I am a different person

because of this past weekend.

Where do I begin and how do I explain it? My joy and love for the world just keeps growing!!! I'm thinking about the world from different places and viewpoints and it just keeps knocking me over and taking me back and my mind is shifting to a whole different level. I'm not sure how to describe the moment when I'm faced with something that astounds me and hits me to my core. There is a mixture of AWE in its purest form- first that this thing exists, and second that I GET TO SEE IT AND EXPERIENCE ITS POWER. My heart swells and it feels near explosion. I try my best to completely comprehend what I'm seeing- to try to understand, but sometimes there is just a wall and all I can realize it that I CAN'T appreciate this thing to the fullest. It is too far beyond all that I am familiar with. It is from the earth, but a different world.

So what am I blabbering about?? Well, here are the facts. The concrete things that happened-

Saturday:
Danielle and Katharine came into Milan and stayed at my house. First we walked around the city and had dinner at our favorite pizzeria before coming home for the night. We stayed up half the night just listening to music and talking. It was one of the best conversations I've ever had. I love these girls so much! When we get together we always seem to be able to share and express ourselves- from critical points in our lives, our opinions and beliefs, to our HOPE AND FAITH.

Sunday: We took a train from Milan to Brescia with my host family and some friends of theirs (including my 3rd host family). We saw (apart from the city itself which has some arches that are older than our American civilization) two main things. The first half of the day we spent in Santa Guilia- Museo Della Città. In the evening we went to Van Gogh exhibition. These last two sentences are heavy. They are immense. Read them! I still can't wrap my mind around it. I saw remnants of civilizations that existed more than 2000 years before- IN THE SAME CITY. ON THE SAME EARTH. I saw incredible pieces of art that were created before Christ was born. I saw mosaic tiled floors that were so beautiful, complex, and perfect that I just wanted to cry. I saw a cieling covered in precious blue stones that NO LONGER EXIST. I was face to face with Corinthian columns -with some of the first bronze scultures ever made in the history of our world- with the history of Santa Giulia who was stoned and crucified for her unfaltering belief in Jesus Christ. I touched parts of buildings that were constructed by laborors more than 2,000 years ago! Is this getting through?! Because I'm not sure I still understand! AHHH. And then, after a break- walking through the city and stepping into a cafè- we returned to see the Van Gogh exhibit. Emotion. From the most hopeless portraits to the most vibrant countryside, I was struck immediately by a particular feeling with each piece. You can see things in a textbook or even in one of those big ol' books on the B&N sales rack- but nothing hits you like the real thing. I can't even begin to explain. His hands created something I was a foot away from. His skies. His faces. The hands. The colors.

This weekend- there are not words, but I did my best to try to describe what it meant to me.

As for other parts of life, this is my last week of school before the holidays. I have two Italian lessons left with Rotary. I'm scrambling around trying to get my Christmas shopping done. The nativities here are so cool, I'll post a photo soon. Pretty much I'm feeling like one of the luckiest people alive and I can't stop counting my blessings.

Love,
Grace