ROME & ASSISI

Saint Peter's square

Today I picked up the 214 pictures I had printed from my trip and as I looked through them I had to admit, not only was Assisi my favorite place that I traveled to but my Assisi pictures are beautiful. Rome and Assisi was a school trip and a pilgrimage. It was also the last trip of the semester I would be taking and I was excited to close the semester the same way it began - with God. 

After departing from my restful but short visit to Tuscany the girls, Jason, and I made our way to Rome to meet up with the rest of our study abroad program. In Rome we stayed in a five star - Italian five star that is (not nearly as nice as an American five star hotel, but nice for poor students so I'm not complaining), hotel. Next to the hotel was a simple little chapel which served as our location for evening Mass on the first night there and for daily adoration on the next couple nights. I was pretty exhausted that night and was in pilgrimage mode so I decided to call it a night after adoration. The next couple days in Rome were BUSY! They were filled with Vatican tours, Rome tours, a Papal audience, Scavi tours, shopping, not eating lunch because I was too broke (haha), and lots and lots of walking! It was a wonderful, wonderful time but very exhausting. Lets just say I had no problem falling asleep at night and missing out on the evening excursions people took after dinner. Since the four or so days I was there were so packed with education and experiences I'll only touch on some of my highlights. Now, please don't be mistaken - the whole trip was a highlight of my entire semester. 

View from the Cupola in St. Peter's

One of the most amazing experiences I had was one evening we had the opportunity to attend a praise and worship adoration at the NAC - The Pontifical North American College, aka the North American seminary in Rome. We were escorted by a couple of the friendly seminarians from Saint Peter's to the NAC and then given a brief tour of the building. Especially after hearing all the political chaos going on back home with Obama being elected along with peoples theories and fears about religious freedom being threatened, I looked at these young men in a new light. They knew what could potentially impede the calling they had from the Lord but they were courageous. These men were and are truly soldiers for Christ and are on the front line of the American religious battle field. Thank God for these men. In addition to their courage of simply following their calling, they are a testament to the gift of the priesthood that Jesus Christ gave us. Without priest's we wouldn't have the opportunity to receive the Blessed Sacrament daily, or pray in the very presence of Christ in Eucharistic adoration, or allow the Lord to wipe us clean in the Sacrament of Confession. And in more simple terms, we wouldn't have the opportunity to hear some of the most holy men preach or even be lead in spiritual direction by them. The priesthood is such a beautiful Sacrament and I thank God and all His faithful sons who hear His call. 

Colosseum 

Now before I continue to get carried away, let me continue telling you about my experience at the NAC. After our tour we joined the seminarians in an evening of Praise in front of the Blessed Sacrament. They led music beautifully and with such love for the Lord and they also had multiple prayer teams around the chapel. I was blessed with the opportunity to be prayed over by three of these magnificent, holy men. I prayed for an intention which followed from an intention I had prayed for in a FOP back on the Austria campus earlier that semester. In those couple moments of prayer the Spirit was so present. He spoke to me so clearly through these men and really healed and loved my heart. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Actually afterwards I couldn't stop smiling because I was filled with so much peace and love from the all loving God. After that evening I walked back to the metro, after picking up some most delicious gelato, with a happy heart. 

Pope Benedict XVI

Of course the Papal audience was a magnificent event in Rome. We weren't outside watching the Pope mobile circle around like most Wednesday Papal audiences because poor Pope Benedict was not feeling well and decided it would be best if he spoke to us in doors from a stage. Although I can't say, "I squeezed myself to the very front of the gate and was 3 inches and an 8th of a centimeter away from touching his hand!" the audience turned out to be a blessing because we didn't have to wait in a long line at the crack of dawn. We could sleep in and get decent seats. Thats right, seats! It was amazing to see the Pope in person and to hear him speak to us and bless us, our family, and our sacramentals we carried with us. Because I'm twenty, A.D.D., and well - me, I can't tell you what his address was about but I do remember thinking about how incredible of a job that one man has and how lovingly he carries it out. VIVA LA PAPA. And as they announced Franciscan University and we all stood on our chairs and cheered joyfully and loudly, I proudly held up my Belmont Abbey, red and all, sweatshirt. Gotta represent, right? You're welcome, fellow Abbey students, alumni, and faculty. 

St. Paul Outside the Wall

The tours were great, shopping was stressful, and dinners were yummy; but something I am so grateful for is Rome brought me closer to my friends, especially Meg and Sarah. They are such beautiful women who are so faithful to the Lord and seek His will with their entire beings at every moment. I enjoyed so much getting to spend time with them and the other wonderful ladies they spend their time with. They became two of my closest friends and I am so blessed to have them in my life. One of the most enjoyable times I had with them is when we went to the Old Bridge Gelati shop in Vatican City with the T.O.R sisters. (By the way if you're ever at the Vatican - get your Gelato there. Cheap, delicious, and they give very generous servings!) Because those girls developed close relationships with the sisters I was able to spend a little bit of time with them and get to know them a little better. It was such a blessing and an enjoyable time. 

Saint Peter's

It's funny how these very simple things meant the most to me while I was in ROME - Catholic land! But the Lord blesses us in such simple and beautiful ways. He is so good. 

                                                        Saint Mary of the Angels

Now Assisi. I don't know if it was the business of Rome or what but as I left Rome and went on to Assisi I felt a little bit overwhelmed and exhausted; spiritually, mentally, and physically. However, once we stopped in Assisi I was filled with immense peace. Words don't do justice to the beauty and peacefulness of Assisi. I learned that before St. Francis died he blessed the city. You can definitely feel it. You can tell simple and magnificent saints like Francis and Clare lived there just by standing in the streets. Even if you have a heavy heart or are stressed about something, in Assisi you feel rested. You can tell you're in a holy place - it's really the perfect place for a holy person who appreciated nature and the Lord's creation like Saint Francis did because it is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely stunning! 

San Rufino

Our schedule in Assisi was a lot less hectic but was filled with tours of amazing Churches where we had beautiful Masses, holy hours, and we even had a FOP. We were all able to buy leather bible or breviary covers, wallets or purses for ourselves and loved ones back home at this little italian man's leather shop - a wonderful man that Franciscan University students have been supporting for years. 

Where I stopped to pray at the hermitage

One of my very favorite parts of Assisi, aside from simple quiet prayer in the beautiful Churches; seeing the original San Damiano cross which spoke to Saint Francis; Saint Clare's hair, habit, and hair-shirt, and places were major events of these saint's lives and prayer life happened; was hiking up to Saint Francis' hermitage. Talk about beautiful! It was a quiet time to meditate and pray and place oneself into the life of a hermit. I actually didn't hike up, although I did hike down, but once there I walked up the mountain a bit and stopped in a little nook in the mountain side. I ended up laying down looking up at the beautiful blue sky through the green and fall colored leaves of the ginormous, ancient trees which saw Francis himself pray there and now myself. I sat and talked to God as I was encompassed in the peacefulness of nature and the crisp breeze whisping in the November air. As I hiked back down the mountain back to my hotel in time for a warm, Italian dinner, I got to know some girls who I hadn't had a chance to talk to all semester and together we watched the bright sun set behind the Italian hills in the horizon. It was honestly one of the most lovely days. 

St. Francis Basillca - We had Mass at his tomb here!

Going to Austria with not much of a plan of where to travel and leaving my journey up to God, He certainly saved the best for last. Assisi was my absolute favorite place I went to in Europe and the perfect way to say "good-bye" to trains, buses, and all those crazy things that entail quick, cheap traveling. 

I am so thankful for my four months of traveling...but I'll get into all that another time.

Until then, God bless you! 

Food for thought: 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

The original San Damiano Cross

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

      Amen.

Assisi, Italy

ROMANIA

Tort, Romania

The fire crackling in my fire place next to me sends an aroma into the room reminding me of Romania and it tickles up some of my fondest memories from my semester abroad. Romania is an Eastern European country, a little over twenty years out of communism. The Byzantine Orthodox, a religion in schism from the Catholic Church, use to run the country but now Byzantine Catholics are free to practice their religion. They're in the process of westernizing themselves so the country seems like a time travel back a century due to the effects of communism. They're a fairly poor country, their money is close to useless, but the culture is very vibrant. Many of the young adults leave the country to make money quickly and they come back, many build massive houses on their property to prove their wealth.  

Missionary Kate and Fr. Remus

However, many people end up spending so much money on their homes that they end up having to abandon them. There are effects of poverty everywhere from these stranded homes to the abandonment of children. A lot of children are left or dropped of at an orphanage by their parents because they cannot afford to provide for the children and themselves. But like I said the culture is vibrant. The older generation is full of hard workers. Women play their feminine role and men, their masculine roles. The houses are heated by these little fire stoves which leave the homes smelling warm and cozy - this is the reason the fire in my fireplace reminded me of Romania. Many of the people are farmers and they sell their meat and produce as well as provide for their families. They're food is absolutely delicious! They eat a lot of pork meat and drink a lot of Golden Brau - a Romanian beer. They are also home to Palinka, a Romanian brandy, more like moonshine, especially in Torts where I was. The people are friendly and generous and were very welcoming to me and the mission team.  

The mission team with Fr. Remus and Catherine

How did I end up in this Eastern European country for my ten day break you ask? From the beginning of the semester I had planned on going to Santorini, Greece with a couple of my friends to catch some sun for my ten day vacation. However with all the political upheaval going on there we were banned from Greece and so I looked for other options. Many of my friends were going to Lourdes to do mission work and although I really wanted to go to the apparition cite where Mary appeared to young saint Bernadette I hadn't felt called to the mission - not to mention it cost $600, not including travel expenses. I even grabbed an application for the mission trip to Lourdes in a desperate plea to find where I belonged that week in October but a failed attempt to fill out the application only confirmed I wasn't called to go. As all my friends plans fell into place I panicked realizing the time for break was rapidly approaching and I couldn't find a place to go. I expressed my anxiety to my close friend Ann and I took it to prayer. Surely enough my friend Emily told Ann that her and her boyfriend, Jimmy's plans to go to Ireland just weren't coming together and they decided to take a look at this Romania mission trip they'd seen signs for around campus. Ann, moved by the Holy Spirit, gasped dramatically as Ann does, and told Emily that she was an answer to prayers and she had to tell me to go to the information meeting with her. Ann ran up to me, told me all about her conversation with Emily, showed me the flyer and convinced me to attend the information meeting that evening. My initial reaction was a little hostile toward the idea. I didn't know anyone who had done the mission before and I honestly didn't know anything about Romania whatsoever. But because I desperately needed to figure out where to go for ten day break I decided to grudgingly attend the info meeting. At the meeting we talked about what kind of work we would do, how much it would cost, and our faculty coordinator, Jenny Healy, read us a letter written by Catherine England who had done the mission two springs before my semester and had decided to move to Romania as a long term missionary. In Catherine's letter she explained that she had initially planned to go to Greece for ten day and then Ireland but both of those plans fell apart - that's when Emily and I knew there 

Inside the parish Church

was something special about this mission trip for the both of us. She explained that the trip was so life changing for her that she decided to leave the comfort of her home country and move to Romania full time. Because of the work Miss Healy told us about and Catherine's letter I decided to seriously discern this random mission trip. For days I kept feeling this pull at my heart but I did not want to commit because it wasn't my initial plan. Nonetheless one afternoon I was explaining the mission to my mom and I decided to stop saying I was thinking about doing it and actually commit to doing it. 

The parish church

After three or so weeks of planning I headed off to Romania with a phenomenal, and I truly mean that, group of seven other students for a week of mission work. We traveled for a day and arrived in Romania that evening in time for dinner. We were picked up by Catherine, who I call Kate because the Romanian's find Kate easier for them to say than Catherine, and Fr. Remus - a Byzantine Catholic priest who was an LCI student back in the day in Gaming, Austria with Franciscan University. Those two people quickly became some of my favorite people I've ever met. Actually I fell in love with the whole mission team that week. Not only did we work at the Church, leading praise and worship, attend English classes at the schools, and love the children at the orphanage in Satu Mare, but we were able to love each other as missionaries, which was certainly a life changing experience and a big reason the Lord sent me to Romania. There were days we traveled around Romania just spending time together and seeing the culture and country -- we even slaughtered a pig and ate it! There were fun nights when we ate dinner while laughing hysterically with one another as we shared our stories from the day behind us. There were nights filled with tears and heart ache as we shared our stories and crosses and consolations with one another. Being there for one another that week was truly a reason the Lord brought each of us there that week. Each of us needed to experience the Lords love through the gifts of loving He has given each of us and because of that people experienced an incredible week. I know I did for sure. That week I let go of every fear and truly tried to let go of any selfishness that was on my heart and I allowed the Lord to take me on whatever crazy adventure He wanted to. Because of that I was one hundred person confident in who the Lord created me to be and I was able to love the people I was surrounded by as myself for Him. Ever sense Romania I have been one hundred percent myself. Praise Jesus. Not to mention some of my closest friendships from the semester came from that mission trip. 

As for the actual mission work we did -- like I said one of the things we did was lead Praise and Worship for Fr. Remus's parishioners. Although they couldn't understand the lyrics and prayers we prayed they were moved to tears and drawn closer to the Spirit in the gift of our music for the Lord. Both times we did it it turned out to be a very beautiful and uplifting experience and it was received with immense thanks. At the orphanage we played with the many kids who received our love so easily. They were filled with joy to see us come and to play but were sad to see us go - especially on our last day when many of us left in tears. The kids were beautiful and reminded me of how much we are all children. But these kids have great crosses - some of the children's parents had just dropped them off within the year and these weren't babies. they were children who knew their families. One girl showed my friend mary and me a picture of her mom one day. These kids know why they're orphans. It's heart breaking but it was such an incredible experience to be an instrument of God's love for them that week. Simply giving them attention and playing with them was enough for that moment. One day I simply sat with a little girl who was maybe eight and she wasn't feeling well that day so she was crying and I just held her and rocked her and sang to her and prayed for her. It was such an wonderful experience. By the way, they don't speak English, at least not a lot if they know any, and we don't speak Romanian - except Catherine knows a little bit and Fr. Remus, of course. 

"The words of Jesus, 'Love one another as I have loved you,' must be
not only a light for us but a flame that consumes the self in us.
Love, in order to survive, must be nourished by sacrifices,
especially the sacrifice of self." Mother Teresa

Romanian was an incredibly blessed and life changing experience and will forever be in my heart. My dear friend Catherine, the missionary there, plans on building another orphanage, a Catholic one actually, and she is currently in the states fundraising for her mission. If you'd like to hear more about what she does or contact her to donate money to her mission visit her blog! http://doawesomethingsromania.blogspot.com/

On that note, Merry Christmas! 

Food for thought: "A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love. Joy is not simply a matter of temperament, it is always hard to remain joyful -- all the more reason why we should try to acquire it and make it grow in our hearts." Mother Teresa

POLAND

Okay folk. It's pretty ridiculous that I am now in the states writing about my adventures in Europe. I apologize. Hopefully I can whip out the last few trips I haven't mentioned yet and then I can actually tell you how the Lord worked in me this past semester. For me, and maybe for you, that'll be more exciting. But until then...let's go to Poland!

Poland was a school trip so again we took the buses. It was actually our first long bus trip - it took ten hours to get to Chestohova from Gaming. When we arrived it was six in the morning and we all stumbled off the buses to go see the unveiling of the image of the black madonna. It was a really incredible experience I must say. The Image has survived many thefts and battles and has a miraculous story. The church walls that enclose it are covered with braces, crutches and what not from people who have been healed. Mary is awesome.
           

The seminary

       While in Poland we got a tour of Krakow which turned out to be one of my all time favorite cities. It is beautiful. One of the cool things we got to see there was the seminary where John Paul II studied! I was also able to help lead music with my music ministry team for one of the daily Masses while we were in Poland which was an incredible experience. We also went to a Latin Mass while we were there and it brought me to tears. The Latin Mass is so dear to my heart for multiple reasons. I shed tears that morning because Latin Mass is the Mass that I usually attend at home with my family and so I was reminded of them. Also my mom always says, "see you in the Eucharist." I felt so connected to my family whom I was a million miles away from in a different country on a different continent in a different time zone with at least an 8 hour plane ride away from. Also the Latin Mass in Poland that morning reminded me of how truly universal the Catholic Church is. Amazing. Only the one true Church can be that universal.

Maximillian Kolbe's Cell

       One of the most incredible experiences I had while I was in Poland was when we took a tour of Auschwitz. I expected to be in tears during the tour remembering the many times I learned about it in history class and in all the books I had read and movies I'd seen about the holocaust. But my eyes were dry as can be on that beautiful, breezy, blue skied day. We saw the gas chambers, the cells - including Maximillian Kolbes, the shoes, the hair, the people's personal belongings they thought they would be able to keep when they were forced to move from their homes, the braces, prosthetic arms and legs, and crutches,  the luggage, and the execution wall. All from one of the most horrific and unjust historical events in the history of all time. And as I saw the place where these beautiful children of God suffered for Him and as I sympathized and prayed for them I recalled the religious injustice going on in my own home country with the push for contraceptives and excessive abortions. Millions upon millions of Gods beautiful, and innocent children are dying daily for Him. Maybe they're not dying because they've said they're His willing followers but I believe they are a testament to His love and mercy and power and will because they are His creation and His gift and they are stripped of their right to life before they even have a voice. We are experiencing a holocaust today people. Auschwitz is still active in those abortion clinics and condoms and birth control pills. Frightening, huh?

The execution wall

I guess the reason I didn't cry that day was because I was severely numbed by the disgust and shock I was experiencing. But evil will not prevail. Justice will reign -  that's why I was able to have a tour of Auschwitz and see the crematoriums empty and years out of use. I pray that one day all abortion clinics will be inactive one day as well.

The Divine Mercy 

        We also went to the Divine Mercy Shrine of Saint Faustina. We saw Saint Faustina's relics and were able to venerate them. We prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the little chapel there as well as had Mass there. We heard a talk about Sister Faustina from a sister of Mercy. It was a beautiful and prayerful experience.

Wadowice

     


       On the last day we were able to go to Wadowice - John Paul the Great's home town! We went in the church and ate "Pope cake" in the square and explored the small town. It was a short stop but on a gorgeous day to a very beautiful place.


      

  So those were all the great places I went but there was something that I did in Poland that I believe was my "Poland moment." From the people who have gone on this program before me, I've heard that Poland is a life changing place but you can't really look for the change you just have to see what happens. So of course I was looking and all the major, incredible places, although they were amazing and I certainly grew because of them, were not it. Going to a wild club in Krakow one night was when something in me changed. Everyone dolled up, drank up, and grabbed taxis to go to Club Fashion for the night. Now we'd heard that the clubbing in Poland was awesome and being the group we were of course we wanted to have a great time - myself included! But that night as I was dancing franciscan style :) with all my friends I realized something about the environment. I realized something that happens to my wonderful friends changed when we were there and I didn't like it. I didn't like the people I was suddenly surrounded by and I didn't like who I was when I walked into that club. So yes, I danced and I drank and it wasn't a terrible time but it wasn't exactly what I would call fun. Maybe I was just in a funk that night or maybe clubs just aren't for me and it was simply a personal opinion I finally cued into. But what I realized was that in that environment I desire attention and not exactly the kind of attention that makes people view me as a woman of God. 

The environment makes me desire everything that had brought me down in the past before - a skinny body, popularity before holiness, talents that the Lord just hasn't blessed me with because He has a different plan for me, boy's attention - the kind who aren't worthy of me...silly things that are the complete opposite of everything that I stand for. So after my mood slowly faded from joyful to anxty and annoyed - which could have easily been fixed by intoxication - I decided to leave. I decided I hated clubbing. Now if you've read my other travel posts you will have realized I went dancing in Paris and I'll admit that was after this trip to Poland. But it was different for some reason. The people I was with were confident in themselves and did not change when they walked into the bar. Even the french men were fairly respectful - although they also treated me and my girl friends like celebrities. And it wasn't a club - it was a bar :). (I like the cozy bar/pub atmosphere so much better then a vibrant yet dark night club.) Being that Austria seems to have a theme of finding yourself, Poland helped me realize that clubs are just not for me and actually aren't a healthy environment for me to be in.

Next up...ROMANIA! I'm really excited to tell y'all about this one and then my pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi - stay posted!


Food for thought: "Much later, when I understood what perfection was, I realised that to become a saint one must suffer a great deal, always seek what is best, and forget oneself. I understood that there were many kinds of of sanctity and that each soul was free to respond to the approaches of Our Lord and to do little or much for Him — in other words,to make a choice among the sacrifices He demands. Then, just as when I was a child, I cried: “My God, I choose all. I do not want to be a saint by halves. I am not afraid to suffer for You. I fear only one thing — that I should keep my own will. So take it, for I choose all that You will.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul. (I'm slowly becoming a bigger fan of St. Therese. She's amazing!) 

TRAVEL TIMES part II

Before writing about Poland I decided to write on some shorter trips I've taken this semester. These include Medjugore, Bosnia; Paris, France; and Tuscany, Italy. ENJOY!

Medjugore…

Although I was battling an aggressive cold I packed my bags and headed to Medjugore. We took the buses this time since it was a school, although student run, trip – that was a blessing since I was feeling under the weather.

I’m not quite sure I knew what to expect but I had heard many mixed and opposing opinions about the Marian apparitions at Medjugore. My sister and best friend had been before and a local prolife doctor who they coincidentally both work for had his conversion there. Regardless of the skeptics I knew it would be a holy place but looking for it was definitely the wrong mentality to have.

When we arrived we heard one of the visionaries speak. She shared the beautiful words of our Lady. The message she gave us that morning was the October message (there is one given every month). After that we went to the place we were staying – The Castle. This was the mission house of Nancy and Patrick who built/are building this gigantic castle in the middle of Medjugore, Bosnia for people on pilgrimage to stay. The place was like home. Nancy and Patrick opened their home and arms to us with the most welcoming and saintly love I think I have ever experienced. They run the castle with volunteers and rely completely on the Lord to provide – asking for no donation to stay. They fed us and loved us abundantly and also shared their incredible and powerful testimonies with us. (They both experienced a complete 180 conversion through Medjugore.) One day I got my first hug from Nancy and legitimately almost cried because of how loving she is. Her relationship with the Blessed Mother is so tangible in the way she loves like her.

We prayed and hiked and walked A LOT. It was wonderful and very powerful. We hiked apparition hill as well as cross hill while praying the rosary or the stations. We went to multilingual Masses at the main church and also attended adoration there. Some of us also waited the longest we ever had for an English-speaking priest to hear our confessions. Many of us carried specific intentions with us on this trip and offered great sacrifices on the behalf of those intentions. We also were able to hear testimony from this men’s house of men who are recovering from addictions of any sort. Hearing people’s testimonies truly helped me to see that Medjugore was indeed a holy place.

The time came for us to head back to the snow covered Kartause. The trip ended up being a long one due to the snow but we were blessed to have one of my teachers, Professor Cassidy, on our bus and he gave us powerful talks, prayed with us, and had us put on a talent show! the bus ride ended up being a blessed and extremely fun time. I also was blessed to give my testimony to my dear friend Katy as well as hear hers. It was such a great bus ride to top off my weekend. 

Although the church has not approved the apparitions and no, I did not see Mary, hear Mary, or experience any overwhelming experience which I almost expected to but there is so much grace poured on people who are in desperate need of the Mother of Jesus to lead them to her son in Medjugore. Regardless what the formal legitimacy is for Medj, it is a holy and pray-full place.

Paris…

This journey starts out slightly humorous. Halloween evening my friends and I headed off to Paris, France for our four-day weekend. Well…They headed off. I, being the A.D.D. airhead that I am, completely missed the bus to the train station, which is literally 15 minutes away from our campus. Thanks be to God for Scott, our kind R.D. here at the Kartause, who drove me to the train station to meet my panicked friends. I was so happy I made it to the train because throughout the entire semester I had been traveling to places I never planned or cared to travel to…except Medj.

However, the craziness didn’t stop there. We ended up getting on the wrong train and realizing ten minutes later that the one train we saw speed off was the train we were suppose to be on. From then on we had a night of train switches and no reservations. It was a long and hectic night but fun nonetheless.

We finally arrived in Paris the next morning and I was ecstatic! I was completely filled with joy that my lack of sleep ceased to affect me in any way. I kept repeating “Oh my gosh I am in Paris!” before I even got out of the train station.

Then Mary, Katy, Maggie, and myself headed to our “hotel.” We decided to get a hotel in Paris because heck! It was Paris! However when we arrived we realized we had stayed in much nicer hostels. Our room was a joke. It was smaller than my dorm room here and had one double bed rather than the two twin beds we thought it’d have. Not only was the room and bed tiny, the toilet was in a closet (I do not exaggerate) in the hallway of the hotel. The sink was tiny and in the room next to our…shower? The shower was a plastic box resembling a white and transparent porta-jon, except less spacious. It was all very “cozy” for sure. But on a positive note the water pressure was great!

In Paris I thought I lost my camera so I only snapped about four shots the while four day. (It ended up being in my suitcase the whole time…silly Megan.)

The girls and I ended up exploring the streets and café’s and grabbing some dinner before Mass as Sacre Coeur Cathedral. We ended up thinking it was a wise and cheap idea to get Chinese food…in Paris. So we stepped into a Chinese restaurant we found on the street and ordered what we thought would be a six or so euro meal. It ended up being the most disgusting meal I think I have ever consumed – equivalent to dog food, if I may. And what’s more is it ended up costing about fifteen euro each. We were angry, unsatisfied, yet no longer hungry girls as we left that restaurant. After wondering around a little more we went to a beautiful French Mass at Sacre Coeur where St. Therese of Lesioux’s relics were for that weekend only. After Mass we met up with some people for a actually good and cheap pizza dinner.

The ladies and I called it a night after grabbing some ice cream for dessert and met up with our friends again at the Louve museum. Although we waiting for over two hours in line…outside….in the rain…it was completely worth it. Yes, I saw the original Mona Lisa! After the Museum we went to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore! That honestly was one of the coolest places I’d ever been. As an English Major, I was in seventh Heaven and I bought some family members and myself a little something. It was incredible to see such a famous and old book store where wonderful writers had spent time writing some of their most incredible masterpieces and to see some first edition prints. After the literary adventure the girls and I ran off to secretly get Maggie’s haircut. She said farewell to her lengthy locks for a hip bob – IN PARIS. She looks adorable and has a fun story to go with it. After dolling ourselves up and stopping by the infamous Eiffel Tower we met up with the friends for a night on the town. We ended up playing a few games at a friend of some of my friend’s apartment who studies in Paris, and then went to a bar to dance away the night. It was one of the most fun nights I have ever had. We were celebrities that night – American girls. The French men LOVED us and were fairly respectful of us as well. It was a total blast and we ended up staying out until about three in the morning!!

The next day we did some site seeing such as Notre Dame were we ran into Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough! Notre Dame by the way is one of the absolutely most beautiful churches I have ever stepped foot in. It was incredible and my friends got worried for a little because I stayed in the church for so long. After Notre Dame we walked around a little more and then headed back to the hotel because it was time to say Adieu to the city of romance (And apparently my cell phone because I haven’t seen it since…). The traveling on the way home went well until Katy and I almost missed a train in Munich because of a desperate desire for Starbucks. Oops! (The things you miss while in Europe, give us a break!)

All in all Paris ended up being one of my most favorite places I have traveled to yet!

The Chianti Region of Tuscany…

Ever since I saw the ads for the movie Under the Tuscan Sun (That’s right – I’ve never actually seen the movie…) I’ve wanted to go to the back wine country of Tuscany, Italy.

Before our ten-day pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, we had a free couple of days to travel before we were to be in Rome. As my friends were planning their trips to Chinque Terra, Venice, and wherever else they had in mind, I decided it was about time I stopped going places everyone else wanted to go and make my own plan. So I turned down the invitations and was determined to go to Tuscany.

I ended up planning the trip with my friend Jason (he really did all the work, lets be honest) and going with him and five other girls. We met a bunch of random Australian folk as well as a couple crazy young American men who were traveling for the sake of traveling for a couple months. Our traveling went really well and after our night train we made it to Florence, Italy in the morning. Now because I wanted to go to “back wine country in the middle of nowhere Tuscany” Jason and I decided on this old villa apartment in the Chianti region of Tuscany just outside of Florence. We had one problem though…how to get to the backcountry without a car. Thank God for Jason because he emailed the owners, these two extremely hospitable Italian brothers, and they picked us up a couple bus stops outside of Florence. Our bus stop were we waited for the brothers to pick us up was right in front of a grocery store so we were able to buy ourselves some lunch and dinner as well as breakfast for the next morning – costing each of us about six euro total!

The brothers picked us up and we packed ourselves and our ten days worth of luggage into their tiny Italian cars and drove to their beautiful renovated monastery dating back to the 1500s over looking their olive tree fields and vineyards. The place was huge, homey, and absolutely beautiful. Not to mention there were ten adorable cats who roamed the property. (I loved them a lot!) The brothers gave us a complimentary bottle of their wine, made from the grapes in their vineyard, for our dinner and offered to drive us anywhere we needed – free of charge.

When we got showered and moved into our apartment Jason doctored up the pasta and chicken we bought and we all sat down to a late lunch. Jason’s cooking was delicious; he showed off his Italian roots for sure, and the wine the brothers gave us was incredible.

After lunch a couple of the girls took naps while the rest of us ventured out to explore the property. Again we simply absorbed the breath taking beauty of the countryside accompanied by laughter and fellowship. When we got back the nap sounded nice and we all hunkered down for a little snooze and didn’t wake up until close to nine at night.

We decided to stay in and having been pretty much full from our delicious lunch we snacked on what extra food we had and played games all night.

The next day we headed off to Rome for our pilgrimage with the rest of our classmates.  The short trip ended up being exactly what I wanted and completely relaxing and enjoyable. 

More posts on my journeys to come! Look out for Poland, Romania, and Rome/Assisi!

Food for thought: 

"Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16