :) That night, after attending Mass and an amazing prayer service (one that basically felt like a mystical experience and was SUPER well attended), we enjoyed getting dinner at a Jewish Restaurant with John B., Miguel, and Michael. We tried to show them the fire breathing dragon that night. But, yet again, the dragon did not want to cooperate.

On Friday we met up with Tasha and Liz M. and took a train to Czestochowa. Cassie, MK, Lizzy, and I accidentally sat in First Class, but Polish people are super nice and nobody minded (not even when they checked our tickets). First Class is boss. It's like right out of the movies! At Czestochowa, it was a rainy day, and MK and I weren't really feeling it. After seeing the Black Madonna, we got Tasha and Liz M. to leave early with us. We couldn't find Cassie and Lizzy, so they had their own adventure trying to get back home later. (You should ask them about it.) We all went to a great coffee place, and then MK and I chilled at Tasha and Liz M's beautiful apartment. We met up with the other girls for dinner and found some nice, underground dining. The prices were good and the service was pretty awesome. We were going to meet up with the trio: Jordan, Ryan, and Patrick on Friday, but let's just say communication didn't quite work out so that fell through. It's ok. It was a lovely GNO!!!

Wow. This short post is getting long...

On Saturday we went back to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and met Jordan, Patrick, and Ryan there. It was absolutely wonderful to see them. We did some shopping at the Divine Mercy shop. I got lost for a while. Then we went to an interesting 6:00pm Mass. It was good. After Mass we all somehow found each other and headed off to find dinner. We ended up splitting into two groups, and I had a nice dinner with Michael, Miguel, Cassie, Jordan, and Ryan.

On Sunday, Lizzy and I slept in. Then it was departure day. We ran into The Trio on the way to the airport and had a FABULOUS time eating lunch with them at some Festival-Type-Place in the square. Then we were off to the airport. Most of the day went well. The bus ride from the airport in Rome was torture, however, for someone with carsickness like me. That is something I hope to never relive. The day ended with eating the remainder of the Bernardi dinner and trying to get our livelihood back --> (aka, food, showers, and sleep). Then off to bed before a bright and early Dr. Lev across!

We're Actually In School :P

This seems like a good time to introduce the fact that we are actually in school. While the first half of the semester felt more like a vacation with a class period here and there, we are finally getting assignments in more classes than Italian. (Did I say "finally"?) Our first paper is due tomorrow. There is so much to do now. The papers are piling on. Not to mention that finals are approaching... 

But thank God for the two months we had that felt like being "on holiday." Now we get to tackle the dirty work (aka, papers and tests to study for).

Travels

Last weekend, all of Bernardi-- aside from the sick ones :( -- traveled to Assisi. We have a trip planned for this weekend as well. I was hoping to take the two following weekends to travel to Ireland and Santorini, but that's starting to look too hectic. I think I would rather maintain my sanity and accept the fact that even if I don't get to travel everywhere, Bernardi is an adventure in and of itself! #SanityFirst

We Made A Movie!

If you haven't seen this movie, watch it. And, if you have, watch it again! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EITZOcF2OkA

If you read this whole thing, WOW! YOU'RE IMPRESSIVE! Thanks for caring that much! It seems my short post has turned into a long one, so I will leave it here. Laterz!

The Halfway Mark

As I sit here in my room, wondering what to do, not knowing where all the extroverts went, I suddenly realize... I could be blogging!

So... Hello, all! It's spring break! I have now been in Europe for 46 days. Two thirds of Bernardi has set off for other countries already. A few people will be leaving tomorrow. I considered doing two weeks of intense travel for Spring Break, but decided one week is enough so that I can maintain my sanity and actually take a "break."

So here's what's new since I last wrote:

COMMUNITY

Our community has only been growing better and better while here in Rome. I am proud to boast that I have 10 sisters and 18 brothers. (I've never had brothers before.) The men at Bernardi did something incredibly touching last week. They methodically thought out and composed a note for the girls telling us of our worth and thanking us for helping them to be better men of God. They also provided us with some delicious cakes made by Patrick and John M. I had seen Patrick and John baking the cakes the night before and had been told that John "wanted to surprise his brothers at the NAC." It wasn't a lie. Simply what it implied wasn't true. Anyhow. I was totally surprised and honored, and so were the other ladies! This is certainly a Rome highlight!

Ben Eichten's Community Dinners have become a thing! I shared in my last blog entry that we had a very successful Taco Night. We had a very successful "Breakfast for Dinner" night as well. Ben led our Bernardi family in making chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Did I miss anything? There was syrup to accompany it! <-- (not something easily found in Italy) After dinner and the presentation of the letter to the ladies, Reed and Miguel put on a WONDERFUL improv show with some help from the audience. What a treat! Laughter is my favorite thing :)

I have heard rumor of plans for future Bernardi dinners and whatnot. Oh boy.... We shall see..... ;)

BIRTHDAYS

It's astonishing how many of us Bernardians were born between the months of June and January. Out of the 29 of us, I think there are only 4 or 5 birthdays while we are here. I'm pretty sure I previously shared that we had a delightful surprise party for Tasha's birthday at which we served potatoes of all kinds. (Rather spicy. Someone added a bit too much salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes.)

Well, we've had two more birthday since my last post. John Braun marched forth into this world 21-years-ago (that's a really bad pun). A number of people were traveling on his birthday -- a Friday -- but those of us who remained threw him a birthday celebration. Because it was a Friday in Lent, we had a rather Mexican meal, I would say. There was great rice, beans, chips, and guac. (I LOVE CHIPS!!!) I was blessed to get to sit by John at his birthday dinner. I've had a lot of luck in regard to who I get to sit by at what meal. After attending a beautiful concert at a church, we went to the park and had some wine. Lots of people made it to this portion of the celebration! It was a good time. I avoid wine, having discovered I always react to it negatively with a headache and shot throat, but J.J.M. did convince me to try...what was it? It has kind of a coffee flavor to it. Whatever it was, it was good! So much better than other alcoholic drinks! That said, it's good I only had a sip.

This past week Ben Baker turned 21! After so many birthdays, it's hard to throw a surprise at this point. Basically, the birthday person can probably tell that there will be a surprise but doesn't know what surprise to expect. I had fun peeling apples in the morning for the apple pies. It was a great team effort! So many people contributed so much in the kitchen! We had people baking pies, bacon, corn bread... Reed made some crazy-good cornbread which was decorated with bacon. I must say Kyle really knows how to cook bacon. (Crispy is best.) It took a while for John B. and Ben B. to get back from their outing, but when Ben got back we got to surprise him with all of the goodies and the film "Field of Dreams." I wish I could have watched the whole film with them, but studying for the next day's quiz was important too. I also got to sick near Ben Baker at dinner on his birthday, so that means great company and extra dessert!

SILENT RETREAT

Backtracking to before Ben's birthday... Last weekend we went on a Silent Retreat. I didn't know what to expect. On my last Silent Retreat (at Gainey) I felt the Lord's love in such an amazing way and fell in love with Him with all my heart. I didn't know what to expect on this Silent Retreat.

In summary, it was a good retreat but not as personally riveting as my last one. The bus ride to the retreat center had beautiful views! Aside from a bit of discomfort from carsickness, I enjoyed the ride. We arrived at the retreat center an hour or two after Pope Francis left. He was staying at the center the days before us, so that's CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZYYYYY!!! They showed us where he sat, walked, and everything. So that was a huge blessing and breathtaking.

As for the retreat itself: the silence was fine. I didn't enjoy it as much as on the previous retreat. I missed having Christian music to help guide my thoughts in positive ways. I did read quite a bit, so that was good. Fr. Luke had GREAT stories! I love him! Mostly, the outcome I got from the retreat was that I should stop trying so hard and just let Jesus love me. There's no way to earn His love. See it in the things around you -- nature, the breeze, the laughter, the friends -- and be grateful. 

I'm not going to go into detail on this, but I did have a lot of confusion about my vocational discernment on the retreat due to the effect the words in my book were having on me. I met with one of the sisters to talk and received some very unexpected responses from her. Basically, my eyes were open to seeing things (in regard to vocational discernment) in ways I had not previously seen them. I came back from the retreat rather perplexed and confused and not knowing what God wanted of me. My mind was buzzing, but I was blessed that the next day I got to have a deep chat with my roommate. She opened my eyes to SO MUCH MORE about myself. And that really helped me. God bless her.

Roommates

This seems like a good time to throw in some words about my roommate. Basically, God is phenomenal! We were told on retreat that God will give us more than we could even imagine to ask for. Well, the roommate I have been blessed with...things are just so right. Her spirituality and calmness helps me. I trust her and can turn to her in hard times. She is quiet enough that I can rest and have introvert time but at the same time she is simply hilarious and we have good laughs. She doesn't judge me either. Instead, she loves and helps and prays. 

So praise the Lord! I don't always know what I want or need, but God does, and he brings the people I need into my life when I most need them / when their companionship would be the most helpful. Friends are a blessing. Everyone here is Wow!

Tests & Classes

I wrote a lot about school in my last post, but I'm only going to write a little bit about it in this one. Basically, Dr. Heaney's class has gotten better and better. We have great discussions. I aced his first test due to God's graciousness. We just took our second test (ok, quiz, quest, whatev) with him. I'm not sure it went as well as the one before, but it was good.

The other class that I will touch on is Italian. I've been overwhelmed it that class, because my brain wasn't made for immersion learning. It freaks out! (PANICKO! PANICKO!) That said, our last class period before break was surprisingly fun for me. I felt less intimidated with a smaller group. We did some hilarious activities where we played inanimate objects. When I had to speak Italian, I somehow managed to get enough of the words and the teacher helped me finish or fix them, so that was a total gift from God. We were also sent out to in pairs to ask strangers for directions. I was blessed. My partner was Reed, and he's really good at Italian. I let him take the lead and threw in some simpler Italian questions. It really was exhilarating getting to talk to kind people in Italian (though I would've freaked out and been a mess without a partner). Reed even convinced me to ask the Carbinieri (an Italian policeman) for a picture with him. The guy looked really intimidating, and I was scared, but I went up and amazingly enough the very serious Carbinieri simply answered, "Si," with a slight smile. --> I spoke a full sentence to him in Italian!!! This is what I call a Sheila accomplishment! It was good of Reed to help me go outside of my comfort zone. So long as you have support, life isn't half as scary.

St. Patty's Day

They don't really celebrate this holiday in Italy, but beer places definitely take advantage of having lots of crazy tourist who think the whole point of St. Patrick's Day is drinking beer. I'm not saying you shouldn't drink beer on St. Patty's Day! It's a fun festivity. :) I'm just noting the people who run around from place to place for the sake of getting drunk.

I had a great St. Patrick's Day. After making myself a pizza at Bernardi, I went out with Joe, Patrick, and Therese. We didn't anticipate the Irish Pub's being so CRAZY. It was pretty amusing honestly. We couldn't find our friends there, amidst the chaos, so we ended up going out to find food for Patrick and Therese. We found an amazing sandwich shop (what a lucky find) called "Pasto: Eat Good Food" where the sandwiches were made fresh. After that we went to a smaller, Irish Pub It was tiny and packed, but after a while Joe was able to make his way to the front. We got three beers, because I've learned alcohol isn't really my thing nor does it have a very positive effect on me. I did get to sample some of Therese's Guinness. It was decent.

After we returned to Bernardi, Joe and I ran into David. I found Cassie, Ryan, and Liz M. watching the Phantom of the Opera in the 1st Floor Lounge, so I joined them. It was very funny though I was tired. Thank goodness I finally saw that movie for the first time last Fall, so I wasn't completely loss (though I still struggle to understand the storyline).

That was the latest I've stayed up in Rome! It was after midnight. But that's ok, because I should be back on my normal sleep schedule hereafter.

"STORY TIME"

* The number of stories Bernardians already have is amazing! I didn't realize this until we ladies were at a formation dinner with the sisters and couldn't stop talking! For those of you who would like to here some of these stories, here's a suggestion.

Why don't you ask...

--Risa, Liz, &Danielle "How was your trip to Venice?"

--Josh V. "What has been your experience of the Carbinieri here in Rome?"

--All of us "What are some stories Father Luke told you on retreat?"

That's only a starters list. More later. :)



To close: I will leave you in suspense as to where I will be traveling over spring break, but tomorrow calls for a DAY TRIP with a group of people! And I'm going to be somewhere for the week following Easter. Ciao! Ciao!

One Month In

Ciao! It's been a while since posted. Life is flowing here now. I have been discussing with Liz Falconer that we can't believe midterms are approaching. That's ridiculous. I could stay here for just about forever!

There have definitely been ups and downs, but life here is getting better and better as I get to know people on a more personal level. It's so wonderful developing friendships with people who I basically only knew as acquaintances before.

Classes

Classes are pretty good. I still need to catch up on reading homework, but I'm enjoying most of my classes. I've gotten into the flow of them. Fr. Murray's class is my favorite. Lots of people get tired of having a long day, but I love going to his class! I look forward to it. He reads beautiful poetry to us about romance and adventure with God. He teaches us great things and shared beautiful quotes. He also plays BEAUTIFUL songs for us that make my life. So beautiful. I want that song played at my wedding if I ever get married. It's about the bride going out to meet her bridegroom in the garden.

Dr. Heaney's class is also bomb. It started out as my favorite class, but I got worried when I learned we were going to have tests in it. Thankfully, the first test went great. I got an A :). Good grades aren't as important to me in Rome, because it's the experience here that is life changing. Still, I try to do well. So far so good. I do need to catch up on reading for Dr. Heaney's class this weekend, but I LOVE our class discussions. The class is basically what I expected Catholic Studies classes to be like. We learn the Catholic Church's perspective on the world: on rights and the point of life. It's wonderful: a great teacher and incredibly awesome classmates.

Fr. Giertych's class is pretty good. It's weird just sitting there listening to lecture, and a ton of the stuff is over my head, but I try to listen for things that really stand out to me or touch me. I've learned through experimentation that I can hear him pretty well and focus much better when I sit towards the front of the classroom, not in the back (so the front of the classroom it is. Hooray) :) I have met some nice NAC seminarians in that class too. Most Bernardians sit in the back of that class. (Side note: I'm so excited to learn that Fr. Giertych is coming to dinner with us next week! Papal Theologian in a more personal context. Hooray!)

Dr. Lev's class kind of overwhelms me, but I've received permission to audit it, so that is a great relief to me. Walking around tires me, and art just doesn't grab my fancy too much (sorry. I wish it did, but other things catch my fancy, so it's ok. My heart isn't made of stone). What I like about that class is...well, for one thing Dr. Lev is really funny and sarcastic. The other thing I love is getting in a lot of group experiences with my fellow Bernardians. We travel together for that class, so that is a treat. It's also a joy to see how much joy some of my classmates get out of the art. They just come out of museums beaming, and I can be so glad for them :) Next week is the Sistine Chapel, so that should be COOL! I already watched Dr. Lev's TED talk on it.

Then there's Italian. I have grown to like that class more. I still don't know what's going on half of the time, but I've learned to accept that. I should try to get in some hardcore studying for that class this weekend as we do have a midterm, and I don't want to get an F. (It's a pass or fail class.) The good thing about that class is that my teacher, Valentina, and my classmates are so humorous. Her joy brings me joy. She's also patient. Thankfully, I get by not talking a lot in that class. I enjoy listening to people like "Carlos" do more of the talking. At least I'm not suffering through that class alone. I have fellow classmates who I know commiserate with me.

Florence

We did something very exhausting this past weekend! We traveled to Florence for Dr. Lev's class. It was fun all traveling together, being in things together. That said, walking through the museums was a form of purgatory for me. I just felt tired and impatient, especially when she held us longer than she said she would. The type of art we look at just doesn't touch me. I apologize two all my classmates who adored the art. I don't mean to downgrade your passion. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I just find enjoyment in other things. I ended up pretty moody from the museum tours, but I had some great experiences that made the trip totally worth it!

For one thing, I got to have a deep chat with my roommates, and getting to know people just makes me life. I'm very careful about who I open up to about various things, but I've been opening up to my Bernardi sisters more about things (though still cautious). There are people here who I've learned to trust with things. The words can flow out, and it's wonderful to learn how much you actually have in common with one another.

I also had an amazing Saturday night dinner joking around with my fellow Bernardians including MK, Mr. Baker, J. McFadden, Ryan Franck, and Nikolas Zabinksi. The laughter was just SO. GOOD. Laughter warms the heart and eases tension in the soul. I don't know if that makes sense, but it sounds pretty and I like pretty words...

The train ride back from Florence was also boss, because I got to hear some great Holy Spirit stories from Alex. Like, wow! How beautiful that faith-in-action and miracles are so near and dear to us even today! I didn't know!

Community

I don't think I could choose a better group for me to travel to Bernardi with. We're growing together more and more. I can actually hold a conversation with pretty much anybody at Bernardi now. The times we share are incredible. One of the best moments yet was our Taco Tuesday dinner two nights ago. Ben Baker recorded a video on my camcorder in which EVERYBODY'S PERSONALITIES SHONE. It was beautiful. We need to do more things like that. (Side note: Working on our Talent Show video has been wonderful and comical too!)

Lizzy is such a perfect roommate for me, and I was really happy to come back to rooming with her when we returned from Florence. That said, travel is a WONDERFUL opportunity to get to know my other sisters better. I LOVED rooming with Cassie and Liz M. in Florence and am excited to room with a variety of girls on future trips.

Jesus

I don't know what else to call this section. Spiritual Life? I mean, God is just so good. He's getting me through everything. Offering myself to Him and asking Him to open my heart to His plan for me gets me through every day and night. He is helping me to find comfort through broken hearts and is teaching me to love myself because I am His.



Well, that's all for now. Now for a rainy weekend of studying and possibly adventures or rest. I get to apply for "back-up plan housing" 2016-2017 with some fellow Bernardians tonight.

In the future you will get more stories from me about adventures traveling around Europe. Perhaps I can tell you some fun facts about Rome too. :) Please pray for us, as (in a week and a half) we embark into midterms.

Prayers coming your way too. Ciao!

The journey continues...

We've been in Rome for two weeks now, so I suppose it's time for a blog. First-off, I would be lying to say that this has been an easy journey for me, but with God's grace it has been a blessing. Each day I ask His will be done, and each day I get to lift up my suffering and pain to be with His. God is good.

Enough on that now. My last blog was a day-by-day update, so that one will be a subject-by-subject update. First impressions of Rome? Let's go!

School

Before coming to Rome, people told me that while here there isn't really homework and your entire grade for a class comes from your final. Perhaps this was true for them, but it is certainly not true to spring 2016 Bernardians.

Dr. Lev and Dr. Heaney have given us some pretty fair chunks of reading to do throughout the week (to put it lightly). I struggle to know when we have homework and am definitely behind. I'm trying to decide if it's worth trying to catch up or if I should just start were we left off. How important is this reading homework? Aka, how much do our quizzes, tests, and papers depend on it?

I love studying in groups, but people have only done that a few times here. Reading is easier for me when we're doing it as a team. Lizzy has taught me how to have my computer read to me, so that helps some. I am blessed to have such a wonderful, thoughtful roommate.

Food

The food here is basically what we think of as "Italian food" back in America. Most meals consist of pasta or pizza. For breakfast we have continental breakfasts at Bernardi. I usually get some cereal, yogurt, a piece of fruit, a pastry, and a roll with honey. I find it is helpful to scavenge some food from breakfast for lunch. Otherwise, lunch can get expensive; plus, I've found that panini aren't very filling for me.

I'm getting by ok, but with all the walking we do, I could use more food. Group cooking is the best, though I haven't done a ton of that yet. We made a good size dinner for everyone yesterday in honor of Tasha's birthday. That was fun. Tasha is precious, and I loved her expression when she walked into our surprise party.

Food-wise, we get most of our food at the grocery store down the street. I have tried gelato twice and learned from my second experience that getting my own gelato is just way too much food/sugar for me. Gelato has twice the sugar that ice cream does. It didn't leave me feeling that great though I must say it was filling.

Household Life

I love my Bernardi family. That doesn't mean that no one ever annoys me, but these people are great nonetheless! The seminarians are obliged to say the liturgy of the hour throughout the day, so it's nice to join them for many of those. Community dinners are special. I look forward to our first "official" community dinner next Wednesday.

Living in a household lets you learn a lot about yourself. I've discovered many of my own faults through others. For example, I long for attention, and I can see many other Bernardians calling out for attention too. We're a really boisterous bunch.

So much has been going through my head and heart lately, and I find myself pretty reserved around my fellow Bernardians. That said, I appreciate their presence and those moments when I can tell people are really looking out for me.

Extra Adventures

We've gone on a few adventures while at Bernardi. There were, of course, the guided ones to see Padre Pio and the Colloseum, etc.

On Friday the seminarians went on a trip to Venice (which sounded amazing). Most of us lay folk went to spend the day with the Lay Center. I expected our outing to take about two hours but it took five and a half. Because of this, it ended up being rather stressful for me, being out and about when I just wanted to get back to Bernardi to do my laundry and homework. I learned from this experience that I am more of a home-girl than I thought.

Schedule

My sleep schedule has been "on fleek!" God is so good. Back home in America, I always have trouble falling asleep and getting up. I end up going to bed at midnight and not falling asleep until 4am and then I nap a lot during the day. Basically, it's an insomniac disaster.

God has been WONDERFUL in this regard here. I usually get to bed between nine o'clock and ten thirty and get in a good nights rest before the next day. God has been so good. I usually fall asleep within minutes once my head hits my pillow. I think part of the reason I sleep so well is because days are hectic. Thankfully, I made it through the days without naps. I've learned to prioritize a good sleep schedule over homework. If I went with my American-schedule, I would be up until 2am reading for class, and everything would be an avalanche from there due to sleep problems.

I have to be careful not to loose this great sleep schedule by going out late with people. I went out with a group last night and discovered that, after a certain hour, I should probably just stick to Bernardi. When I go on outings I expect them to take an hour or two. Other people enjoy more spontaneity which is fine but can be stressful for me when I know I have stuff to do (like hold into this sleep schedule).

Taking care of myself and my needs takes self-control in cooperation with the grace of God.

Lent

Oh my, guys! It's Lent! Lent is pretty cool. I've been offering up a daily Divine Mercy Chaplet or Rosary. I have also given up interrupting people in conversation (something I have often found myself guilty of) and trying to dominate conversations (my attention-seeker self tends to get pretty desperate when the conversation doesn't include me as a central part).

These are wonderful offerings. They are helping me to grow as a person. Then again, it's almost too easy for me. Going into silence is comfortable for me (though I do tend to long for attention from others). I have found lately that when people actually do talk to me I'm both honored and caught off guard. If I'm forgetting how to socialize with people, that's not good.

That said, the reason for my silence is that I usually evaluate my words before I speak them, and if the motive of my words would be to get attention or to put someone else down, I tend to not speak them. This results in my rarely speaking to people. I've been offering up the loneliness of this. God's grace has been good to me. As long as good is coming from this, I can continue to offer it up and accept God and Mother Mary's embrace in my loneliness.

There we go. That's a shorter post than usual. Hope things are going well for everyone back home. Your prays are ABSOLUTELY appreciated!

And we've been here 4 days, and so much has happened...

I was going to wait a week to post my next blog (just for the sake of note being a blogging-manaic), but I've been encouraged to post a new blog about our first days at Bernardi. So much has happened it's ridiculous. No wonder I am exhausted to the point of tears. But at the same time my heart is singing for joy. Bernardi is a pretty cool experience.

One of the reasons I really wanted to go to Bernardi was to come to learn about myself. I am someone who sticks to a routine, and I usually try not to test my stanima in trying new things because I know I have a breaking point. Yet, as I am entering into adulthood, I want to get to know myself better, and what better way is there than to step into a life that is strictly structured by others, experience myself in a whole different culture, and come to know so many of my favorite people not just as friends but as family?

Day 1 (& tangents)

So much has happened since we arrived here that it's hard to know where to begin. Our first full day at Bernardi involved a lot of Orientation. Orientation consisted in sitting in the dining room listening to our director describe Bernardi life to us and provide us with guidelines for our safety in Rome. It was super interesting stuff, and I enjoyed it. At the same time sitting on our butt for hours can be exhausting, so the breaks we took were MUCH appreciated. On one of our breaks I decided to check out the terrace. It may sound like I'm just saying this, but my first glimpse of the terrace left me thinking that heaven must be something like it. The night before when we arrived at Bernardi, I thought it was cool but didn't quite have the surroundings or beautiful views that I expected. The terrace proved that all wrong. I was in absolute awe gazing over the river to the churches on hills and the beautiful sky. The river view is my favorite. The whole terrace is beautiful with beautiful flowers and lots of nice tables and chairs to sit on.

I enjoyed watching traffic from the terrace as well. Traffic in Italy is pretty much horrifying and amazing (though not as horrifying as in Peru). Cars basically go where they want at the speed they want and they part where they want. Budging in traffic is normal, especially for the cyclists. I was greatly amused at the sight of a man who kept on stepping into the middle of traffic at the light offering to wash people's windshields on the spot. There are pretty creative ways to make money here in Rome I guess.

On Monday evening we took our first walk to St. Peter's Basilica. It's a pretty cool place, need I say? The walk there isn't bad. It was nighttime with clear skies and we go to walk around outside of the Vatican admiring the view, the statues, the nativity, etc. Afterwards we went out to eat, and I tried my first carbonara. To be honest (don't hate me for this), I'm not a big fan. The carbonara I've had at Bernardi since then has been better, but there was way too much sauce in the carbonara I tried that first night. If people say "small servings" are a thing in Italy compared to America, well... not at this restaurant at least. They actually brought the food out on a skillet, and I couldn't finish half. (P.S. To go boxes are not a thing in Italy.) I'll randomly throw in here, we had evening prayer on the room at maybe 10:30pm.

I should mention how much I love my roommate. She played one of her favorite Christian songs for me our first night at Bernardi. I love being looked out for. It's also really nice that we have our own bathroom. It's small, but we don't have to worry about working around more people's bathroom schedules than the two of us.

Day 2 (& tangents)

If I remember correctly, Tuesday was our first walk to the Angelicum. We went in the Kitchen Groups we've been assigned. Kyle was my group's leader, and it was a cool walk getting there. We got to meet and listen to Dr. Dominic. He is HILARIOUS, and I am thankful for that especially considering the amount of time we spent sitting in that classroom. We also met Dr. Lev who is also a hoot and an amazing women. I'm thankful that the people here are so engaging, because even with their being this way I am always ready to burst out of class as soon as it's over. Sitting in a classroom just tires me out, I guess. Or maybe that's just in Italy.

I love all of the walking we're doing, but it gets exhausting. My feet keep on asking me, "WHAT do you think you're doing? When did you sign up for this marathon?" Nevertheless, I don't think I will have to worry much about weight gain here.

Tuesday was our first night at the supermarket and in the kitchen. I finally got soap so that I don't have to shower with water alone. Unfortunately, I think I'm allergic to the shampoo. (Oh well. These things happen. Bummer.) I hope to find some that works better for me somewhere along the way.

Back to the kitchen. I split a pizza with Liz M. and Tasha but was still terribly hungry and was so blessed as to be allowed to eat with a great group of people: Kyle, John, Lizzy, Therese, Patrick, Jordan? It was the best food I've had in Italy yet. Home cooking at Bernardi tends to please my tastebuds more than eating out (thus far at least). That night a bunch of us ate gelato on the terrace.

Day 3 (& tangents)

Wednesday was a big day. Everyday feels like a big day. It's so exhausting, but also cool. We walked to the Vatican for a private audience with the Pope. My highlight from that day was when I first saw cute little Pope Francis ride out in his Pope Mobile waving. HE'S REAL, GUYS! FLESH AND BLOOD! We have such a cute Pope.

The private audience was exciting yet a bit tiring. I'm trying not to be a fidgety child. I must get used to sitting still for long periods of time for the sake of adulthood. We heard the readings in a bajillion languages, and it was pretty exciting whenever the English speakers came out. I'm not going to touch on this a lot, but there was circus that performed for the Pope that was pretty embarrassing. They weren't wearing enough clothes, and I don't think the Pope really enjoyed it. His facial expression was the only good thing about the performance.

After the Papal audience I went off with Cassie, Michael, Miguel, Josh, and Caroline. I got some delicious pizza (my first pizza in Rome). I was expecting it to be a lot thinner than it was from what I had heard and was happy with the reality. We ran into Kyle and Alex while on our search for the "bagno" and stopped at a cool store with tons of beautiful mosaic paintings and cute souvenirs. I will certainly be going back there later on in the semester. I had to control myself and abstain for buying anything this early on, because I could have easily bought out half the store.

Before our next activity we got some nice pictures with the Swiss guards. Then we went on a scavi tour (I think that's what it's called?)...maybe you can tell I'm too tired to look things up right now. That would require climbing out of bed and crossing my room (heaven forbid). It was a neat tour. The thought that we were actually under St. Peter's was amazing, and we got to gaze at St. Peter's bones from a distance. What strikes me is that I got to see the bones of someone who actually knew Jesus here on earth. How cool the experiences of St. Peter must have been! WOW!

After the tour I was feeling pretty emotionally and physically exhausted. I felt like something must be wrong with me that I had just walked into St. Peter's and wanted to leave, but exhaustion does that to you. I know I can go back another time. I was glad to learn that MK wanted to head back to Bernardi too, so we set out and ran into Therese, Liz M., Josh, and Caroline along the way.

Speaking of learning about myself, I have confirmed that, yes, I am very much a "home girl" (even in Rome). While I love adventure, I am also so drawn to just feeling safe and at rest here at Bernardi. Whenever we arrive home at Bernardi it is such a relief after our exhausting adventures. But I wouldn't give up our adventures, because we're actually stepping out and doing some living and I love that! I just have to find my limits, because while I am a "home girl," I am also someone who starts out every semester or adventure trying to do EVERYTHING and realizing that I can only handle so much.

Back to Wednesday. When we returned to Bernardi I took a MUCH NEEDED hour and a half nap. At home I have to worry about taking naps during the day, because I won't be tired enough at night. Thankfully, being tired enough at night have NOT been a problem here. Whereas at home I can take three to five hours to fall asleep once I hit the sack, I have been blessed to always be decently tired and to fall asleep within minutes after my head finally hits the pillow. The nap I took that day had nothing but positive affects on me. It kept me alive. (That's how exhausted I've been.)

After Mass, we had a pleasant Bernardi dinner. I enjoyed sitting at a table with Risa, Therese, Kyle, Alex, and Jordan. Reed and David have already made a rough draft of a letter for the Pope, but we've been thinking of great points to add to our letter (requesting to meet him) and are making serious plans for how to get the letter to him.

Day 4 (& tangent)

Thursday isn't even over, but a lot has happened. I am learning that for healths sake, I can't be a seminarian. (Ok, there are probably reasons than that why I can't be a seminarian, haha). But what I'm saying is that I spent the first few days at Bernardi trying to attend as many Jesus-events as possible: getting up early for Holy Hour, staying up late for Holy Hour, making it to every Mass. This is all good stuff, but sometimes what Jesus wants from me (as my spiritual director tells me) is to take care of myself and this includes my body. I am learning that the only way I can remain sane is if I say "no" to these things from time to time and take a nap or listen to Taylor Swift or blog.

We got up at 7:30am (a ton of us ladies seemed to have problems with our alarms not going off this morning) and had a good continental breakfast. I'm learning to eat as much as I can for breakfast, because a lot is going to be required of you before your next meal is terms of walking, sitting, concentrating, socializing...

I took some time to pack by backpack, so I headed out with the last group - Lizzy, David, Alex, and Michael - and we took the Metro. I like the Metro! I would take it again! It's easy, so long as you know where you're going (which my fellow travelers did know).

We got to the Angelicum with time to spare, so I filled up my water bottle and headed in to class. After our first day, I'm very excited for our class with Dr. Heaney! The class has a lot of Philosophy to it, and I love love love Philosophy. I've already learned a lot about the relationship between the body and the soul and the afterlife in one class period, and I am excited to learn more from this cool and funny teacher.

And a stop at the Angelicum's bookshop, I went off with Lizzy, Patrick, Jordan, Ryan, Alex, and Josh V. We checked out a bunch of churches and... highlight of my day thus far = I got to feed some pigeons off of my feet!!! :) We stopped at a panini shop where the shipowner was incredibly nice. After this venture we found the building for our Italian classes and wandered off to one more church with some other folks. My this point I needed a break so spent some time sitting and talking to Jesus in a pew before wandering about the church a bit.

So hey. We finally had Italian class. We're split into two groups, and I like my teacher (Valentina) and my classmates! I'm really bad at learning languages, so it's kind of nice being in the smaller group and I am thankful for the patience of my classmates. We're moving at a fast pace in order to become at least to-an-extent fluent in Italian by the end of the semester.

After class was the incredibly tiring walk back to Bernardi. In the future, I will take the Metro back from Italian class. I thought I wanted to walk, but every corner we came to happened to not be Bernardi and by the time we reached Bernardi I was hardly even able to walk anymore, I was so tired.

Due to my tiredness I blogged for a bit while dinner was being prepared. (It's part of my self-care job. I would have loved to help cook, but I needed to maintain some sanity and have some me-time.) Dinner was great: chicken, beans, and all that good stuff. Way to go Josh, Caroline, and Liz M.!

The seminarians and a few other people went to Mass. I would have liked to go, but for sanity's sake I stayed at Bernardi, and I'm proud of myself for making this decision to take care of my self. Trying to do everything is tempting, but sanity is more important and a "sane Sheila" will bring God more joy, I'm sure.

I did a tiny bit of dish cleaning and carrot cleaning before coming up here to blog. I love the atmosphere of our crazy kitchen. It's especially fun when it's a kitchen full of girl listening to "Whoops, I did it again" and "Stacey's Mom". Well, it's only 8:30pm. The night is young, so I'll be off and back to blogging later. I'm looking forward to the weekend to regain my sanity and organize the assignments that I need to complete. Next week we will be on our normal schedule, and I can start figuring out the best way to manage my time amidst classes, studies, Jesus-time, and socializing.

I'll stop yammering now. That's for reading this crazy long post. If you've come this far, I'm impressed. God love you!

And somehow we ended up in London...

We finally made it and are settling into Bernardi! Hooray! Only seven hours late :)

Today was quite a day to live through. It started out simply enough. I ate breakfast, said my farewells, and was dropped off at the airport around 10:45am. I ran into Liz, MK, Patrick, and Jordan right away at the airport so we went through the baggage check together and settled down to wait for our flight. I went on some ventures with Liz, Patrick, and Jordan to get food. On one occasion we crossed paths with the sems on their way to their Atlanta flight. Oh! Need I mention "someone" had a torch lighter confiscated and another "someone" had a pocket knife mailed home and yet another "someone" brought a gallon of liquids. But we made it through all of that.

Throughout the remainder of our three hour wait the rest of the crew showed up (12 of us total). We finally boarded out plane and prepared for take off. We boarded the plane at 1:15pm and were supposed to take off at 1:45pm. Fifteen minutes passed. We tried to entertain ourselves. Then another fifteen. We start to look at each other and sign. Then another fifteen. We're starting to get a little nervous and/or annoyed. Another fifteen minutes pass. We only have a one hour layover between this and the next flight, and we still haven't taken off. Patience is not my virtue.

Our plane starts to back up from the dock. (Interior excitement!) On the runway we move forward for half a second, then stop. One of the shortest moments of excitement of my life. The speaker turn on and an announcement is made, "We are sorry for the inconvenience, but due to a problem with the engine we have to cancel this flight. We will be returning to the dock shortly."

You can imagine our expressions. Anxieties confirmed. So now we're all rather frustrated. I had pictured having problems with a short layover between flights but I hadn't considered the possibility of not taking off in the first place! (Oh well. We all have our firsts.)

All annoyed and confused passengers leave the plane. We have already decided that Alex should solve our problems... just because someone needs to take the burden, right? :) He's a good sport. Alex and Lizzy get in line to talk to security. They return to tell us that we have two options. Four of us can get on a ride to Philly in a few hours while the rest of us wait until tomorrow to board or we can just all wait until tomorrow to fly out. Ouch. The one upside was that we were planning on having a sleepover at the Thibaults. (Surprise, Mrs. Thibault! :) )

We all agreed that, as Kyle Loecker says, "No olive gets left behind," so we are just settling into our one-day-delay plan when...

Our group is called over to a desk where to hard-working women go through the system for an hour finding us all flights. At first they tell us they will have to split us up onto separate flights. They first send four of us to one flight. Then they give two more people a flight. Then another pair of two. Another. Another. We're down to Michael and me. When we are finally given our tickets we are delightfully surprised to learn that we will be flying with other members of our Bernardi crew. Once in line we realize we are ALL on the same flight!!! Who knows how they managed that, but God bless those women who put up with annoying computers and delayed flights on a daily basis! (A job I could not do)

We get onto our flight and the great part about it was that I made a friend! I sat by a man named Carmen who was on a return flight from visiting his daughter and newborn granddaughter in Minnesota. We chatted it up for a lot of the ride, and I learned that we was born in Sicily and spent his first six years in Sicily before coming to America. He shared how he's a musician and plays trumpet in a number of bands. He even write music and has received music evaluations from Stevie Wonder. He has connections. No biggy. 

So here's the funny part. (Well, the next funny part.) When we finally get off in Philly we soon run into Liz F. and Danielle and learn that the flight we were initially going to take from Philly to Rome hasn't even taken off yet. So we didn't need to make so many changes of flights... Anyhow, now all of our baggage is being sent to from Philly to London before London to Rome and accommodations have been made, so we stick with the new plan.

We board pretty soon, and the plane feels kind of like a private jet because it is so close to empty. I got a whole four seats in a row to myself :) -- a bit spoiled maybe. I didn't mind. I started to watch The Maze Runner, then switched to some of Mr. Holmes, then finally settled on Bing Crosby's High Society (which I didn't have time to finish before breakfast was served). Amidst everything I try once or twice to lay out and take a snooze, but my body always decides that when it should sleep is never when it will sleep. For a while I play some of the airplanes crossword puzzles with Liz. Dinner. Breakfast. Yada yada. It was a pretty nice flight: delayed an hour, but compared to our past experiences that's nothing. Besides, we will have a three to four hour layover in London coming up.

Are you still reading this??? WOW! YOU ROCK! To sum things up here rather quickly... we land in London and have our baggage checked. I go through a period of dehydration due to being forced to pour out my water at customs, a lack of drinking fountains, and the fact that their sinks all have hot water. After searching the airport with Patrick and then with Liz M. I'm all the more parched. Finally Lizzy and I decide to go see if any of the shops will accept Euros. Boy oh boy! They do! So I get my hydration.

Flight #4. So we are a mix of a crabby and overly-enthusiastic bunch. We finally board our plane from London to Rome (knowing that we could have been in Rome hours ago if things had gone as originally planned). I guess the engine of our flight #4 plane also broke down, but British Airlines was smart enough to discover this before we boarded the plane and they quickly got us a very nice substitute plane. We just had to wait until another plane missed it's takeoff so that we could take it's place.

By now I actually am exhausted. I can't think clearly to stay upright well; I'm starting to feel sick; I need sleep. I snoozed on this last flight as much as I could. The feeling of arriving in London was one awesome thing, because it's my first time landing in Europe, but landing in Rome was even awesomer! We were so ready to be done.

At this point it is maybe around 6:00, Rome time? Exhausted. Sleep deprived. Filled with mixed emotions of joy and grumpiness. We get to the baggage check. Things went pretty well for me, but three girls had their luggage so missing :( Tasha got hers, and we're waiting on the other two still.

Ready to get out, MK, Cassie, Michael, and I head off to find a couple of taxis. To my AMAZEMENT, two beautiful girls are standing outside, smiling, and jumping up and down with a sign that says St. Thomas...

Yes. Liz F. and Danielle never made the ride to Bernardi. They have been at the airport for five hours waiting for a ride that they initially thought they had before discovering the truth and deciding to wait for the rest of us at that point.

Basically, I want to pronounce Liz F. and Danielle my role models, because how on earth do you smile so beautifully after a five hour wait in a room at the airport! (Repeat: Patience is not my virtue. I could not even imagine...)

I'll sum it up quickly here. MK, Liz F., and Danielle get a ride with a lady, and Cassie, Michael, and I take the other taxi. It's as we're getting in that I realize I forgot my carry on and can't get a hold of the fellow Bernardians who I left it with... nervous times.

Before I go, I MUST give a shoutout to Jesus Christ who made it so that --> even though I absentmindedly left my carry on with my laptop at the airport when I headed off to Bernardi, made sure that my friends brought the carry on to me later that night even though we couldn't get a hold of them in the mean time. 

Quick closing. We arrived at Bernardi, rejoiced in being welcomed by Thanos, Ryan, Kyle, etc. Thanos helped me try to get a hold of the Bernardians back at the airport without success (but thank you for trying!!! Big time!) We see our rooms and head to Vespers and Mass. A few Bernardian arrivals come in at the beginning of Mass. Partway through Mass the remainder of the Bernardians come in. Mass is following by a delicious and delightful FIRST BERNARDI FAMILY DINNER at which I got to sit by Deacon Joe and John McFaddon. I also got to meet Fr. Carola and Fr. William (or was it Williams? I'll know soon.)

In summary, I have the best Bernardi family ever! I love you all! I am blessed by your presence in my life! And so begins my first experience of community living...

THANK YOU, EVERYONE! BERNARDI ROCKS!!!

Tomorrow I Fly For 13 Hours...

I suppose now is as good of a time to write a pre-departure post as any. Tonight I'm going to be very busy taking care of the last few things before I fly out tomorrow. I feel my brain cells dying every time I look at my computer, so I'll try to not make this too long.

Well, guys, I'm going on an adventure! After finishing my incomplete class from Fall semester last week, this week has been dedicated to prepare for departure. Packing. It's a rather stressful word perhaps. I've made a number of shopping trips and have been lucky enough to make some great finds at Goodwill and to receive from clothes from my friend Lidia. One thing I love about this trip already is that I've been wanting to change my wardrobe from child to adult and buying "more sophisticated" clothing for Rome has allowed me to do this!

I packed pretty much half of my wardrobe at the beginning of the week and then went through it twice trying to pull out the "unnecessaries". My friend, Liz, came by on Wednesday and it was a comfort to know that I'm not the only one on this trip struggling with not overpacking. We went on a shopping trip and grabbed some good stuff.

Last night I went on my last shopping trip with Lidia (at least, I think the last one) before going abroad. My mom stayed up super late helping me eliminate things from my bags, because when we weighed them we found the large one was at least 10 pounds too heavy. I feel pretty good about what I've decided to bring and not to bring. It's good that if I suddenly panic and need something (like a pair of tan tights) while in Rome, it's not like they don't have their own stores.

I want to dedicate today to time with my pets and my family. I'm hoping to record some goodbyes with our 6 gerbils tonight so that I have that with me while in Rome. When you have pets with shorter lifespans like this, you have to face the fact you they might not be around when you come home. (So make your goodbyes count.) Hoping for the best.

I slept in late today, because that's what I do. I visited with my pets just a bit this morning and then sat down at the computer. My brain started feeling like much (slight headache) right away. After doing some dishes I decided to go for a 40 minute walk through the nearby neighborhoods. Thankfully we're not long in the negatives. (It's 33 degrees! It's above freezing! WHOO!!!) The walk was so refreshing. It's something people need to do more these days. I often don't go for walks because I don't want to walk alone, and I don't even have music to accompany me, but walking by yourself can be really nice and having your ears available to take in the natural sounds of the universe is far from a bad thing. If you're afraid to go for a walk by yourself, I highly encourage you to give it a try! I think if we are afraid to do things that are good for ourselves by ourselves, it simply shows a lack of self-confidence that needs to be worked on. Yada yada.

Ok. Well, I'm going to 5:15 Mass tonight to say goodbye to my home parish for a few months. I went to a different Church last Sunday, and I really want to get in my farewells to the beautiful parish before I go. Plus, I can think of few things that are a better way to spend the a day like this than going to Mass.

After Mass I will be saying a quick farewell and happy birthday to a friend before heading home for family and pet time. (It's easier to do anything responsible - pack, unpack, be productive - when my mom is around, so I'm waiting for her to get home from work to do most things.)

There shouldn't be a lot of left to do, so that's good. Still, there's enough. I have to unload my car before taking it to my dad's tomorrow. I want to get in quality time with each of my gerbils: giving them space to run around outside of their cages. Our family time might mostly consist in packing, but at least there's that! Hopefully there will be take for a sit-down meal. My sister comes home from college tonight, but I don't know at what time.

My goal (who knows if it will happen) is to be in bed by midnight with all of my bags fully prepared and labeled. A quick goodbye tomorrow with do, and I will be off! AHHHH!!!!! Laterz.

http://blog.fitnyc.edu/admissions/files/2014/05/im-going-on-an-adventure.gif