The End

"Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it."
- Cesare Parese

Well, this is going to be my last post.

It has been an unbelievable and life changing adventure ... none of which I thought I would be able to encounter. Words can't describe how much I have enjoyed this trip and I can't even to begin to describe my feelings towards everything I have experienced. None of it could have been done though without the amazing backing of my family and friends, and of course the immense amount of strength that I gained from God.

A couple days ago, I was in Barcelona. I went with Elyse and we spent some much needed time in the sun. The architecture of Barcelona blew my mind and I absolutely loved the city. It was hard to leave Elyse though, knowing that I was parting from this new amazing friend and not knowing when I would see her again. That has become the hardest part about traveling for me ... meeting so many incredible people and most likely, never seeing them again. I wish I could have kept all the guardian angels that I came across.

My last trip, and where I am now for a couple more hours, was Salzburg. Salzburg was my Grandmother's favorite place in the world. Perhaps it was because of the breathtaking scenery, the Edelweiss flower she so adored, or even the memories of the Sound of Music. Whichever the case, I had to come to Salzburg to be with my Gramere. I felt her and I saw her everywhere ... in the Alps, in the flowers, in the people, and all throughout the hikes I took through the city. Salzburg was everything I dreamed it would be and I am so saddened that I can't spend more time here. I did stay an extra day though instead of trying to pack in Vienna as well ... so now I just have another excuse to come back to Europe and of course, Austria.

I have so many emotions right now just thinking about going back to Roma for a couple days because that means I am only less than a week away from going home. If any of you have seen the movie Almost Famous you will know how I feel. Remember at the end when William has to go home? You know he doesn't want to leave but at the same time he knows home is where he belongs and he knows it's calling him back. Remember the part when he comes home and just collapses onto his bed because he is too tired to even process what he has just been through? That's how I feel right now. Maybe it's just an excuse to compare my life to my favorite movie but in any case, that's how my life can be summed up right now.

Thanks to everyone for reading my blog. However, if any of you would like some true entertainment, please read my friend's blog. Make sure you start at the beginning because her trip was a semester long adventure as well. www.christineprice.blogspot.com

You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

"Adventure is a path. Real adventure - self-determined, self-motivated, often risky - forces you to have firsthand encounters wit the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and the bottomless cruelty of human kind - and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever againbe black and white."
- Mark Jenkins

"At least God doesn't think He's Bono"

Erin go bragh!

Well I am in Dublin ... leaving in a couple hours for Barcelona! :)

I spent about 2 days in Galway, and it was amazing. I loved it. It was a pretty small town along the coast, but it's the 3rd largest city in Ireland. I went on a bus/walking tour that took a whole day. The tour dropped you off on a farm in the Burren mountains. John took us on a tour through the mountains and his farm. He majored in Irish History and came back to his family farm to give tours and help out his family. Ireland, until the 1990s, was mainly a farming country and many families used to be only substinence farmers. It was amazing to just see the country side and the Irish farms. It was beautiful. Green and cows everywhere ... so different from Roma.

The tour also went to the Cliffs of Moher. Holy shit. Beautiful. Just one of those places I never thought I would actually see and the pictures won't serve it justice. The craziest part was watching all of the surfers 200 meters down in some of the largest waves in the world.

On the tour, there was actually a girl from Notre Dame that had been at John Cabot. Neither of us knew we would be in Galway so it was really fun to run into her. I went with her and a couple of other people I met on the bus tour to a pub that night. I had my 2 pints of Guinness and yes, it does taste different and better in Ireland.

On Friday I made it to Dublin pretty early in the day and just walked around the city a bit. I went to the Jameson Distillery (which should be Whiskey History's new headquarters) and St. Patrick's Cathedral. I wish I had more time to explore, but I spent an extra day in Galway which I actually enjoyed a lot better.

Anyways, more to come later. Wish me luck on remembering all my Spanish. The Italian may be mixed in there a bit!

You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

p.s. Sorry, I won't be able to upload anymore pictures on this site and picasa. I am at my quota and they want to charge me money to put up more. I'll show them all when I get home though for anyone that's interested!

"There's such a lot of world to see"

Hello!

Okay, so I am in Galway.
Rome ended on Saturday. It was some kind of cruel joke that my finals finished 5:30 on Thursday night and then I had to leave by noon on Saturday. We had to be out. Went out to dinner both Thursday and Friday nights with the roomies. On Friday, we went to Villa Borghese and had a good going away siesta. I miss everyone already. It was a lot harder to leave than I thought it would be. I left this amazing odd-ball family behind and one of the most beautiful places in the entire world. I am so looking forward to going back before I head home.

Anyways, I left for London on Saturday with Elyse. We made it to London and through the tube without directions from the hostel. Yes, applause is okay ... I will allow it. We saw anything and everything, and the blisters on my feet can prove it. London was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I may have to move back. On one of the nights, one of my family friends, Tom Boyd, took us around for the day and to see Billy Elliot on London's Broadway. It was an amazing show, but as Elyse said, the UK must not have child labor laws for the amount of work those kids must be doing.

Some highlights:
-Minding the gap
-London Eye
-Thames
-Globe Theatre
-Big Ben
-Westminster Abbey
-Trafalgar Square
-National Gallery
-Portrait Museum (with a Dylan exhibit)
-Double decker bus tour
-Tower of London
-London Bridge
-St. James and St. Paul's Churches
-Irish pub
-Abbey Road
-Notting Hill
-St. Jame's Park
-Buckingham Palace - and changing of the guard (yes, Mom, I have video)
-Being broke and loving every minute of it

Today, I arrived in Galway. I traveled all day ... flew to Dublin and then took the 3 hour bus to Galway. Tomorrow I am going on a tour to the Cliffs of Moher. Yes, I love my life too. Also, other funny thing ... they pronounce my name KAtlin. Those of you that know, will understand the irony.


I am home in 2 weeks! Weird!
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now ... "

You are all loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

Why Can't We Give Love that One More Chance?

Ciao!

I officially only have 2 weeks left in Roma. Where did the time go? Seriously! None of us are ready to leave, and the roommates and I often find ourselves talking about how depressed we are to be leaving. The other day my Macroeconomics professor tried to be funny by saying, "I thought of you kids today. Just when it's really nice out, you kids have your final exams. Spring in Rome is the best." So cruel! We're all trying to absorb Rome as much as possible though ... but our final exams and term papers have perfect timing. I'm just happy that after traveling through Europe, I'll be able to come back to Rome and have a couple of days to take it all in again before heading back to the States.

Last weekend I went to Assisi. It was beautiful. It's in Umbria, just to the east of Toscana. I was able to see St. Francis' Basilica, St. Claire's (which has the cross that Jesus used to first talk to St. Francis), and I hiked up to this old castle. The view was breathtaking ... mountains and fields of green and gold.

In another news, Christine Price was in Rome for a couple of days. It was so much fun to be with her again and experience the sarcastic humor that I had missed so much. I must say, I did enjoy showing her St. Peter's Square and making her eat some of the best tiramasu in the city.

Our Italian class had a really interesting conversation with our Professor (Gina) the other day. Gina, who is from Florence, does not enjoy Rome. She has been really interesting to talk to about Italy because she lived in New York City for 10 years. She loves Americans, she loves our culture, and she misses the U.S. Coming from a classthat is not used to hearing not the nicest things about Americans, it was really refreshing. Gina also told us that she would never date an Italian, and she actually came to the States becaue of her American boyfriend. She shared this commercial with our class the other day, too ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e64NGmNrhg. We guessed that this one wouldn't go over so well back home.

As many of you know, Wednesday was Earth Day. National Geographic actually sponsored a free concert in Rome at Piazza del Popolo where BEN HARPER played. He is one of my favorites so it was unbelievable to see him. Highlight = Ben Harper's cover of Under Pressure. The concert was a lot of fun ... except for the mosh pit that erupted when the crowd went absolutely crazy for an Italian opening act.


















Anyways, that about sums up the past two weeks. Hope everyone is enjoying the Spring weather at home! You are loved and prayed for, Kaitlin

"The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways,
the point, however, is to change it." - Karl Marx

Earthquakes and Pasqua

Hey all!

So a bit to catch up on. I am sure you are all aware that there was an earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy last Wednesday on the 8th. The earthquake was in the Abruzzo region of Italy, and the neighbor of Rome's region of Lazio. Rome is actually around 117 km away from Rome, and the earthquake could be felt all the way over to my apartment. The earthquake was in the middle of the night and I did not wake up to it, compared to some of my roommates. Over the past week, there have been numerous aftershocks from the earthquake and I have felt a couple of them in Rome. I live on the top floor of my apartment, so when an aftershock hits, it feels like you are on a sailboat rocking in 5 foot ways. It's the most surreal feeling. Everything is okay in Rome though, compared to L'Aquila and its surrounding cities. Thousands upon thousands are homeless and over 200 people have died. It's been a really chilling experience being so close to the earthquake. One of my friends, Matteo, has a family house in Abruzzo and his family had to make a trip to check out their house. There are cracks on the walls and ceilings, and they will probably have to do repairs. John Cabot is doing their part though and are holding clothing and food drives. I scrounged around for a couple of shirts, a toothbrush still in the package, two pair of shoes I never wear, and soup that I had't eaten yet.

On brighter news, I went to Easter mass at St. Peter's on Sunday. So incredible. Mass was at 10:15AM, but my roommate, Abby, and I left at 7AM to get in line. We were able to get seats in the front section and were as close to Pope Benedict as we could possibly be. Mass ended up being two hours long and was said in a multitude of languages. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in seats, standing in the square, and standing along Via della Conciliazione (the street leading up to the Vatican). My favorite part of the day was a little boy yelling, "Ciao Dio!" (hi God) at the beginning of mass. Oh, and of course, the gelato from Old Bridge that I haven't been able to have since Lent began.

Other events from the weekend:
- Going to a restruarant, called "Wanted", with friends. We laughed at the name.
- Seeing the Colosseum at night.
- Napping in St. Peter's Square. Which also means getting scolded by the police.
- Sharing a ginormous chocolate easter egg with roommates.
- Scheduling for my Senior year. Yes, I think I may be graduating on time.
- Talking to Amadeaus (the pizza guy) about how us girls are only here for 1 more month. It was a sad, sad conversation. He still has to take me on a vespa ride ... adding it to the "to-do" list.

Hope everyone had a good Easter.
Buona Pasqua! You are loved and prayed for, Kaitlin

So it's been awhile since my last post and a lot has happened. It's hard to think back and remember everything that I want to share. Here goes ...

My Mom was here for two weeks and came for my Spring Break. It was amazing having her here and I now know that the highlight of this semester was seeing the joy come from my Mom's face once we reached Tuscany. My Mom and I spent the week of SB in Siena and Montepulciano. Siena was everything I thought it would be and more. The highlight of the trip was visiting the scala where the Siena hospital used to be in the 1300s-1500s. St. Catherine of Siena worked at the hospital and we visited the sacristy and chapel she prayed in, which was underground. It was a really moving experience and I am so appreciative that my Mom and I were able to pray where one of my favorite Saints once prayed as well.

For one of the days during the week, my Mom and I took a day trip to Florence. Florence has been one of the places that both of us have wanted to visit, but the day didn't turn out exactly as we planned. My Mom's credit card was not working, it was raining, the top of the Duomo was closed, and the most famous painting in the Uffizi Art Gallery was on a tour. But all my Mom and I could do was laugh. We had a really good time, even with all the ups and downs of the day.

During the second part of SB, we traveled to Montepulciano. Montepulciano is known for it's wine, Vino Nobile. Vino Nobile is the famous wine made in the town by the Contucci family for hundreds and hundreds of years. The Contucci family leaves their wine cellar open for people to look around and taste test, and we were able to meet the current owner ... an amazingly kind, old, Italian man. He had so much joy, so of course, we ended up shipping some of the wine home.

My Mom and I definitely got used to the relaxed atmosphere of Tuscany, so Roma seemed more chaotic than ever once I came back after Spring Break. I was blessed enough to have my Mom in Rome for five days and I was able to show her all of the sites. When we went to the Vatican on Monday, we were able to go on the Scavi tour which goes underneath St. Peter's Basilica where the Pagan Romans had built their necropolis. We were able to tour underground, see the necropolis, and the highlight at the end which was the tomb of St. Peter. It was an unbelievable tour.

On the last day my Mom was here, we went to San Giovanni, which is the most holy site in all of Rome. The church was built by Constantine and was the first church where Christians could worship. St. Helena, Constantine's mother, eventually brought the marble stairs from the palace of Pontius Pilate to the church. The 28 marble stairs are believed to be the stairs the Jesus climbed up and down the day he was crucified. The stairs are now covered with wood, but there are holes where you can peek through to see the original marble, stained with Jesus' blood. People now make pilgrimages to the church and it is required that you ascend the stairs on your knees, while saying a prayer on each step. My Mom and I were able to climb the stairs on our knees and it was unbelievable and humbling experience.

There is so much more I should talk about but it's hard to summarize how amazing the past two weeks have been. I am sure my Mom will have stories for all of you at home as well. Anyways, I only have a couple more weeks of class, but I'm trying not to think about the little time left I have in Roma. Next weekend I am going to Easter mass at the Vatican and I cannot wait.

Hope all is well at home.
You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

GO GREEN!!!

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence."
-Papa Giovanni Paolo II

"I know the heart of life is good"

Hi!

Updates from Rome:
Spring Break starts this Friday. I cannot wait! My mom is coming and it will be an amazing, much needed break from classes. In other news ...

As the Romans do:
- My roommate is dating an Italian, Matteo, who I love. He is so much fun and is really helpful when trying to learn Italian. He was appalled that I like to go running outside and that I enjoy peanut butter and apples. Italians also have a hard time saying my name, so Matteo always says, "Ciao Caaaiiilllann!"
- Italy is kind of racist! Was not aware of the extent until I began reading articles, hearing stories, etc. My PoliSci prof recently informed us that Italy passed a law where foreign born and Italian born students cannot be taught in the same classroom during primary school. There is also a lot of tension in the north between Italians and those of Middle East or Muslim descent. The mayor of Torino explained, "We don't want them here, so why would we build mosques?"
- Picture this: 65 degrees, sunny, gorgeous day! I am, of course, wearing flip flops and no jacket. Italians, on the other hand, are still wearing their fur coats and boots!

Italians still entertain me and I find a new reason to love them and be fascinated by them on a daily basis.

Other important things:
This past weekend I was in Paris with my friend, Ally, from back home! Ally is studying abroad in France and we met up in Paris for the weekend. We have both known each other since kindergarten and it was great to be with a friend from home.

On Friday, I left for Paris at 7am and was at the Louvre by 12:30. I stayed for 2 hours (not as long as I would have liked) but saw all the paintings I had been dying to see for so long. Da Vinci in person! Woah! I also went to the Musee d'Orsay which I actually enjoyed more than the Louvre. It's an impressionist museum and I saw all of my favorite artists ... Degas, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Matisse. It was amazing. I cried when I saw Degas' "Tiny Ballerina" in person, which has been one of my favorites since I was little. That night, Ally and I went to the Eiffel tower with a bottle of wine and baguettes. We were very classy Americans.

On Saturday, we had a full day. We headed back to the Eiffel tower again and went all the way to the top. Dad, I really don't think you could have handled it. I was getting nervous on the elevator up to the top. But the view was totally worth it and it was so much fun to actually be at the top of the Eiffel tower! After, we went to the Arch de Triumph. The Arch de Triumph is in the center of a traffic circle where (I believe) 12 lanes merge. There are no traffic lights, no stop signs, and no lanes. It's a free-for-all and was very entertaining to watch. We also spent a lot of time walking around Paris and taking in the sights. We eventually made our way to Notre Dame. I was actually able to go to Confession at Notre Dame (!!) and the Priest had studied in Rome. It was fun to talk to him and he gave me a lot of advice and information that I needed to hear.

On Sunday we went to the Peter-Lachaise Cemetery (the most visited cemetery in the world). It was huge, beautiful, and full of gothic and eccentric tombstones. Ally and I were able to see Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Jim Morrison's tombstones! I actually saw Jim Morrison's tombstone, which was something I had to do before I cam back to the States. There were also a lot of tombstones dedicated to those that had died at Concentration Camps during World War II. They actually had a tombstone dedicated to the victims of the Neuengamme Concentration Camp, which was the camp I visited while in Germany. Later on Sunday, we went to see Sacre-Coeur and walked around Montmarte. Ally and I even bumped into the grocery market from the movie Amelie!

That about sums up the weekend. It really was an amazing time and I am so happy I was able to go. Probably won't update again for another two weeks, but hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather!

You are loved and prayed for,
Kait


"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with somebody else when you're uncool." - Lester Bangs, Almost Famous

And for all those kids without facebook ... here are my pics,
http://picasaweb.google.com/kait2311/CiaoBella#

"The Heart is an Autumn Wanderer"

Guten tag!

School is starting to get busy ... 3 midterms and an annoying research paper are getting in the way of my traveling through Europe. I have been here for 2 months. Unbelievable. I feel like I am getting used to it though (took awhile) and I am feeling more comfortable living in Rome every day.

New things:
1. Chinese Food = heaven
2. The city is starting to get busy! Tourists are flowing in.
3. You can tell how much walking I do by looking at my shoes (aka, they look like every pair Casey McCorry owns).
4. I am reading Franny and Zooey. I am recommend you read it as well.
5. I hand washed clothes. Yes, I did.
6. I like to cook (weird).

Other news:
This past weekend I went to Hamburg, Germany to meet up with one of our amazing family friends, Nicky. Nicky was in Hamburg for work and invited me to come along. I flew on my own and even mastered the German subway system (S Bahn). Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and is the largest non-capital city in Europe. It also has the most waterways second to Venice. It was so strange and so much fun being out of Italy. Italy really should just be its own continent. Germany was clean, big, organized, filled with Starbucks (delicious!), and was covered with amazing architecture.

The first day, Nicky and I walked around and did a little site seeing. On Saturday, we went to Neuengamme, a concentration camp on the outskirts of town. It's hard to put into words what it was like to be at a concentration camp. About 50,000 people died at the camp and it was one of the larger satellite camps in Hamburg. I have been to the Holocaust museum in D.C., I have read Anne Frank and Night, but I don't think anything could have prepared me for being at a concentration camp. It was haunting, chilling, and humbling. The most terrifying thing to me was how organized the entire process was. I felt sick knowing that Hitler (and others) had overseen the plans of the camp. The most intense part of the visit was when I read about a 16 year old Russian boy who died at the camp. He had been at a labor camp in Russia, and he became home sick. He thought that if he set one of the buildings on fire, they would send him home for poor behavior and he would be able to see his family again. And so he did. Instead, the boy was sent to Neuengamme where he was put on trial and later executed. They had a copy of the last letter he wrote to his parents. It was the most amazing thing I have read or come across, and I am crying now thinking about it.

After the visit to Neuengamme, Nicky and I went out to dinner for my birthday. German food was delicious and a nice change from pasta. After dinner, we went out to St. Pauli's/Reeperbahn which is the "Amsterdam" of Germany. We walked around and took in the odd/crazy sites, and went to a bar. My favorite part of the night was watching an entire bar full of Germans sing a song that seemed to be the anthem of Hamburg.

On Sunday (my 21st!), I got a grande coffee to go (!!) and walked around Hamburg in the morning. Like Italy, everything in Hamburg was closed on Sunday so it was pretty much me and a few others walking around. I bumped into St. Nikolai - a once massive church with some remains intact following bombings in WWII. The steeple was a couple stories tall and you could barely make out the top because of the fog. St. Nikolai is now used as an anti-war memorial. I also went to see St. Michaelis, and fortunately mass was currently going on. I am getting a good mix of Catholic masses in different languages.

The rest of Sunday I spent traveling, skyping, and I went to the Irish Pub, Elliot's, down the street to celebrate my birthday with some roommates.

I never imagined I would have spent my 21st in Europe. Never in my wildest dreams. But it's been an amazing trip. It has been a humbling experience.

You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

"Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it."
-Cesare Parese

"The Sun is Always in My Eyes"

Sorry it's been so long since my last post! Anyways, a few things to catch everyone up ...

This past week my cousin Kim and her friend Connie were here. It was exciting to have someone from home visit ... and they brought me Jiffy PB, so you can't get much better than that. On Wednesday, I skipped my class and showed them around Rome. I was pretty impressed with their speed tourist abilities after flying all night from the States. On Thursday, I had class all day while they saw the Vatican. But for dinner, I introduced them to Amadeus (the best and cheapest pizza in Roma).

Friday, we left for Capri.
I am in love with Capri. Absolutely, head over heals in love. I want to go back, and I know my version of Heaven will be just like it. It was a long day of traveling to get there - 2 1/2 hour train ride, bus ride, and a ferry.

We finally made it to our B&B, Il Tromonto ("sunset") around mid afternoon. I am 2-2 for finding amazing hostels and budget hotels. I am beginning to think I have a gift. Our B&B had an amazing hostess who went out of her way to help us with anything and everything. After awhile, we decided we wanted to climb up to the top of AnaCapri (top of the Capri island), and on the way we met an Italian women who showed us a path to take up. It's amazing how friendly Italians are as soon as you step outside of Rome. Everyone said hello, they were all warm and friendly, and would help you find your way. We finally made it to the top of a look out point ... the view was breathtaking. The vastness was indescribable and nothing I say will do it justice. We met another Italian, and he showed us another path that would give us a view of the Faraglioni (the three stacks off of Capri in the Med. Sea: Stella, Mezzo, and Scopolo). We spent a decent amount of time trying to communicate with the older man, who knew about as much English as I know Italian. It was fun though, and Kim's spanish came in handy while were were talking.

On the way back down from the hike, we stumpled upon Parco Filosofico (Philosphy Park). You could either follow Idealism or Realism, and at the end you followed a sign labeled Ultimo or "The Highlight", which led you to the most amazing view of the Bay of Naples. Later that evening, after seeing the most beautiful sunset, we stumbled upon an old church (I know, shocking to see a beautiful, one of a kind church in Italy). We went inside and actually were just in time for mass. So lucky and such a blessing. After church, we went out to dinner at a restaurant recommended by our B&B hostess. I figured that since I was on an island in the Med. Sea, I should have some seafood ... I ordered sea food spaghetti which ended up having mussels and clams. It was actually really good! I know Mom and Dad, it's okay if you don't believe me. Haha.

The next day we tried to go see the Blue Grotto, but it was closed. We were on the island in the off season, so no tours were open. But we still went walking around and stumbled upon Il Faraglioni on the other side of the island. It was breathtaking. I can't think of another word to describe the scenery. We were so lucky too, because we were the only people there. So unusual and definitely a highlight for coming in the offseason. This part of the trip was probably my favorite, and it was more exciting when I saw jellyfish in the water. I immediately thought of you, Maggie, and the cruise. Haha.

Well, now I am back in Rome. I have been here 6 weeks - unbelievable!
I can't really believe how fast time is going by.
Next weekend I am going to Hamburg, Germany to meet up with our family friend, Nicky. And next Sunday just so happens to be my 21st! It's not too late to send me presents ;)

You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

"I think life is too long to be a whale in a cubicle."
-Andrew Bird

"Yes the road is calling, so I've got to go"

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -Confucius

Hi!

So I actually stayed in Rome this weekend, and it was wonderful! I slept in every day, went for a couple runs, went sight seeing, did homework, and relaxed.

Thursday night I went out with a group of girls from MSU, and on the way home we were introduced to the 24 hour bakery. Let me just tell you that if you find anyone who doesn't believe in God, take them to this bakery. It's incredible. And it's cheap.

On Friday I went to a Rembrandt and Vermeer art exhibit. I had a moment where I had to stop myself, and take a moment to pinch myself. I couldn't believe I was seeing "Girl with a Pearl Necklace" in the flesh. Also on Friday, some of the State girls and I decided it was about time we found a theater with movies in English. With luck, we found one in Piazza del Popolo and we saw Revolutionary Road. It was a great movie, intense, heartbreaking, but definitely a must see. It's interesting at movie theaters in Rome, because they have little cafes inside them along with popcorn. Also, they stop the movie half way for intermission. It made me laugh.

On Saturday, I went to the Picasso exhibit at Complesso del Vittoriano. They had two full stories of Picasso, and they chronologically showed his paintings. It was amazing. The exhibit also had a couple paintings that are originally from the UofM Art Museum. Later that day, my friend Abby and I went to Santa Susanna, the American church in Rome. It was AWESOME to finally hear a homily in English. It was also the childrens mass, and the Priest asked all the kids questions during the homily, which is always entertaining. All of the children were adamant on how much God loved everyone, and were quick to share this fact with everyone.

Today, on Sunday, I went with some friends to get some gelato and then we went to study at St. Peter's square. I know, I am a spoiled brat. I can't believe that I actually get to study and be with friends in God's country.

Some fun things:
1. In Italy, the cafes are called Bars. You go in, ask for a drink (my favorite is the cappuccino) and sit while you read or chat with friends. You can take as much time as you want, and you pay only when you are heading out the door.
2. Italian men are starting to gross me out. They are way to flirty, and to them you don't have personal space.
3. I had my first Italian cannoli this weekend. Heaven.
4. Many European cities have a "Carnivale". Venice is famous for their Carnivale because of the outlandish costumes and masks. Carnivale falls on Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras, but the celebrations last for about two weeks. It's fun because you'll see little kids dressed up in costumes for about two weeks (see the Finding Nemo picture).
5. I was able to reserve tickets (finally!) for Easter Mass at the Vatican!!!! For those that know me, you can imagine my excitement. The Pope and I are going to be BFFs.

Alright, well that's about it for news from across the pond.
Hope everyone has an amazing week.
You are loved and prayed for, Kaitlin

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go out and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Harold Whitman

"The wisdom's in the trees, not the glass windows"

Ciao!

One of the most difficult things to do in Rome is to go for a run. I was so spoiled back in East Lansing and in EGR, and I didn't even realize it. I've had to rearrange my schedule and go early in the morning to avoid the busy traffic and the gross Italian men. My Italian professor recently told me that Italian women never wear shorts while running or working out. As a matter of fact, it's rare to see an Italian woman running around the city. Which leads me to Mistake #1: Running outside in my Detroit Tiger's t-shirt and hot pink running shorts. But, in the end, my mistake was rewarding. I ran all the way up to the top of a hill by my apartment, and once at the top, I could see the most amazing view of Roma. It's one of my new favorite things to do and it makes running all the more worthwhile.

In other news, I have been in Rome for almost a month! Time is going by so fast. I have narrowed down the list of places I want to see and put up a calendar of all the things I have to do in the next 3 1/2 months. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that school is getting in the way of me exploring Europe ... but I guess that was to be expected.

This past weekend I was blessed enough to travel to Venice! It was amazing. As soon as I got off the train, Venice took my breath away. The atmosphere was so relaxed, there were no cars or vespas, and you could feel that time was moving much slower. I went with two friends and we stayed at an amazing hostel. I'm not sure if any in the future will be able to compare. The hostel was ran by Gustavo, a Florence native, who is now one of my favorite hippie friends. Gustavo had studied cooking in Florence, and he graciously cooked for us on Saturday night. The food was amazing! For the rest of the weekend, my friends and I explored Venice and tried not to get lost. We went to the Basilica di San Marco, shopped, went on a gondola ride (!!), and went to the Guggenheim Art Museum.

1. Cool fact:

Gondolas are actually passed down by generation and you have to be Venetian to be a gondolier.

2. The Guggenheim exhibit was amazing.

I could have spent the whole day just looking at one painting in order to decipher everything I saw. The intensity of the paintings in the museum was outrageous, and the range of emotions in the paintings left me without words numerous times.

My favorite part of Venice though was the Beatles Memorabilia shop we stumbled upon. It's official - my Mecca is in Venice. The shop was filled with Beatles memorabilia, vinyls, and everything classic rock. The owner of the shop was playing acoustic guitar when we came in, and I immediately felt at home. If you can believe it, the store had a copy of Don McLean's "American Pie". I have been searching for that vinyl for two years, and could not believe I found it in Venice. Now all I have to do is to make sure it gets home safely...

"There have been joys too great to be described in words, and there have been griefs upon which I have not dared to dwell; and with his in mind I say: climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be at the end."

-Edward Whymper

You are loved and prayed for,

Kaitlin

"Take It Easy"

The Eagles have long told me to "take it easy" and to "lighten up while you still can", but these words have never meant more to me than this past weekend.

This is going to be a long blog, so be prepared.

First thing: Wow. I walk past the Vatican on my way to class! My mind is blown every morning and especially when you put on the ipod and listen to "Lovers in Japan" by Coldplay. I'm taking classes at John Cabot University (JCU). If you can believe it, it actually has less students than East Grand Rapids H.S. did when I graduated. It's a much different atmosphere than MSU. I'm actually getting to know my adviser and my profs! JCU is located in Trastevere which is mostly a residentialy Italian neighborhood.
Here's what I've noticed on the way to class,

1. Italians have paninis for breakfast.
2. There are two buttons in some bathrooms - one for #1 and the other for #2.
3. There is an old and beautiful church in Trastevere. There are dozens of chandeliers at the front of the church by the altar. Amazing.
4. Shops open on the owner's time. This could be anywhere from 7am to noon.
5. I saw two Italian men talking so animately that I looked like they were fighting. But it's just how they interact with each other.
6. On the first day while I was walking to class, there was a young Grandma with her Grandchild. The little kid was eating a croissant the size of his face.
7. It feels like everyone knows everyone in Trastevere.
8. The other day, a woman opened her shutters to dry clothes (most Italians don't own a dryer). I started laughing when she was hanging up only her massively large bras.
9. I had the best pastry of my life for only 80 cents.

Anways, I love all my classes. I'm taking a MacroEcon, PoliSci: Third World Development, Italian 101, and Euro. History: 1945 and after. All my profs seem very intelligent and a lot of fun. Here's to hoping they won't give out much homework ...

Second thing: I went to Torino this past weekend with 3 other friends of mine. Torino is where the Olympics were in 2006, sooo you guessed it! I skied in the ALPS! My intent was to ski on Friday in Sestriere (about an hour train ride and 45 min. bus ride away from Torino) and return in the evening to be with my friends for the rest of the weekend. On the contrary, God had other plans for me. On the way to Oulx (city at the base of the mountains), the TrenItalia workers picked a perfect time to start a strike. I had to switch trains, and luckily a guardian angel (disguised as an Italian man) told me where to go. I finally ended up in Oulx only to find that it would be 2 hours until the bus came to take me up to Sestriere. I decided that I should just stay the night in the mountains so I would have more than a half hour to ski.

On the bus ride up to Sestriere, I met Arrita (another Guardian Angel) from Finland. She had just been cross country skiing while her husband and son were "adventure skiing" in Sestriere. Arrita was amazing. She showed me where to buy tickets, where the information center was, and she wouldn't leave my side until I had booked a hotel for the night. I was so grateful for her and it was actually hard to say good-bye. We had a good time speaking English to one another and mocking Italians for having their Siesta time in the afternoon.

Anways, I finally ended up skiing! I skied in Sestriere for 4 hours. I was the last one on the hill at the end of the day (totally something my Grandma would have done).
1. I had a playlist on so I skied for everyone when I heard a song that reminded me of one of you.
2. BRAD - I was skiing to YES while making a run for you, and a snow snake came up and bit me while I was in the powder. So, yes, I fell on your run. Haha.
3. Mom - my skiing in the Alps was for you. Completely and totally a dedication to you.

I really had forgotten how much the mountain can beat you up, but what a rewarding feeling it is at the end of the day. Example: I am so incredibly proud of the massive bruise on my knee. I still have no idea how I got it ... but the fall in the powder was worth it.

Third Thing: I finally met up with my friends in Torino. We had a great dinner (I highly recommend green apple gelato) and caught our train at 10pm.

Then the trouble started. We woke up at 4:30am and realized two of the girls I was with had their purses stolen. We had taken an overnight train, and the four of us had been asleep in our own compartment. We were all being smart with our luggage and felt safe with how everything was. Turns out, we were wrong. I luckily had nothing stolen, and thank God now that my Mom made me get such a ridiculous travel/"slash proof" purse. It was a pretty terrifying moment for all of us, especially because it was our first trip out of Roma. On the brighter side, we are all okay and most of what was stolen can be replaced. Just make sure you send some thoughts/prayers our for the two girls that lost so much.

Fourth Thing: So, yes, it was a very eventful weekend, and I am sure I skipped over some other details. Everyone should know that I have not been lost! Yes, that's right, Kaitlin Koperski has not been lost in Europe! Please make a note of that.

"We are a collection of the stories we tell." - from my TE250 class

Alright, well I'm finally running out of things to say.
Hope everyone has a great week!
You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

"The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changin horizon ... for each day to have a new and different sun."
-Christopher McCandless

Pace Sia Con Voi

"Peace be with you"

Ciao! So I went to an Italian mass today with two of my roommates. The church by our apartment is pretty modern compared to other churches I've been to around Roma. It kind of felt like I was back home for a little bit. The latest mass was at 10am (so not the 5pm I'm used to back at St John's) but we found out that it was the children's mass. All the kids sit up in the first couple of rows ... and let me tell you, there were some rowdy teenage boys. It was just funny to see that no matter where you are, kids are still getting in trouble during the middle of mass.

We met this Italian woman at the beginning of mass. She immediately started talking to us in Italian, but realized we were not understanding. So she then started speaking in almost perfect English. She told us, "We stay out late, so we start church late." She also told us that we might not like the mass because it's not very organized. The whole mass was in Italian. It was really pretty and such a different experience. There were 5 altar servers (with red robes) and three priests. The oldest priest was really fun to watch. He had a huge piece of communion and after he ate it, he licked his fingers. I don't know why, but it was the funniest thing to watch.

During Communion, everyone just rushed to the front. There were not any lines or order, so we picked up that's what the Italian woman was talking about earlier. When we had Communion, the altar server held a small tray under the communion. It was such a small detail, but it was so respectful. The communion wafer was also a lot different ... it was almost like a listerine strip, (you know the ones I'm talking about? But it wasn't minty, obviously), round, and very thin.

I really had no idea what the priest was saying the entire mass, but you can pick up on the little things. The mass is so similar, and it was such a beautiful moment. I think I'm going to start Church hopping just to get the experience.

Anyways, I start class tomorrow! I'll post at the end of the week and let you all know how that goes. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't get lost along the way to class!

Peace and love,
.kait.

p.s. For those that don't have facebook, I'll be keeping my pictures on this site.

http://picasaweb.google.com/kait2311/CiaoBella?feat=directlink#

Hi!

Sorry it's been so late after the last post everyone. I'll probably be making a post once a week, so I would just check it about that much.

Anyways ... it's been a busy week!
We've had orientations at John Cabot. It's quite a walk from my apartment - 2 1/2 miles, but on the brighter side, that's been evening out the gelato and pizza! The past couple of days, I've been doing a lot of sightseeing. It's been amazing! I have to kind of pinch myself because I don't really believe that I'm actually seeing the Vatican or the Colosseum or the Trevi fountain or the Spanish Steps.

Today, I was able to go to the Vatican. It was unbelievable. It's really hard to put into words how beautiful it is and words do not do it justice. There were so many "God" moments, and the presence inside is really hard to put into words and describe. I prayed in front of the most amazing Tabernacle I have ever seen ... I couldn't really find words to talk to God. I really could only cry because of my amazement and joy. A friend of mine and I were actually able to go all the way up to the top of the Sistine Chapel. We were up at the top of the dome - for only 5 euro! One of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen, and it was definitely worth the miles of steps up to the top.

It's been so much fun though getting adjusted to Roma. There are little things that you take for granted so much, and you never realize how amazing Target (among other things…) is until you're actually gone. There's so much to talk about though. It's hard to remember everything and put it down into words. Here's a couple things,

1.) I am picking up on some Italian. I've actually been able to order food or ask questions in Italian, without English. So that's been pretty exciting!
2.) The churches here are amazing. Simply breathtaking. It's hard to believe the art, let alone take everything in at once. I feel like you would need to spend a whole day just looking at a chapel in order to see all the intricate details.
3.) Every single Italian woman is always wearing a pair of amazing boots (or at least it feels like it). I feel like I can't keep up with the amazing styles. My rotation of 5 outfits just isn't cutting it.
4.) Time is not money here. It's been a great experience just slowing down and living in the moment. I really enjoy that about Italian culture.
5.) You can buy amazing wine for only 2 euro.
6.) The cheese is sooo good.
7.) I miss meat. As soon as I come home, I am having a steak.
8.) I'm enjoying my roommates. We all get along really well so it's been fun making new friends.
9.) There's a pizza restaurant right next door, so we've been making friends with the owner. Tomorrow he's going to let us make our own pizzas! Twirling and spinning the dough in the air, and everything!
10.) I can’t sit in the front seat of a taxi here … I feel like I’m going to die because of the crazy driving.

11.) Banana gelato is the God’s gift to Earth.

Alright, I think that's all for now.
You are all loved and prayed for,
I'll have more exciting news soon.
.kait.