What to do in Rome?....like I need to ask!

Okay, I don't want to get too ahead of myself. But its so hard not too!

I know that it will be difficult in Rome, and I want to be realistic about that reality. What with not knowing anyone, or the language, or anything really it will be hard for little melancholic like myself. Missing all the weddings and ordinations back home.....Being in a foreign far away land completely unfamiliar to myself. But then again, with all the Church surrounding me, nothing could be closer to home. While homesickness for the States is a strong probability, a homesickness for Heaven is only highlighted in that, so thank God for homesickness. And lets be real, I am so excited for all the things that come with Rome. ROME!

I will limit myself at this time to only a few.

The Holy Father. I am so excited to be in such close proximity to our shepherd. I mean, I could go to a Wednesday audience, because I can, because I will be in Rome. I really cannot express the thankfulness for this privilege; to see him so often, to be so connected with the heartbeat of the Church.

The Holy Stairs. I'm not going to lie, I would live in Rome if only for this. I can't wait to spend every Friday praying on the very stairs, on the very place that began Jesus's Way of the Cross. Because I can, because I will be in Rome. To see where the wood has been rubbed away by thousands of knees, thousands of prayers....and to offer something to Jesus in return for his generosity.

The intellectual challenge. Let's face it, I have loved my undergraduate experience, I wouldn't trade it, but it has not been the most intellectually challenging. I was looking at the fall schedule for this year and it is (almost) intimidating (SOO excited, plus I'm kind of a nerd) a couple of ethics courses, history of ancient philosophy, psychology, logic, (should I go on?) Latin about 4 more philosophy courses....a grand total of 29 credit hours....all in the first semester. But I am so excited, I have wanted to study all of these things for so long....

And if I start talking about liturgy......well, I just probably shouldn't, I did say I would stay brief........