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