Sorry!

Everyone was so excited to get to Rome after spending our orientation in Assisi. On Sunday night, we arrived in Rome at the Hotel Tiziano where we would be staying for our time in Rome. We were given a tour of where the office, classrooms, library, and our cafe where we would take our meals when we were not eating at the hotel. I could not believe how close to the Hotel they are, and all on one street. Although there were many places that I already wanted to go explore, I had class the next day at 8 am. So far my experiences with my classes are wonderful (although it is only the second week of class and we have not yet had any tests). My classes include Art History, Religion (Moral Theology), English (Mythology), Business (Marketing), Italian, and a lectures and tours class.

Last weekend, on Saturday, we went on a tour of the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum. WOW! On first glance, the Forum just looks like a bunch of columns which an occasional arch here and there, but with a good tour guide, we are transported back to ancient Roman times where the Forum was the center of everyday life. My favorite part of the Forum was seeing a seemingly insignificant gravestone. This grave is now thought to be the resting place of Romulus! Another interesting aspect of the Forum is the sewers that first were built to drain water from the site that are still being used today. We all know from first hand experience that these are still working because half way through the tour, it started raining on us. Although it was hot and sunny while leaving the hotel, the sun was soon covered with menacing clouds that came out of nowhere. After getting back to the hotel, warming up, and eating lunch, we went out on our second tour which included the Colosseum. Once inside and out of the grasps of the gladiators standing out front posing for pictures only after some money is "donated," we are told about the origin of the Colosseum. With other tourists trying to inconspicuously listen in to our tour, although not doing a good job, our guide, the archeology professor, tells us of how many mistakes are in the movie Gladiator, including the wrong Latin inscriptions, the calling the Colosseum by name (it was not called such at the time of the movie), and the much larger floor where the fighting took place.

On Sunday, most of us went to the Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican for mass. Although most of it was in a foreign language, there was one reading in English, and who should be picked out of the audience to do it other than a Saint Mary's girl, Liz Bajema. At the time, nobody I was sitting near knew it was her that was doing to reading, although we each turned to each other and said, "Is that...No, it cant be...never mind." Haha. Much to our surprise it was actually one of our fellow classmates, who ended up doing a fantastic job. After mass ended, we walked around Saint Peter's and got to see The Pieta by Michelangelo and the statue of Saint Peter where it is said to be good luck to rub his feet. After, we headed outside to where the Pope gives his weekly blessing from his residence. It was amazing to hear when the Pope spoke English, with his thick German accent, to give us a blessing