"LAURA!!!"

Well, so far so good, needless to say, I have had some issues with Taxi Drivers, etc...but it is nothing I hadn't prepared for. (p.s. When someone explains to you how disorganized and nuts the Italians, believe 99.9% and leave only .1% to be an exaggeration) Overall though, the sisters at the house where I am were very very welcoming and have been helpful in short stress tantrums.

My room in the house is really beautiful, in that rustic sort of way. It apparently was an old theater of sorts. The cieling is a complete religious mural of angels, and you can imagine how great it is to look up at that while you are reading or getting ready to fall asleep. That's of course what I like most. I also have a crucifix and a giant picture of the Blessed Mother that came in the room. What else do I need, right?The rest of the house is really pretty nice too, just as you would imagine, with old windows, no curtains, and fresh flowers all over the place. Neighbors drying their clothes. It's really something straight out of a movie in that way.

The only negative to being so close to neighbors is that they fight, vocally, a lot. Mostly during the day, thus far. Today Laura, who is a teenager living next door to my window, yelled at her mom, or elder, for about an hour. They really have no care to be discreet. It's certainly interesting.

The Pantheon is so beautiful. I mean, it's one thing in pictures, but in real life it's soooo huge!!! And you ask yourself, 'My gosh...how is this place still here after so long!' Incredibly well preserved. And it's my next door neighbor. :)

Today, my seminarian friend, Fernando, will meet me at the Pantheon, and will teach me how to buy an SMS card so I can make local phone calls, (Making international calls is rather difficult, and I don't think I will be able to do it often, considering I have to go to a special internet place. But I will write as often as possible by internet.) and then we will visit the Vatican!! Very exciting...

But boy are all of your prayers keeping me strong. Thank you all so much for all of them and know that you are also in mine too. Do not worry. I am doing o.k. and will be in touch.

La pace di Dio sia con voi.