My Holy Adventure!

Today (Sunday), I went to Gricigliano for the Traditional Latin High Mass. It was great to be back, although I wasn't able to go with the Sister Adorers this week so I had to go by train. That's not so bad except when it is pouring rain...so naturally what intelligent thing did I do - I walked two hours in the rain!!!! I walked the forty min. walk from the convent to the train station in Florence, took the train to Sieci, got off and walked the hour and twenty min. walk through the town, down the road, and up the mountain to Gricigliano. But at least I had thought ahead a bit and I wore my white wrinkled shirt with a sweatshirt (it was cold in the rain) and my raincoat, long running pants, and running shoes. Then in my backpack I carried my long blue skirt and my church shoes. But by the time I got to the seminary I was completely drenched to the bone!!!!! (Note: I had put my dry stuff in a plastic bag in my satchel so it was still dry). So I get there and I stop a seminarian going into the place and ask him if I can use their bathroom - but of course he doesn't speak English or Italian - only French, so he doesn't understand me - finally I just ask for Abbé Stein and he understood that and got him for me. So Abbé Stein was happy to see me, even though I looked like a drowned rat. He took me to a bathroom and I did a Superman change into dry church clothes and looked semi decent, though my hair was still dripping wet...and naturally the church had to be air conditioned. So I was freezing cold for about three hours (Terce, that is one of the hours of the Divine Office, and Solemn Mass). But the way back was better. I came out of church and was going to say hello to Mother Superior, but I forgot that they usually leave right away to get back for lunch at their convent. So when I came out of the church Abbé Stein was waiting for me and rushed me up the hill to the parking lot where I saw the first of the sisters' cars go by. Fortunately for me, Abbé Stein was able to catch the second car and I was able to get a ride back to Florence with them. Then I walked from their convent back to the other convent where I am staying, but it had stopped raining and the sun had come out for a bit so it was all good. Then I got into nice warm and dry clothes at the convent!! Happy Me!!
But, the adventure aside, I was very happy to be able to go back to Gricigliano and to see the Mother Superior again. It is like a little piece of heaven right outside of Florence, so it was worth the wet and the cold!

I'm Back!!

Yes, I'm back and hopefully for awhile. Well, that is, I am back to blogging, but not back home. I have just embarked on an adventure! I am in Italy working at a school as a dorm mother for boarding students. Most of them arrived today and it was a wonderful chaos...girls excited to see old friends, girls crying because it is their first time going to a boarding school and leaving their parents, girls asking the Sisters who are in charge if they can smoke (girls in 9th grade no less), girls running crazily into eachothers' rooms, girls closing their doors because they want to be alone because they are shy... and me standing there the whole time looking stupid because I can't understand most of what they are saying. Well, I will be a lesson in patience for all of them, and they will be a lesson in perseverance for me. So unbeknowanced to them we will probably get eachother to heaven!! Meanwhile I am madly studying Italian and Madre Gina (the Sister who runs the kitchen) continues to laugh at my attempts to say something to her. Someday, Someday.... I can tell that some of the girls are going to take full advantage of the fact that I don't know what they are saying - they are the mischievious ones - however since I too am mischievious I will probably know what they are up to without having to understand Italian! Then there are the girls who won't be able to talk to me when they need someone to comfort them - I need to learn Italian for their sakes first. Lots to do and very little time, but the first week is going well and I am enjoying it! Two girls from Mexico will come on Monday. Both speak Spanish and some English and one of them speaks Italian, so I am not the only one learning!! Anyway life is good though I miss everyone States side!! Love you all!!