Sera!
I cannot believe how fast the time here in Rome went, it's so crazy. As a group, we've been spending all time together either touring the local sights or pubs and I will be terribly sad tomorrow morning when I have to leave all of these great new friends.
Today we went to the Catacombs for a bit and are now officially done with the course. tear. Yesterday we spent literally 7 hours walking around the Vatican Museum, through the Raphael rooms, time in the Sistine Chapel. It absolutely beautiful. ALthough slightly jaded due to the gross amounts of art seen the past three weeks, nothing could compare to the immense beautify and breathtaking wonder of Michelangelo's Celing and the frescos surrounding them..
Wednesday as well was amazing. We experienced Rome through the eyes of St. Ignatius, touring the churchs of St. Ignazzio and the church of the Gesu. While walking through the room of Ignatius, we spent about twenty minutes and Fr. Cobb did a small private mini Mass during which we all said things we were thankful for instead of the homily. It was truly touching to see how close we had all become as a group, and were even uneffected by the three random americans who had decided to crash our mass. :)
All in all, I'm thrilled I came. Fr. Cobb asked at the beginning of the trip for all of us to be in search of something, whether it be religious, spiritual, or personal. I thought at the time that this was not a lesson I could learn from, that I was here only to experience Italy as an objective observer. However, I think that now to be untrue. Even as someone not raised Catholic, I have been deeply moved by the amount of theological and political history that presides in both Florence and Rome and remain sure that it will affect my life both as an global individual and as a student of a jesuit school..
more than anything, I'm very thankful.
ciao,
Tess
Friday, July 13, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Rome, Italy 9.7.07
Ciao Friends!
Sorry it's taken me a while to write, but since arriving in Rome two nights ago things have been kind of crazy!
The past weekend was spent on the sunny shores of Cinque Terre, about a two and a half hour train ride from Florence. The entire course went (minus Dr. Andrews and Father Cobb) and we had a wonderful time splitting up and hiking or motorboating or just taking time to relax and lay out on the marble stones that portrude out into the sea and create what they call a beach.
Two friends and I took Saturday morning and did the seven mile hike between the five towns of Cinque Terre. It was absolutely beautiful; completely serene and relaxing, while still a great work out! Although some of the group was split up in housing arrangements, we spent both of our evenings together and enjoying the italian life of pesto and good wine.
Sunday morning we packed up and spent the four hour train ride to Rome bonding and eating bread and cheese, all semi-dreading the intense week we knew was ahead. Still, however, we managed to make it through the afternoon and evening, but were quite exhausted after our 2 hour walk a bout tour of Rome.
Oh. and everyone's sick. Close quarters, little sleep, I supposed I'm not suprised, but it's becoming difficult to deal with all the sun and heat while trying to take in all that Rome has to offer as such a political and religious destination.
Monday (yesterday) we time travelled back to ancient Rome and wandered around the ancient Forums and ruins of the colloseum. We also saw Michelangelo's Moses and the many historical layers of the Church of San Clemente. Today we woke up early for St. Peter's and after enjoying the grandeur of the main bascillica, we ventured beneath the groud to see Constantine's 4th Century Bascillica and the ancient Roman cementary on which both were built. Tradition has it that it was here that St. Peter was burried and his remains are still there..
Tonight we have family dinner adn tomorrow we're goign through Rome as a Jesuit school- specifically looking at things that pertain to St. Ignatius of Loyola and the foundation of the Jesuit order!
I posted more pictures, so you're more than welcome to look! The website is below!
http://picasaweb.google.com/tessmcleancannon/Europe2007
Hope this finds you well!
Love,
Tesss
Sorry it's taken me a while to write, but since arriving in Rome two nights ago things have been kind of crazy!
The past weekend was spent on the sunny shores of Cinque Terre, about a two and a half hour train ride from Florence. The entire course went (minus Dr. Andrews and Father Cobb) and we had a wonderful time splitting up and hiking or motorboating or just taking time to relax and lay out on the marble stones that portrude out into the sea and create what they call a beach.
Two friends and I took Saturday morning and did the seven mile hike between the five towns of Cinque Terre. It was absolutely beautiful; completely serene and relaxing, while still a great work out! Although some of the group was split up in housing arrangements, we spent both of our evenings together and enjoying the italian life of pesto and good wine.
Sunday morning we packed up and spent the four hour train ride to Rome bonding and eating bread and cheese, all semi-dreading the intense week we knew was ahead. Still, however, we managed to make it through the afternoon and evening, but were quite exhausted after our 2 hour walk a bout tour of Rome.
Oh. and everyone's sick. Close quarters, little sleep, I supposed I'm not suprised, but it's becoming difficult to deal with all the sun and heat while trying to take in all that Rome has to offer as such a political and religious destination.
Monday (yesterday) we time travelled back to ancient Rome and wandered around the ancient Forums and ruins of the colloseum. We also saw Michelangelo's Moses and the many historical layers of the Church of San Clemente. Today we woke up early for St. Peter's and after enjoying the grandeur of the main bascillica, we ventured beneath the groud to see Constantine's 4th Century Bascillica and the ancient Roman cementary on which both were built. Tradition has it that it was here that St. Peter was burried and his remains are still there..
Tonight we have family dinner adn tomorrow we're goign through Rome as a Jesuit school- specifically looking at things that pertain to St. Ignatius of Loyola and the foundation of the Jesuit order!
I posted more pictures, so you're more than welcome to look! The website is below!
http://picasaweb.google.com/tessmcleancannon/Europe2007
Hope this finds you well!
Love,
Tesss
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Photos in London!
Hi!
I've started uploading photos onto the google/gmail way of displaying picts. I will go through later and turn pict, etc, but here are some for right now!
http://picasaweb.google.com/tessmcleancannon/Europe2007
Last night we celebrated the fourth, which was fun, if not a little strange to do so in a different country. Today we visited San Marco and I'm talking this afternoon about Savonarola. Tomorrow morning the entire group is off to Cinque Terre for the weekend for some hiking and beach laying and then Sunday we're in Rome!!
Peace,
Tess
I've started uploading photos onto the google/gmail way of displaying picts. I will go through later and turn pict, etc, but here are some for right now!
http://picasaweb.google.com/tessmcleancannon/Europe2007
Last night we celebrated the fourth, which was fun, if not a little strange to do so in a different country. Today we visited San Marco and I'm talking this afternoon about Savonarola. Tomorrow morning the entire group is off to Cinque Terre for the weekend for some hiking and beach laying and then Sunday we're in Rome!!
Peace,
Tess
Monday, July 2, 2007
Florence, Italy 4
the weather is still quite hot, but it's been nice to escape into the airconditioned heaven of the churches and museums. They have, however, become a bit overwhelming! today we started the church of santa maria novella and it was absolutely beautiful, but in comparison to the other we have seen, we were only slightly impressed. How's that for being renaissance art snobs! This afternoon we also went to the science museum which was very fun, but a lot to take in. We saw instraments that were used to help women with labor, but certainly looked like they could be used for tortue! Ack!
Tomorrow we're off to the Uffizi before our special July 4th celebration on Wednesday! I warned them already that I'm not exactly the most patriotic person, but it should be fun anyway... :)
Tomorrow we're off to the Uffizi before our special July 4th celebration on Wednesday! I warned them already that I'm not exactly the most patriotic person, but it should be fun anyway... :)
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Florence, Italy 3
Ciao!
Wow. Is it hot here. I just got back from a beautiful Sunday in Assisi, where three other students, Dr. Andrews and I spent the day learning about the life of St. Francis and the history of the franciscian order! It was very beautiful and a nice change of pace from Florence. Yesterday (Saturday) as well was absolutely beautiful and we went to the beach! I am proud to say I am now sporting a lovely shade of pink and would enjoy a very very cold bath.
This past week has been amazing. I think we all feel much more comfortable in Florence and are spending out off time exploring small neighborhoods and pretty much eating as much pasta as is physically possible! We have a small grocer down the store, but without that, I'm afraid I would be seriously lacking in fruits and vegetables.
I'm excited for our week to start tomorrow. Wednesday is the fourth of july and I think we have something special planned for that, and then we have Friday off, which is when most of us are packing up and going to Cinque Terre!
Ok. I'm off. It's only 9:30, but we've been up since 7 and were traveling for quite some time!!
above should be a photo of me and then one of alex and me up top of the duomo. sorry it didn't make it on the last one!
Love,
Tess
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Hi all!
This is a photo of Alex and I after climbing almost 500 steps to the top of the Duomo!
The weather has cooled and with it has come a feeling of a bit more energy within the group. Yesterday we visted the Bargello museum and a beautiful church whose art and architecture mostly modeled that of the middle ages. I'm quite surprised this class is not also classified as a history course or art history, because i have never learned so much about this subject!!
Today we saw the Santa Croce and are in a bit off to see Michelangeo's famous David. I cannot express how moving these pieces are and the effect they can have on someone.
Fr. Cobb asked us to jot down what we were looking for italy to shed light on, and although I wasn't expecting much, I can feel those spirirtuality wheels aturning as we stand in literally the birthplace of the renaissance, a time when life and the body was so celebrated as a form of art and religious contemplation....
ahah and then came savonarola and luther. gotta love em.
we had THE MOST amazing dinner last night. absolutely WONDEROUS. family style, three courses. ach. it was delish. i have't eaten since.
i'm off,
tess
This is a photo of Alex and I after climbing almost 500 steps to the top of the Duomo!
The weather has cooled and with it has come a feeling of a bit more energy within the group. Yesterday we visted the Bargello museum and a beautiful church whose art and architecture mostly modeled that of the middle ages. I'm quite surprised this class is not also classified as a history course or art history, because i have never learned so much about this subject!!
Today we saw the Santa Croce and are in a bit off to see Michelangeo's famous David. I cannot express how moving these pieces are and the effect they can have on someone.
Fr. Cobb asked us to jot down what we were looking for italy to shed light on, and although I wasn't expecting much, I can feel those spirirtuality wheels aturning as we stand in literally the birthplace of the renaissance, a time when life and the body was so celebrated as a form of art and religious contemplation....
ahah and then came savonarola and luther. gotta love em.
we had THE MOST amazing dinner last night. absolutely WONDEROUS. family style, three courses. ach. it was delish. i have't eaten since.
i'm off,
tess
Monday, June 25, 2007
Florence, Italy 1
Hello!
I made it! Two morning ago around 615am i finally got into florence and have since begun my study of renaissance art, architecture, theology, philosophy and literature! Whew. Its amazing. we didnt meet saturday until around 7pm so i had to whole day to explore on my own are remember little things that i had forgotten since two years ago. i tried to find that great disco where they had a beatles cover band and saw that coffee shop where we got hit on by italians. after my third memory was of an internet cafe, i realized that i needed better, more intellectual memories from the city of flowers.
so were staying in a convent with nuns who dont speak any english. its so great! my italian continues to inprove, which wasnt hard starting with none, and i enjoy their quiet presence throughout out lives. sunday morning we took the bus up to a small town called fiesole (i think) and explored the old etruscan ruins and roman aplitheatre. oh and yesterday was john the baptist day so we had fireworks and screamed gianni bapisto! it was great. then some of us went to kareokee which was ok. but who doesnt have the words to journey?
we are staying about a block away from the duomo so last night we went to mass there and today explored the musuem. i have to finish up now, because after our four hour lunch slash siesta break, we are now off to the church.
i love this class. its amazing. i feel like im just on a vacation with really well informed cotravellers. dr. andrews especially is amazing and i love just talking to him about religious history or savonarola or anything really.
well. should go. its hot here, but there a nice breeze!
Ill write soon,
tess
I made it! Two morning ago around 615am i finally got into florence and have since begun my study of renaissance art, architecture, theology, philosophy and literature! Whew. Its amazing. we didnt meet saturday until around 7pm so i had to whole day to explore on my own are remember little things that i had forgotten since two years ago. i tried to find that great disco where they had a beatles cover band and saw that coffee shop where we got hit on by italians. after my third memory was of an internet cafe, i realized that i needed better, more intellectual memories from the city of flowers.
so were staying in a convent with nuns who dont speak any english. its so great! my italian continues to inprove, which wasnt hard starting with none, and i enjoy their quiet presence throughout out lives. sunday morning we took the bus up to a small town called fiesole (i think) and explored the old etruscan ruins and roman aplitheatre. oh and yesterday was john the baptist day so we had fireworks and screamed gianni bapisto! it was great. then some of us went to kareokee which was ok. but who doesnt have the words to journey?
we are staying about a block away from the duomo so last night we went to mass there and today explored the musuem. i have to finish up now, because after our four hour lunch slash siesta break, we are now off to the church.
i love this class. its amazing. i feel like im just on a vacation with really well informed cotravellers. dr. andrews especially is amazing and i love just talking to him about religious history or savonarola or anything really.
well. should go. its hot here, but there a nice breeze!
Ill write soon,
tess
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
