Mi ufficio

I tried to upload some videos yesterday, but they refused to cooperate! For now, you'll just have to deal with pictures. Here are some of my office:

Pretty sparse right now. I am heading to IKEA this week to remedy this...watch out!

Notice my "air conditioner" on the table to the left....God bless the inventor of the fan!! Below are some shots of the view from my office window. Once the weather changes I plan on leaving my window open a lot! I love natural light and hearing all of the activity outside. Of course, I will only be able to do this once opening the window doesn't feel like opening the oven door!

Overall, it's a great work space. I am blessed! While the space is smaller than my office at Canyon, let's look at the positives: 1) it's not at Canyon (ha!), 2) the window actually opens, 3) I'm in Rome!, and 4) it's not at Canyon. Hahahaha! Really, I don't care about the size of my office. I don't plan on spending too much time in here because I expect I will be out and about living life with students...and that's the best part of my job.

Pictures

I promise I will take some pictures/video of my surroundings and post them soon!

Mama mia!

I encountered another cultural lesson at the grocery store today and it was a doozie.

I decided that I needed to get off campus for a bit, but didn't want to go too far because it was too hot and I didn't feel like spending much money. I knew that I was about out of fruit and the bread was getting a little old. So, I made my way to one of our local grocery stores.

The store was packed compared to when I'd been there before. It was hard to navigate some aisles because of all of the people. But, I managed to get everything that I needed, and perhaps a couple of items that I didn't. I even weighed my fruit this time! :) I stood in line and was even able to understand a woman when she asked me if she could go in front of me because all she had was latte (milk). I should clarify. I didn't understand her words, with the exception of a couple, but more her gestures. She went in front of me and I unloaded my cart. As the man behind the counter was checking my items and I was placing them in a bag, there was a large commotion at the front entrance. I could hear a woman shouting with such fury that I thought something was terribly wrong. I glanced over, really the entire store had stopped to watch her, and she was screaming at the top of her lungs at one of the clerks. I couldn't believe how loud she was yelling. She proceeded to push her way past him and marched with all the huffiness of a temper tantrum towards the toiletry aisle. She came screaming back to the check out area of the store and slammed down her lotion/shampoo or whatever it was. All I know is it went flying everywhere because she slammed it down so hard that the top broke off. She continued to scream her head off in Italian while the store looked on. I wish I were exaggerating, but really...it was like watching a cartoon. I half expected steam to pour from her ears.

I am sure that my face had turned bright red because I have never witnessed anything like it in my life...outside of a small child throwing a hissy fit. I can't believe they just let her do that. In the States, she would have been hauled out so fast. It shook me a little.

My cashier just looked at me and smiled, muttered something in Italian, and handed me my receipt. Just another day and another high-spirited Italian.

Home alone

I am on my own for the week. Lynda left yesterday morning for a week in Wales. So, it's just me and a couple million other people here in Rome!

Last night, I cooked for myself and made a homemade marinara sauce. It was delicious and since I was the only one here to enjoy it...no one can say otherwise! I did, however, manage to burn my finger pretty badly because I seemed to have forgotten that when pan handles sit above an open flame they become almost like branding irons. That was fun.

I hung out here most of the day because the Sisters made an IKEA run yesterday to get the kitchen items we were still missing and brought back lots of goodies that needed to be washed and put away. Then, we did the inventory of the kitchen so I was finally able to put all of our kitchenwares away. Woo hoo! (Admit it, you're jealous...)

Thankfully, I did not spend the evening alone. A couple that I met in October, they're friends of my boss, invited me to dinner at their place. It would be my first outing by myself. Solo. Alone. Just me and the Roman bus system. The only thing standing in my way was where to get a bus ticket. Unlike at home, you can't really buy your bus tickets on the bus. Some of the newer buses have ticket machines, but not all of them. We used to be able to buy tickets at the corner store, but either they don't sell them anymore or they won't sell them to us....not quite sure which it is yet. So, I decided that what I would do is get on a bus that I knew had a ticket machine, buy a ticket, ride it to the next stop, get off, cross the street, get back on a bus, and then get off at the stop closest to where I needed to get the 310 bus to my friend's house. Sounds easy? Right.

Well, I got on the 60 and bought a ticket....got off at the next stop (which turned out to be a bit further than I'd anticipated) and once the bus pulled away and I'd crossed the street I realized...there wasn't a bus stop going in my direction. What to do? I began to walk. I hadn't anticipated having to walk very far and I was worried that I hadn't allowed myself enough time. (I know I could have done this at any time during the day, but where would the fun be in that? Nope...I waited until an hour before I had to leave to make it to my friend's house for dinner on time.) Anyways...I walked and sweated, walked and sweated, walked and...you guessed it, sweated. I ended up walking quite a ways when I realized that I'd forgotten the directions to where I was going in my room. Thank the Lord I was nearly in front of campus. I ran into the villa, up the three flights of stairs, grabbed the directions and a glass of water, and nearly passed out from heat exhaustion and over-sweating. I managed to drag myself back outside and got onto the 310.

I am proud to announce that I was able to navigate the way to my friend's home and enjoyed a lovely evening. The couple works for Campus Crusade for Christ and one of their staff members, Amy, joined us for dinner. Afterwards, she and I rode the bus back together until I had to get off. We swapped email addresses and it looks like I will have someone to do something with. Yay!!!

All in all, my first 2 days by myself have been pretty good....ones filled with adventure and solitude. I don't mind being on my own...then again, coming back to the floor at night alone in a big, dark, quiet villa is a bit creepy. I am sure I will appreciate Lynda a lot more when she gets back!

What to do, what to do...

When I was in Italy in high school oh so many years ago it was a banner day when I got to call home and talk to the family for a meager 5 minutes. The cost of phone calls was enormous and it was before the Internet. I know...it was a lifetime ago. Now, thanks to modern innovations, I am able to call home through the internet, see loved ones through webcams, and keep up with everyone via email, Facebook, MySpace and more. I also knew that I could keep up with my "shows" (The Office, Lie to Me, etc) thanks to sites such as Hulu.

Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that you cannot watch American TV over the internet if you're outside of the States. GASP! What's a girl to do? Now I know that in the grand scheme of things this isn't a big deal. I mean after all, I am living in Rome and how often am I going to have time to watch TV? Aren't there more exciting things to do??

Yes....but. What about those down times when I just want to kick back and watch Dwight and Jim go at it? Or what about when I want to see....I don't know...something culturally relevant back home? I don't think that this is too much to ask. So, I've done some research and have found a British website that allows you to access American TV online. From what I have read they do this through US based servers. Here's the catch. You have to subscribe to this service. Meaning: it costs $. Actually, it costs £. When I ran the conversion it works out to be about $8/month. There are no contracts and you can cancel at any time. The question is this: do I or don't I?

Hung out to dry

I washed my first load of laundry yesterday. This was a task that I wasn't dreading per se, but let's just say that I wasn't necessarily looking forward to it.

As I lowered my towel into the washing machine I took a good, long whiff. It still smelled like the dryer sheet from when I washed it before I left. Gotta love Downy. I held it for a moment between my hands reveling in its softness because I knew that when it was dry again later...it wouldn't be that soft. Instead, I knew it would feel more like sandpaper than a fluffy ball of cotton.

We don't have dryer here at the convent. In fact, most Europeans don't own dryers. I think that this is in part because of space limitations, but also because electricity is so expensive over here. Instead, Mother Nature is their dryer. That's right. I will now be hanging my clothes and linens on a clothesline to dry.

I've never used a clothesline to dry clothes and such before. It was a learning experience. I learned, for instance, that you have to fold the clothes over the line just a little and then put the clothespin on them so that when the wind picks up it doesn't carry your clothing down the street. (Thankfully, Lynda taught me this before I was forced to look for a shirt only to discover it in our neighbor's yard) I learned that it's best to hang your clothes out earlier than later because they'll dry faster. And I learned that they still smell good after they've dried outside even though they weren't tossed to and fro with a dryer sheet.

Overall, it was a good experience. Yes, my towel looks a little different than it did when I would pull it from the dryer, but it's not as scratchy or stiff as I thought it would be and my skin is very appreciative. I guess this just goes hand in hand with the reality that life over here is a little simpler and a little more basic. And you know what? That's not necessarily a bad thing....

Kiss the cook

Made dinner for Lynda and myself tonight. So yummy and what's even better...so easy! The recipe is courtesy of my Aunt Barb. She was an amazing cook and wish I could call her to share my experience with her, but she went to be with Jesus in March. So I'll share this moment with you as a tribute to her. Here are some pictures to make your mouths' water.

Before: let the ingredients (tomato, garlic, basil, olive oil, and brie) marinate for at least 2 hours.

After: toss with pasta and manga!

Another day, another adventure

In all honesty I wasn't looking forward to today. In fact, I was rather dreading it. Why? Well, one reason is that I had to get up early and since I've just begun sleeping well after a week of not sleeping at all, the thought of getting up by 7am wasn't exactly exciting. Secondly, Lynda and I not only had to navigate our way to the immigration office by ourselves, but we also had to figure out how to apply for her Permesso di Soggiorno. The permesso allows an individual to remain legally in Italy after the 90 days that their airline ticket allows them expires. Personally, I don't get this process. She was granted a visa that allows her to stay in Italy for a year....but still, she had to apply for the permesso? Whatever.

I am happy to report that we made it to the immigration office without incident. Well, that's not entirely true. We did get off the metro one stop too early, but we were able to get right back on and go to the correct stop. Thanfully, we met our labor consultant at the office and he figured out for us what we needed to do. Then, he drove us back to campus where he proceeded to complete the application (entirely in Italian btw) for Lynda with her help. Finally, he drove us to the post office where the application needs to be submitted.

All I can say is that last night I sent out a prayer request and those prayers were answered in the form of Dr. Roberto De Rossi. The man was sent straight from heaven. I cannot even imagine having to have completed that process without him. I dare say we couldn't have done it. The woman at the post office was, well let's just say that she was less than friendly or helpful. (And she didn't speak any English!) I giggled internally several times when I began to see Dr. De Rossi get frustrated and confused. I mean c'mon! if a native Italian AND a labor consultant doesn't understand the process how are the rest of us supposed to?? All that to say, he was such a tremendous help and a God send. He sorted everything out and Lynda's application was submitted. Supposedly she will get a letter in 10 days requesting her presence at the local police station for an interview...but from what we've learned that will never happen. The system is so back logged that there are thousands and thousands of people waiting to hear back. So, we safely assume that by the time we're ready to officially leave the country and return home in 3 years...that's when she'll get her letter.

There was one more lesson for the day. I have learned that all the attractive Italian men can be found at the post office. Truly, I'm not kidding you. I don't know what it is that draws them there, but I am fairly certain that I will be sending a lot more letters and post cards than I'd anticipated if only to appreciate the view.

Heaven and Hell

My first Sunday in Rome. Woke up this morning after getting a fairly good night's sleep...finally! My room wasn't too hot, had a nice cup of espresso, and headed off to church. A good way to start the day....until I experienced my first glimpse of hell.

The bus. Normally, I don't mind riding the bus here. In fact, I rather enjoy it because you get to see so much and I love watching people. Today, though, well...I think I'd have rather walked the entire way. The bus was crowded with people since it's Sunday and there are fewer buses. After managing to squeeze between some people, we settled in for our ride to the Termini train station where we would catch the Metro to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and make our way to Rome American Baptist Church. The problem was that it became obvious after 2 seconds that we were not fortunate enough to have gotten on an air conditioned bus. So, imagine...people standing shoulder to shoulder, arms touching, and skin blazing as the temps outside were in the high 90s. Yes, there was an occasional breeze from the open windows (whoever designed bus windows to only open near the ceiling should be shot), but it wasn't enough to cool anyone down. I seriously think I looked as if I were standing under a faucet because sweat was literally dripping down my forehead, from my hair, and to parts unknown. Thankfully, it wasn't a long ride and we were able to find some respite in the metro.

Church was good since it was just nice to be with other believers and worship. A couple that we had met in October was there and it was great to see familiar faces. After the service, Lynda and I sought out a restaurant that we visited in Oct and were quite pleased when we found it. We had a delicious lunch. I had the spaghetti al pomodoro and she had the pizza....can I just say....YUUUUMMMMM???? Heaven. After lunch, we leisurely strolled back to the metro stop and looked in shop windows. Another glimpse of heaven. (Ok, that my be pushing it and it may be slightly blasphemous, but still.....whew).

The streets surrounding the Spanish Steps are lined with designer shops. I'm not talking stores with names like Banana Republic or even as upscale as Michael Kors. Nope. I mean Italian designers. The real deal. Prada. Dolce and Gabbana. Gucci. Versace. Yves Saint Laurent. La Perla. I saw 2 coats in the Burberry windows I would rock, but I actually like having money throughout the year...so I'll pass for now. Reaching the piazza that surrounds the steps we came across a fountain...another glimpse of heaven.

Here's what's so great about all of the fountains in Rome: you can drink from them. You can put your water bottle under the spout of water and fill your bottle with cool, crisp, refreshing water straight from...yep, you guessed it....heaven. Ahhhhhhh....la dolce vita.

Getting back on the metro we headed back to Termini to grab the bus. This time, the bus wasn't crowded, but unfortunately it was much later and much hotter. It was so stuffy and stifiling. I don't mean to complain...really, I don't. But it just confounds me that I could be so hot ALL of the time. We walked to get gelato last night and I was sweating. It's just unreal how much I have sweated. You'd think that there wouldn't be anything left!

We made it back to the villa and practically crawled up the stairs to the 3rd floor. I went straight to the bathroom and rinsed off and proceeded to the kitchen where I downed a liter of water and sat in front of the fan. Ahhhh.....heaven.

Right now, my three favorite things...my Starbuck's cup, a pitcher of water and a fan.

Soooo goooddd....

Lola

When you hear the word 'nun' what immediately comes to mind? My guess is that images of old women in black habits stroking prayer beads or donning a ruler would be the most conjured up image. At least that's what movies and TV have engrained in us as far as imagery goes. Well, let me tell you that the nuns here, or at least those in our convent, are not at all that way....save one.

Lola. She is old school. No, she doesn't wear a habit, but I can easily imagine her cracking a ruler over some sassy boy's knuckles or assigning a girl whose skirt was too short 100 Hail Marys. She is feisty at 70 years old and never hesitates to correct you when you are wrong. When I mispronounce something in Spanish, she corrects me. When a woman on the bus doesn't have her purse zipped closed, she corrects her. When the police officer at the cuestera office gives her the wrong form, she tells him. Watching her in action is entertainment in and of itself.

Today, Lola took me and Lynda to register with the local police station. Once again, Italian laws at their finest...they don't look at your passport when you arrive, but you must register with the local police. Let me tell you that having to go through the legalities of obtaining a visa is not easy nor is it fun. The Italians have a ridiculous amount of hoops they want you to jump through and it has been my experience that each office has a different hoop! Anyway, we went to the police station where Lola asked the young police officer for the necessary forms. (May I just interject here and remark on the favorable appearance of the officer? Mama mia. :) )When he gave her the forms she disputed with him about whether or not they were the right forms. Realizing that she could argue forever, he quickly sent her off to speak with his superior.

Lynda and I quickly surmised that if Lola ran Italy...well, let's just say that things wouldn't be so convoluted and this country would run like a well oiled machine.

Woo hoo!

Hooray! Our internet has been restored and I was able to make an actual phone call to the States! There's nothing like hearing my mother's voice!

Oh the little things in life!

Stealing internet

After lunch yesterday we experienced three power surges that knocked out our internet. Apparently, this isn't anything new because the Sisters seemed unconcerned by it. We were told that as the city tries to cool down the electrical system falters and surges from time to time. Ok, I am hot enough as it is and if I lose my fan....well let's just say that you'll find me sitting in my swimsuit in my bathtub. No joke.

We were told that our internet should just come back on, but 24 hours later it's still off. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but when you consider how much we do by internet and that I had plans to Skype with the family last night it has become something of an irritation. So, I've resorted to sitting on the terrace stealing someone else's wireless signal. And you know what, I'm ok with this. It's really just a sharing of resources!

Anyway, we went out into the neighborhood again yesterday to go to another grocery store. We needed to buy spices and try to buy a cord for the phone. We located the store which is located inside of a department store. Imagine. You can buy Italian shoes, fashion, and food all in one place. Pretty close to my version of heaven!

Feast

My second full day in Rome began with some difficulty. It seems that jet lag has struck and I found it downright impossible to get out of bed this morning. I forced myself to get up around 12, but am convinced that had I allowed myself I would have slept until 3 or 4 this afternoon. I am determined, though, to get past jet lag so that I can find a schedule that works here.

Since I was unable to awake at an acceptable hour, I missed breakfast. This was ok because I wasn't really very hungry. I am sure this is in part because I found myself famished at 2:30am and wolfed down some Chex mix I had left. Instead of breakfast I made a delicious cup of espresso and began to get some work done. Finally around 2pm my stomach began to tell me that I was hungry.

Lynda and I journeyed to the kitchen to make our own lunch for the first time. What ensued was a feast of fresh-tasty-goodness. We pulled out fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, bread, salami, cantaloupe, olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, more cheese and went to town. It's amazing the difference in quality of produce here vs. AZ or PA. The melon and tomatoes were as sweet as candy and the cheese was pure heaven. As I feasted on the smorgasbord I couldn't but help grin at the fact that I was in Italy enjoying this and thought about how much my family, mom and dad in particular, would have enjoyed a meal such as this.

We will venture out again tonight after the sun settles lower in the sky to explore more of our neighborhood. There is supposed to be a fantastic gelataria somewhere nearby and I am determined to discover it. Each time we step outside of the convent's grounds we discover something new and I am eager to see what awaits us around the corner.

Supermercado: a lesson in Italian culture

Ventured out to the supermarket today. Found lots of yummy food that I liked to buy in the States, but it was too expensive...bufala mozzerella for $2.00, pesto for $1.00 and so on. Overall, the experience was good. Of course, there were some lessons in Italian culture that I am sure were the first of many.

The first was that Italians take life s-l-o-w-l-y. This isn't a new lesson because I knew this and I love this about Italy. But what was new was the fact that I was in a hurry and wanted the cashier to stop chatting with the guy in front of us. I need to remember that at home people's time is more valuable than people and that's just not the way to live. I need to take time to enjoy people and life rather than rushing from place to place.

My second lesson in culture came as the cashier held up a bag of peaches I was purchasing and asked me a question in Italian. I, of course, had no idea what he was asking since my Italian proficiency is limited to "Buon girono," "Ciao," "Un gelati per favore," and the like. I just looked at him and scrunched my face as if to say: "Sorry, don't have a clue what you're saying." I am pleased to know that this is a universally recognized facial expression as he understood. He took my bag of peaches to a scale, weighed them, and printed out the label. Aha! I must weigh the fruit first! Gotcha! He was very gracious and most understanding. I am certain that in his head he was muttering something about stupid American, but I never got that from him and for that I was grateful.

This is certainly the first post of many as I share stories about the things that I am learning or "can you believe I did that?!" moments. I only hope in those moments I can find the humor in those situations and perhaps another universally accepted facial expression. :)

La dolce vita

Let me just tell you how sweet life is here thus far. I just got back from lunch with the Sisters. It was a great meal of chicken, fresh vegetables, and fruits. And then, dessert. For dessert Sister Marie Cruz made homemade tiramisu and it was accompanied with a cup of espresso. Life doesn't get much better than that...

Buon giorno da Roma

After 10 hours of traveling, Lynda, the professor that is with me, and I arrived in Roma safe and sound albeit a little worse for the wear. It was a nice flight except for the fact that our in-seat entertainment system didn't work nor were we able to turn on a light to read by and I did not sleep. At all. Needless to say, I was a bit tired upon our arrival, but of all the airlines that I have flown internationally Continental did a good job.

We navigated our way thru passport control and if I could just take a moment to say how much that process frightens me in Italy. In the US going through customs is a big deal and fairly intense. They scrutinize your travel documents and go through your luggage, etc. In Italy, the guy behind the glassed in booth doesn't even look at your passport as he stamps it. Hmm...homeland security at its finest.

Anywho, the drive into the city was uneventful and we made it to the convent. It's hot in Rome now. August is supposed to be fairly brutal. So much so that the city empties as its residents head for the beach or hill towns. Being from AZ, I figured that I would manage just fine. Ha! The difference between the dry desert and here is this: humidity is no joke here and there's no AC. Unless you are standing directly in front of a fan it is ridiculously hot inside the villa and to walk from my room to the bathroom produces sweat. It is 93 today w/ 50% humidity. Oy. I don't mean to complain, but this AZ girl was not prepared to deal with this. I knew it would be hot, but I guess I didn't put much stock in the fact that there isn't relief from the heat inside. It's hot all around.

Spent most of the day yesterday unpacking and attempting to stay awake until at least 8:30 to avoid killer jet lag. The nuns have been incredibly hospitable inviting us to join them for lunch and dinner yesterday. We accepted gratefully as I don't know how we would have made the trek to the store in our condition. Then, they gave us fruit, cheese, crackers, and coffee (God bless Italian espresso) for us to have in the morning so that we didn't need to feel pressured to get up at any certain time.

My room seems bigger than it was when I was here in Oct and for that I am thankful. It is also farther from the students' rooms than I remember so it affords me some privacy which I know will be most appreciated come Sept. Crawled into bed last night so excited for some rest and while I slept, it wasn't necessarily a restful sleep as I was vaguely aware of sweat on my face and in my hair. Still, it was better than nothing and know that my body will adjust.

All in all, it was a good first day that brought with it the realization that adjustments to my American mindset need to be made. I am not in the States and I shouldn't act as if I am and demand that this country, which has existed far longer than the US, behave as if it were America. I look forward to getting to work and getting settled here. It will take some time and some patience, but I still have no doubts that this is where I am supposed to be.

So, I will say for now that I am glad to be here and am in one piece...a sweaty piece, but safe and sound nonetheless. There is hope, though, as the sisters say the heat will last for only one more month....hurry up September and get here!

So close...

In less than 24 hours I will have landed at the Newark airport and await boarding my flight to Rome. Breathe, Kristen, just breathe.

I had many hopes for today. Life being unpredictable, none of those hopes were met. Instead I had to deal with something that I had neither the patience or emotions for....and it was first thing in the morning. What a way to start the day! Nonetheless I am packed and physically I am ready to go. Emotionally is another story...

I am feeling nearly every emotion possible...happiness, sadness, fear, excitement, and everything in between. My friend Melissa likened it to the first day of school. Do you remember when you were in school and the first day came and you were so full of a range of emotions that you didn't know what to do with yourself? That's where I am at right now...so many emotions and I don't have the first clue how to handle them. So, I'm just going to let them come and deal with them as best as I know how.

I am asking that you pray for me. Please pray for safe travel. Pray that not only do we make it to Rome safely, but so does our luggage! Please pray for the transition and all of the important things that I have to do in the next 3 weeks before students arrive will be completed despite my lack of Italian. Please pray for my heart....that it can bear the separation of what is familiar and the embrace of what is new.

I will post again before I get to Italy....but until then....ciao!

604,800 seconds until Rome

After a year of anticipation and two years of praying, my move to Rome is almost here. One week from today I will be getting ready to board a plane that will no doubt change my life.

I awoke yesterday morning with a large knot in my stomach as my head finally processed that I have 1 week...that's 7 days...168 hours..604,800 seconds until I leave for Italy. I have known it was coming, heck I've been counting the days for so long, but still the closeness of it somehow took me by surprise. I would say I had a mild panic attack while in bed yesterday as thoughts of what needs to still be done, what-ifs, and what was I thinking?? zigzagged through my brain. I feel completly inadequate to handle this monstorous task before me. It's too big! There's just too much!

Fortunately, the panic attack lasted mere minutes until reality settled in and calmed me down. It is too big for me. I am inadequate. It is too much. But! I do not go alone. I do not have to work through all of this by myself. Not only do I go with an amazing colleague and have an equally amazing boss here to support me, but the Holy Spirit is with me as well. If God is for me, then who can stand against me? Ummmm....no one. So, take that panic attack.

I am reminded daily that this is exactly where I am meant to be. This is just as it's supposed to be. I met with the new director of campus ministries today and he told me a story that put my mind at ease and once again reassured me that this is what God has planned for me. He told me that he sat in with my boss on the initial web chat with all of the candidates for my job and after it was all done he told my boss that I was the one. I laughed when he told me this, but I know he meant it. I knew from the beginning in my heart of hearts that this job was mine. I would be lying if I said that I didn't have moments of doubt, but there was still something within the core of who I am that knew this would be mine. And it was. It is.

I know that yesterday's panic attack is just the first of many as the enormity of what I am about to do settles in me....when I am missing things at home...when I am missing familiarity...when I am missing people...but still. I will acknowledge those fears, that panic, and will remember that for such a time as this I was called into this position. I have confidence that He who began a good work in me will see it through to completion and that's what excites me most. I'm excited to be in Italy, to journey with students, but most of all I am excited to see what God will do through me in this time...to see how He shows up and how I can be used in His hands for His glory. Thankfully, I only have to wait 7 more days.

2 weeks!

Ahhhhh!! Only 2 weeks left and so much to do!