12.
Without language, one cannot talk
to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations,
grasp their history, appreciate their poetry, or savor their songs. | Nelson
Mandela
Villa Borghese
Now let us talk about beautiful
gardens! This public park of nearly 200 acres isn’t even the largest public
park in Rome! Cardinal Borghese founded the Galleria Borghese as a lovely
summer estate, meant to be used for beautiful parties. The Galleria is
intricately set inside the gardens. Nowadays, the galleria is filled with notable
pieces of artwork by Caravaggio and others.
Italian Final
After studying in Copenhagen and
Hamburg for a week, we had to jump right back into routine when we flew back to
Trastevere on Monday. We had to buckle down after a long week of walking and exploring
Northern Europe and study for our Italian final. I must say that it wasn’t the
best planning to have our Italian final after we had been in Northern Europe
for a week, making our last Italian class over two weeks ago. In retrospect, I
definitely should have practiced my Italian a bit more while I was traveling north.
Of course, that’s difficult when everyone up there doesn’t speak Italian!
Easter Sunday
Any of the CUA students who
signed up for an Easter Sunday Papal Mass ticket received one! Despite the fact
that many of us students were fighting a brutal stomach bug the night before, I
managed to get showered and trek over to the Vatican Square to stand in the
papal audience for Easter. I am so glad that I mustered up the strength to get
to the mass! Some mass goers were already seated at 4:45 AM and while I arrived
around 9 AM for the 10 AM mass, I can proudly say that I had quite a lovely and
close standing position in the audience. To top Easter Sunday off, President
and Mrs. Garvey took a group of students out for Easter Dinner. Due to the
stomach bug, I unfortunately had to miss out L
