So, I just noticed the major lack of pictures in this blog. ew. It looks pretty stale. This is where i live! yay!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
In an hour and a half we will be on our way to Naples, Rome and Assisi :)
I am so excited for an adventure and the great thing is that it doesn't even really matter if we catch our trains or not ... we're just going to have fun, where ever we end up!
Plus, I'm just so excited to walk the streets of rome and italy in general!
even with exams, it has been such a good week. And yesterday, I got a little stuffed animal in the mail, a pink hedgehog. It made my day, and then I looked at it later and was stunned by its cuteness. It has been soo warm -- I got to walk around Gaming yesterday a lot, mountains are so beautiful! It's so good to get fresh air! Go outside now!!
ok, I love you all!
I am so excited for an adventure and the great thing is that it doesn't even really matter if we catch our trains or not ... we're just going to have fun, where ever we end up!
Plus, I'm just so excited to walk the streets of rome and italy in general!
even with exams, it has been such a good week. And yesterday, I got a little stuffed animal in the mail, a pink hedgehog. It made my day, and then I looked at it later and was stunned by its cuteness. It has been soo warm -- I got to walk around Gaming yesterday a lot, mountains are so beautiful! It's so good to get fresh air! Go outside now!!
ok, I love you all!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
This week in Gaming is mid terms. We're all tired from late nights and long exams. (well, actually right now i'm not tired but...) If there's any place to take mid terms, its here in Gaming :)
Plus, my roommates want to kill each other, well, not each other exactly...
At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. On Thursday we're going to Naples, Saturday we're going to Rome and Thursday Assisi. I don't even understand. If I was at home, I'd be planning every part of the trip, figuring out all the best places to go. But ... not so much here. I have planned a lot of things in Rome, but the school also plans a lot of it. Naples however is a different story, I don't even know if we're going to find a place to stay. I have an art mid term tomorrow and christian marriage on thursday (joy.). I also went to the infamous kabab stand last night. Some people love love love it, it was just fun to go on a walk and get out ... away from the mensa.
ok, well i would love to hear where you think i should go while in italy. I miss all of you!
Plus, my roommates want to kill each other, well, not each other exactly...
At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. On Thursday we're going to Naples, Saturday we're going to Rome and Thursday Assisi. I don't even understand. If I was at home, I'd be planning every part of the trip, figuring out all the best places to go. But ... not so much here. I have planned a lot of things in Rome, but the school also plans a lot of it. Naples however is a different story, I don't even know if we're going to find a place to stay. I have an art mid term tomorrow and christian marriage on thursday (joy.). I also went to the infamous kabab stand last night. Some people love love love it, it was just fun to go on a walk and get out ... away from the mensa.
ok, well i would love to hear where you think i should go while in italy. I miss all of you!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
We went skiing, it was so beautiful. The sun was shining and you could see really far. I fell a lot ;) but it was so fun, even though some runs were basically sheets of ice. There was one narrow trail with little bumps all along it and it was lined with tall pine trees. That was my favorite. They also didn't give me poles at the rental place, and since I didn't learn with poles I didn't think to ask for them, so that was exciting too :) I love these snow covered mountains so much. However, now that I have gone skiing, it can be spring now.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Poland was so amazing. I don't think I would've ever really thought to go to Poland, were it not for being in Austria or even really the fact that the school planned the trip.
We drove through the night and arrived in the morning in Czestochowa. Our Lady of Czestochowa is especially dear to Illuminata Pace, so it was really great to see the image. It was the first of many examples of the great faith the people of Poland have.
This web site gives a good background about her : http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/meditations/olczest.html
One way they venerate her is by going behind the wall on which she hangs and kneeling there, kind of like a wailing wall of sorts. There was a museum also which has St. Theresa's First communion veil. Some prisoners in the concentration camps would save pieces of their bread and make rosaries out of them - they were saved in this chapel.
Then we went to Auschwitz - Birkenau. I think I should write about this at some other time, if that time presents itself. There are so many thoughts and emotions that came from being in such a place. It is shocking how we can so easily choose the wrong thing, which can then turn into something that we had never even imagined, but have then taken it on and accepted it fully.
It made me think about freedom and how it is so easily abused and misunderstood. We do have such a responsibility to our brothers and sisters, to all of them.
Who am i to walk on the ground where martyrs died? i am no one to. just being there - without any words from the tour guide - the presence there spoke more than words can express.
in every action we determine ourselves - the prisoners and the guards.
I kept thinking how heinous the crimes were against life - so unimaginable. yet, one can judge me on this, the guards were people too, who were not corrupt soulless shades of people from birth but became that way through various decisions and choices. It made me think of how Frankl said that we might be good now, but we’re not guaranteed to be good forever. In fact he told a story about a horrible doctor from Vienna who did many experiments and cruelties on people. After the war, he went to prison and Frankl learned from an acquaintance how the doctor had completely changed, for the good, how he gave other’s hope in prison and encouraged others.
We went into buildings that prisoners built themselves. There were rooms with objects.
Shoes.
Combs.
Suitcases.
Many of the suitcases had birthdays on them. So many children who only saw the world for a short time and only from inside the concentration camp.
There are parts of this that I can’t explain at all, or do not want to because it’s almost as if writing it here makes it ... less of a gravity than it is.
In the basement of one of the barracks was the cell were St. Maximillian Kolbe spent his last weeks. On the door of another cell was carved the Immaculate Heart and Christ’s face. How was Christ there, in the concentration camps? mercy. mercy.
Actually i think that is all i want to say, here, now, about this, even though a lot more was seen and happened. One of the professors said that if you squeeze a handful of polish soil, out will come the blood of martyrs.
Appropriately, we went to the shrine of divine mercy the next day.
I was not particularly looking forward to it, but once I was there, I was so at peace.
There was a wonderfully sweet chapel with the Merciful Jesus image, but the church there looked ... like a spaceship. also, i thought that the churches in europe were not heated because they were all so old, but no, even this church was freezing.
I just loved being in Krakow, especially because I felt so much closer to John Paul II. Praying in the back of a Franciscan church, in the same spot where he used to pray was probably my favorite. Everyone stressed so much how he completely changed Poland. I saw where he lived, where he was bishop, where he would wave out of windows. Our tour guide said how at the last time he came to Krakow, they were ‘packed like sardines in the park’ to see him ;)
In the square, every hour a trumpeter comes out and plays a tune - but stops halfway (because a trumpeter was warning the city of invaders, but was shot by an arrow halfway through). All the trumpeters are firefighters, all the firefighters are trumpeters. I love little random things like this that are in different cities.
We went ice skating one night - it was outside and there was about 2 inches of snow on the rink. The ice skates were weird too, like roller blades but with blades on the bottom - ok so maybe that’s what hockey skates are ...
On Sunday we went to Wadowice, where John Paul II was born. The apartment where he grew up is normally open every day of the year. Except for the day we went apparently. Still, what a nice courtyard haha. Right next door was the towns church, where John Paul II would say, “where it all started”. So cute, right? Anyway, Poland was so beautiful and I loved it.
We drove through the night and arrived in the morning in Czestochowa. Our Lady of Czestochowa is especially dear to Illuminata Pace, so it was really great to see the image. It was the first of many examples of the great faith the people of Poland have.
This web site gives a good background about her : http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/meditations/olczest.html
One way they venerate her is by going behind the wall on which she hangs and kneeling there, kind of like a wailing wall of sorts. There was a museum also which has St. Theresa's First communion veil. Some prisoners in the concentration camps would save pieces of their bread and make rosaries out of them - they were saved in this chapel.
Then we went to Auschwitz - Birkenau. I think I should write about this at some other time, if that time presents itself. There are so many thoughts and emotions that came from being in such a place. It is shocking how we can so easily choose the wrong thing, which can then turn into something that we had never even imagined, but have then taken it on and accepted it fully.
It made me think about freedom and how it is so easily abused and misunderstood. We do have such a responsibility to our brothers and sisters, to all of them.
Who am i to walk on the ground where martyrs died? i am no one to. just being there - without any words from the tour guide - the presence there spoke more than words can express.
in every action we determine ourselves - the prisoners and the guards.
I kept thinking how heinous the crimes were against life - so unimaginable. yet, one can judge me on this, the guards were people too, who were not corrupt soulless shades of people from birth but became that way through various decisions and choices. It made me think of how Frankl said that we might be good now, but we’re not guaranteed to be good forever. In fact he told a story about a horrible doctor from Vienna who did many experiments and cruelties on people. After the war, he went to prison and Frankl learned from an acquaintance how the doctor had completely changed, for the good, how he gave other’s hope in prison and encouraged others.
We went into buildings that prisoners built themselves. There were rooms with objects.
Shoes.
Combs.
Suitcases.
Many of the suitcases had birthdays on them. So many children who only saw the world for a short time and only from inside the concentration camp.
There are parts of this that I can’t explain at all, or do not want to because it’s almost as if writing it here makes it ... less of a gravity than it is.
In the basement of one of the barracks was the cell were St. Maximillian Kolbe spent his last weeks. On the door of another cell was carved the Immaculate Heart and Christ’s face. How was Christ there, in the concentration camps? mercy. mercy.
Actually i think that is all i want to say, here, now, about this, even though a lot more was seen and happened. One of the professors said that if you squeeze a handful of polish soil, out will come the blood of martyrs.
Appropriately, we went to the shrine of divine mercy the next day.
I was not particularly looking forward to it, but once I was there, I was so at peace.
There was a wonderfully sweet chapel with the Merciful Jesus image, but the church there looked ... like a spaceship. also, i thought that the churches in europe were not heated because they were all so old, but no, even this church was freezing.
I just loved being in Krakow, especially because I felt so much closer to John Paul II. Praying in the back of a Franciscan church, in the same spot where he used to pray was probably my favorite. Everyone stressed so much how he completely changed Poland. I saw where he lived, where he was bishop, where he would wave out of windows. Our tour guide said how at the last time he came to Krakow, they were ‘packed like sardines in the park’ to see him ;)
In the square, every hour a trumpeter comes out and plays a tune - but stops halfway (because a trumpeter was warning the city of invaders, but was shot by an arrow halfway through). All the trumpeters are firefighters, all the firefighters are trumpeters. I love little random things like this that are in different cities.
We went ice skating one night - it was outside and there was about 2 inches of snow on the rink. The ice skates were weird too, like roller blades but with blades on the bottom - ok so maybe that’s what hockey skates are ...
On Sunday we went to Wadowice, where John Paul II was born. The apartment where he grew up is normally open every day of the year. Except for the day we went apparently. Still, what a nice courtyard haha. Right next door was the towns church, where John Paul II would say, “where it all started”. So cute, right? Anyway, Poland was so beautiful and I loved it.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
This week in Gaming has flown by. Not having class every day really makes the days in class a lot more high strung and packed. Mid terms are coming up, so I have had a lot of work for my philosophy classes. However, so much of what we have been talking about in philosophy (especially about the human person) is so fitting in regard to the trip that I'm taking to Poland.
I love how it all connects and is so relevant to my life.
It's a 10 hour bus ride ... but we're going through the night, so it shouldn't be that bad. I'm trying to learn a couple polish phrases off of youtube. Granted youtube is probably not the best place to learn phrases, but it's really hard! It's not like German or Italian!
It's kind of funny that here we just have a normal amount of snow, while in Steubenville it's like the biggest snow storm of the century and in Elgin they had an earthquake. Ok, not really funny... :)
I love how it all connects and is so relevant to my life.
It's a 10 hour bus ride ... but we're going through the night, so it shouldn't be that bad. I'm trying to learn a couple polish phrases off of youtube. Granted youtube is probably not the best place to learn phrases, but it's really hard! It's not like German or Italian!
It's kind of funny that here we just have a normal amount of snow, while in Steubenville it's like the biggest snow storm of the century and in Elgin they had an earthquake. Ok, not really funny... :)
Monday, February 8, 2010
To my environmentally concerned friends and family
So, I haven't said much in general, yet, but I feel like I should say more about Gaming, since I spend most of my time there (or is it here?).
Tomorrow is trash day. Now for most of my life I was used to separating the newspapers and bottles and recycling them. Austria, however, takes it to a whole new level. Everything is sorted into 8 catagories. Yes, 8. That's a lot of different trash cans. Ok. I'm just saying, I think recycling is great, but...8 different ways of sorting trash? yikes.
However, since I am in a different country and a different culture, I should embrace it and not think that they should change, just because in America, we do things differently. So yay! for the sorting system.
Alright, sorry for the random post ;)
2/9/2010 - Addendum:
In all seriousness we can learn a lot from Austrians :)
Tomorrow is trash day. Now for most of my life I was used to separating the newspapers and bottles and recycling them. Austria, however, takes it to a whole new level. Everything is sorted into 8 catagories. Yes, 8. That's a lot of different trash cans. Ok. I'm just saying, I think recycling is great, but...8 different ways of sorting trash? yikes.
However, since I am in a different country and a different culture, I should embrace it and not think that they should change, just because in America, we do things differently. So yay! for the sorting system.
Alright, sorry for the random post ;)
2/9/2010 - Addendum:
In all seriousness we can learn a lot from Austrians :)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Yesterday, Saturday, I went on an amazing hike in the mountains to this waterfall! Most of it was frozen over, but some water was still streaming down. We stood at the base of the waterfall - where there would have been tons of water. It had just snowed the night before, again, so the trees are so nicely covered. The hike up the mountain was really hard, but so invigorating. Some people climbed the sides of the waterfall, too. There was a part in the iced waterfall where we looked into and could see all the way up and really far down (until it was too dark to see). Hopefully, I'll get to see the waterfall again, when it is not frozen.
Friday, I took the train to Salzburg to see Uncle Jeff and Aunt Debe. It was so good to see family - I was so happy it worked out. All the connections were easy and even though our meeting spot didn't exist, we still found each other. We walked around the old city, through all the squares and into all the churches. It was really great to go again, without a huge group (like the school last time we went). We went below the Salzburg Cathedral (which I hadn't before) - it was really cool under there, quiet and peaceful. It also had a work of art down there that I thought was pretty random (see picture). Little peoople or insects and their shadows made by a tea candle. Uncle Jeff did basically all of the tour guiding and we had a lot of fun trying to figure out where things are and what things were. Also, I got to ride the train a lot, which is so relaxing :).
Today, I have a lot of homework to do, but doing homework here is pretty exciting, since I'm in Gaming. The snow is melting again, a little, but I don't believe it's for good. It keeps melting and then snowing all the next day. We have a lot of avalanches here - from the roofs of the Kartause. There's a rumbling noise and then a shower of snow or ice. It is quite startling at times. Well, have a wonderful Sunday!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
"Love is as strong as Death"
"Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary."
We started reading Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning this week for philosophy of the human person. I am in awe by it and think it is such a powerful book. Frankl understands freedom so well;
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
How many times to I choose to bind myself to my poor attitudes and blame it on the people around me or the stress of the moment? All the time. He has so much to say about the human person and how irreplaceable each person is. Ok, so what I am saying is I think you should read this.
Tonight we went back to being stereotypical Franciscan girls; we had a talk on marriage and dating, but the professors/professors wives gave it to us and they are all so full of life and great to listen to.
Well, Happy Feast of St. Blaise! -i don't know why but i really like having my throat blessed ;)
Monday, February 1, 2010
Groundhog's Day!
I am missing my first American Holiday.
I've been away from home for holidays before, but always where I could still celebrate it, at least to a certain extent.
So, I wish you a happy Groundhog's day! O Punxsutawney Phil and Buckeye Chuck, emblem of American oddness, i miss you!
Snow is falling quickly this morning and there are icicles hanging outside of my window. Pretty soon I'll have Christian Marriage and Foundations of Ethics and then freedom! (or rather study time!)
Budapest this past weekend was so great. This might sound silly - or just not make sense - but it made me want to go to Russia, where it is even snowier and more Eastern.
Even though the snow made our feet wet and my face cold, I'm glad it was so snowy and not just grey and cloudy. Going to the Turkish baths in the snow was so fun. I mean it was just like being in a big hot tub, warm water etc., but it was so much better. Plus, the architecture was great to look at (see picture).
A lot of the churches has mosaics on the outside and gems on the steeple and roofs. There was a statue of St. Elizabeth of Hungary at the church we went to (yay). Plus, my first experience of staying in a hostel could not have been better. Ok, More later!
3 Weeks in, 3 Months Left
All around - this makes me a little sad.
The first 3 weeks have flown by and 3 months sounds even shorter for some reason.
I've been wanting to start a blog for about 2 weeks... so yay! here it is.
It is so great being back in Gaming after such a busy weekend. However there is so much to do here, with classes, friends and the beautiful world we live in, just begging to be explored.
Ok. My goal for right now was to start this blog; mission accomplished.
Now back to Beowulf.
The first 3 weeks have flown by and 3 months sounds even shorter for some reason.
I've been wanting to start a blog for about 2 weeks... so yay! here it is.
It is so great being back in Gaming after such a busy weekend. However there is so much to do here, with classes, friends and the beautiful world we live in, just begging to be explored.
Ok. My goal for right now was to start this blog; mission accomplished.
Now back to Beowulf.
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