Week 11...The European adventure continues!

Ciao, friends!

I actually have a few free moments on my hands, and motivation is on my side! Therefore, I thought I update you on all my adventures currently and in the coming weeks. 

It has been a busy few weeks, but nonetheless very blessed! Last weekend, we went to Pompeii, Sorento, and Naples (I had authentic Napoleon pizza! It was pretty good!) This was a good weekend, but very tiring. We got back from Fall break the weekend prior, had 4 days in Rome, and then was off again for the weekend. Everyone was exhausted...but we still tried to enjoy it as much as we could. I am definitely happy that I hiked up Mt. Vesuvius with my roommate! Perfect weather, we were not expecting, a perfect view of the Bay of Naples... everything was perfect. Couldn't ask for more!!

This week has been mostly quiet and rainy.  One thing that has made me super happy is that the tourist season is pretty much over now, thankfully. This means that I don't have to fight the mass crowds and clueless people everywhere I go. Especially St. Peter's Square/Basilica. The line has shortened significantly, so now I am able to actually go inside St. Peter's Basilica everyday that I can/want. I have made it a point to at least go to St. Peter's Square every day, just to pray and reflect and take a break from the school work. So now, I go inside the Basilica and pray in the Adoration Chapel for a few minutes. It is the bet part of my day...I went this morning right after I woke up! So peaceful!

This weekend, we have off, in the sense that we have no school trips planned and we can do whatever we desire. Thank God! So the NAC has organized a Sports Day on Saturday and a Mass on Sunday for us. This should be lots of fun.

Next week will be an awesome week, for tow main reasons. President Garvey from CUA will be coming to our school to have dinner with us, as a Thanksgiving dinner. Us CUA students have known about this for about 6 weeks, and every week, at least one person says, "I can't wait for Pres. Garvey to come!" We are so excited! He is an awesome person, an amazing school President, and like a second father to all us at CUA. We are blessed to have him. And we will be going to a Papal Audience on Wednesday Nov. 19th, and they have requested that our schools be announced by Pope Francis!!! Whohoo!!! :)

After that, we are go on our last optional school trip to Florence.  I am going for free because I won a scavenger hunt at the beginning of the semester! Whohoo!

After this, a friend and I are off to Spain for 4 days, for Thanksgiving break!
And after that, we have a 4 days weekend so a few friends and I will be going to Venice for a day trip, and I plan to go back to Assisi for one of those days. Whohoo!!!
Finally, by then, it will be time to start packing to come home and studying for finals. Can't exactly say whohoo to this one quite yet!

Please keep me in your prayers for my remaining weeks left in Roma!
Peace and Blessings! (To give you a laugh... my hair erupted at the volcano.... hehe)