Currently Playing Everyday By Dave Matthews Band see related

I have a friend who is studying in Rome right now.  It's amazing how lucky she is to be living in the city of Rome during such a memorial time in the history of Catholics.  I would hate to be traveling to Rome at this time, it would be chaotic.  But it's really interesting to hear the things that she has to say about it.  Here is an article that she wrote for her school paper.  It's pretty amazing to hear what an impact this man had on the entire world. 

Today is an awesome moment in history to be in Rome: the passing of
the "servant of the servants of God" and the subsequent election of
his successor. We Duquesne students are truly blessed to experience
this intensely dramatic period first hand. After studying in Rome for
two months, I can easily say it is typically a chaotic city. But the
crowds that have descended upon the capital of Italy over the past
three days give new meaning to this city's hectic nature. The death
of Pope John Paul II has turned Rome upside down. Not only are the
Roman faithful flocking to Saint Peter's Basilica to pay their last
respects, but throngs of Catholics from around the world. The beloved
pontiff's body has been on display since Monday evening. His funeral
is scheduled for Friday morning.

In order to secure the multitude of pilgrims that continue to pour
into the city, volunteer security forces, Vatican police, Roman
police, and various other organizational forces are working around the
clock. The streets surrounding the Vatican are currently packed from
sidewalk to sidewalk with people of all ages and races waiting to view
the Pope one last time. Porta-potties have been placed throughout the
area and volunteers are constantly passing bottles of water into the
crowds. Large television monitors are stationed along the Via della
Conciliazione, which leads into St. Peter's Square, and they are
continuously playing clips of John Paul II's travels and sermons.

I attended the viewing on Monday evening and waited nearly six hours
before passing through the main portal of St. Peter's. Once inside,
the light-hearted line of people became instantly solemn so that the
shuffling of feet was all that could be heard under the Latin chants
of the church choir. The Pope lay at the front of the center aisle
dressed in red vestments and wearing the papal mitre. Ushers gently
urged the people to move continuously past the pontiff and not hold up
the line. According to the director of Duquesne's Italian Campus,
Michael Wright, those planning on seeing the Pope on Wednesday "can
anticipate up to twelve hours of waiting." Wright also stated, "Over
two hundred heads of state and royal family members from around the
world will be attending the funeral mass on Friday morning."

I simply cannot imagine another person in the world today being the
cause of such an enormous and diverse gathering of people. The
current scene in Rome is a testimony to the fact that John Paul II's
influence reached far beyond the Catholic Church and that his legacy
as a spiritual leader will never be forgotten. The lives he has
touched through twenty-six years of leadership, preaching, social and
philosophical writings, poetry, and his genuine interactions with
people all over the world are too great to fathom.

The Pope is truly admired for how he lived, but I believe I most
admire him for how he died. It is certainly no secret that John Paul
II suffered numerous physical ailments throughout his papacy.
However, the manner in which he embraced these difficulties as merely
part of being human is truly remarkable. He demonstrated a tremendous
strength of will and a profound dedication to his vocation despite the
weakness of his body. Suffering was simply part of the plan for this
pope, and he faced it with unparalleled courage.

The events in Rome this week will not soon be repeated. A long and
eventful chapter in the history of Catholicism has come to a close and
who is to say what the next will be like? But for now, Rome is a
place of mourning for the loss of a beautiful life. A life called to
Rome from Poland twenty six years ago, and now finally called home.

Currently Playing Californication By Red Hot Chili Peppers see related

It's FINALLY spring here in good ole Michigan!  Wow, is it beautiful.  It's sunny and 60 degrees outside! 

I went climbing outside with my cousin today.  It was great.  I've just recently learned a very funny but interesting thing about myself.  I'm a big pansy.  I'm scared of everything, and I've been like that since I was little.  I remember people had to bribe me to get me to go off the high dive when i was a little tike.  But yet I loove to do things that are crazy and dangerous.....hmmmmm

So why do I aspire to go rock climbing and sky diving?  Beats me.  I think I like the challange.  It's 10 times harder for me to get up all those rocks with my weak little body and my fear of heights than it is for any of my risk-taking, hard core rock climbing friends.  So I guess having all those factors against me does make me sort of a risk-taker.  Hehe.  cool. 

Currently Playing Mandolins from Italy By Conte / Virano, Joel Francisco Perri, Eduardo di Capua, Italian Traditional, Domenico Modugno, Ernesto de Curtis, Granata, Luigi Gordigiani, Nisa / Fanciulli, Luigi Denza see related

Wow.  Words cannot describe the experience I had in Rome.  It was crazy.  It was incredible.  It was life-changing.  I can't stop thinking about how amazing Italy is, and how much i want to go back.  I fell in love with the beautiful, incredible country all over again.  I fell in love with the excited, overly friendly, animated people again.  I fell in love with the GORGEOUS men again.  Memories came flooding back to me from my first trip the minute i stepped out of the plane.  I kept thinking to myself, "man, i don't ever want to forget this place again." 

One thing that I realized while i was on this trip is how much i love to travel.  I met so many awesome people who travel all the time, and it just made me want to travel so much more.  I also met so many people who know multiple languages, which made me want to learn 10 more languages.  I'm really excited now to go travel all over the world and experience new cultures and different languages.  My next destination is Brazil, to visit my good friend that I met in Italy named Fabio.  That's right, his name is Fabio, and he's awesome.  After that, who knows?????  I'm up an adventure any time!!!  WOOHOO, I'm gonna be a world traveler! 

Currently Watching The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series) By Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams see related

so, i'm leavin' on a jet plane.  Don't know when i'll be back again.  For ROME!!!!!!  Can you believe it, 'cause i sure as hell can't.  It's so crazy, man!  I can't believe that 2 days from now, I'll be strolling the streets of Rome, Italy!  I'm not really excited about it or nervous, just pretty much in shock that i'm even going at all.  It'll probably sink in on the plane ride there.  Then I'll probably get so excited I'll pee in my pants.  Hehe.  That'd be a great first memory of my trip to Rome.  Well, peace out my friends.  Hope your life isn't half as exciting as mine!  hehe, just kiddin'