This is What Dreams Are Made Of

Hi everyone!

It's been a while since I have written a blog post, so I would like first start by assuring you all that I am alive and well here in Rome; just a little busy with schoolwork and a lot busy with life. The little things that make up my everyday life have mostly stayed the same. I still love my morning walks to school along the Tiber. I still freak out every time I pass the Vatican. I am still obsessed with Italian gelato (although I have learned how to say no to getting gelato for dinner... it's an acquired talent.) Life is pretty great and I have made some special memories over the past few weeks that I am excited to share with you all. Let's start first with last Monday, when I received an unexpected surprise.

As I believe most of my family and friends already know, I'm on a study abroad program with 15 other Bennies and 14 Johnnies. Every single person on this program is truly wonderful and over the past few months we have all grown into a sort of family, with the fighting, laughing, inside jokes and all. Last Monday, the girls of our program were told by the boys to get dressed up and meet at one of their apartments at 7pm. None of us girls had any clue what was going on, but we followed along and showed up promptly at 7pm to an apartment which the boys wouldn't let us into. After about ten minutes of waiting outside, we were all getting a little irritated and anxious as to what lied behind the door and why we couldn't come in. To our lovely surprise, a few moments later all the boys walked out in their nicest outfits to escort us one by one into the apartment, which had been decorated with a Christmas tree, decorations and lights. Inside we found a candle-lit dining room with Christmas music playing in the background and a spot for each of us adorned with a single red rose. It turns out, the boys had prepared a homemade, four course meal for us and they spent the next two hours serving us dinner. To say we were surprised and overjoyed would be an understatement. Even when you're abroad, Monday's suck and the Johnnies act of extreme kindness was the perfect way to start out the week, as well as a perfect example of what caring, wonderful people I've been able to spend the past few months with.

Ashley and I, happy that some boys finally bought us roses.

Wine + Roses = Happy Girls

The surprise dinner on Monday evening was only the start of good things to come. Last Wednesday morning, our theology class took a field trip to St. Peter's Basilica for the Papal audience. We were up bright an early at 5:00am and those who know me know I am NOT a morning person... but anything for the Pope, right? St. Peter's Basilica isn't actually open to the public on Wednesday mornings due to the Papal audience, but thanks to my awesome, well-connected theology professor, our class was able to enter St. Peter's through the back entrance and see the church when almost completely empty before proceeding to the catacombs for morning mass. SO COOL! Following mass, we were ushered outside to St. Peter's Square to wait for the Pope. Every Wednesday when the Pope is at the Vatican there is what is called a Papal Audience where the Pope comes out to St. Peter's Square, parades around in his custom-made Mercedes Benz and then gives a short homily for the crowd. From what I understand, it can be challenging to get tickets to the Papal Audience (they are free but in high demand) so I felt even more fortunate for this opportunity. Pope Francis is just as adorable in person as you think he would be. The man radiates joy and it is humbling to hear him speak. Pope Francis has had such a profound, wonderful impact on the church and to be able to witness this progress was such an amazing experience. It was definitely a day I will hold dear and never forget.

All smiles in St. Peter's Basilica

It's the Pope!!!!!

While last week was wonderful in so many ways, last week also had its fair share of challenges. During my time abroad, I have mostly refrained from being homesick, however, when last Thursday rolled around, I was definitely feeling a little sad to not be spending Thanksgiving surrounded by my family in Minnesota. Although it wasn't fun to feel like I was missing out at home, I was able to spend my Thanksgiving with my study abroad family. Our group was actually on a field trip last weekend and after a day of exploring the beautiful churches, monasteries and basilicas of Assisi, our group headed back to our hotel where they had prepared for a Thanksgiving dinner for us. Although not the traditional American Thanksgiving meal by any means, I was able to enjoy some turkey and squash! After dinner, we all went around the table to say what we were thankful for this year and to share yet another surprise. The week leading up to Thanksgiving, everyone had chosen a name from a hat of a person on our program who we would anonymously leave a gift for that week. After Thanksgiving dinner, we all found out who had given us our gift and each person expressed why they were thankful for the person whose name they had drawn. Everyone gave such sweet tributes and many of us were in tears by the end of the evening. As for myself, I may or may not have been hysterically sobbing. While this Thanksgiving was not a traditional one and it was bittersweet to be away from my family, I'm so thankful that I was able to spend the day with other people that I love in such a beautiful place.

The Basilica of St. Francis, one of the places I was fortunate enough to visit this Thanksgiving.

As of tomorrow, I have 15 days left until my family comes to visit and my semester comes to a close. The past few weeks have been an odd time as I simultaneously have felt that I never want this experience to end and also cannot wait another second to see my family. As I reflect on my time here, I cannot believe that it is all almost over. I've said it before, but this experience goes by so fast. I cannot express my gratitude for all that I have been able to see and do over these past three and a half months and how much I have loved every moment of it. Before I get too sentimental here, I do have to remind myself that I have two weeks left here in Rome. What will I do with my remaining time, you may ask? Tomorrow I will be taking a girls trip to Tivoli to visit Villa d'Este. I plan to explore the parts of Rome that I have pushed off visiting because "I have time!" (I don't have time.) I will shove my face with as much gelato, pizza, pasta and wine as humanely possible. And, most importantly, I will be filling my head with knowledge as I prepare to take my final exams and write my final papers. The prospect of doing well on my art history exam is looking very bleak, so please keep me in your prayers as I attempt to cold identify a statue by an image only of its nose. (Actually, my art history professor is pagan.... so maybe pray to the Roman gods?)

Ciao,

Kelly