I'm sorry to say that I don't have a photo for you today. It's a Sunday, and I've been out pretty much all day without my camera. I'm going to learn to carry that around more. Don't know why I haven't been, really. But the director of the program here had a good point about "two-dimensionalizing" our experiences here. If we're not careful, we could miss out on a lot. It's important to see, hear, smell, understand, and comprehend everything we come across. Our memories of and relationship to the place are far more valuable than what little a photograph can really capture.

So far today, I've been on a tour around Orvieto, been to an Italian mass, had the best chocolate cream-filled pastry ever, decided that the place I got it from would require a regular visit from me, walked through the streets of Orvieto and through the shops, and more that I'm sure I'm forgetting. I really wish I could further describe everything with tedious detail, but the only way to really grasp everything that is going on is by experiencing it first hand -- which I HIGHLY recommend that every person gets to do at some point in life!

I have six minutes left, so I'll cut this a bit shorter than I was hoping. For tonight, some people from the program are preparing a welcome festival for us. We will meet Orvieto families, supporters of the programs, and the nuns :). A high school band is going to play music for us while we partake in more Italian delicacies, wine, and fellowship. When I woke up this morning, I wondered how I ever deserved to be waking up in Italy with such a great program and such great opportunities to grow in my faith, my knowledge of the Italian culture, art, and so much more. I thank God every day.

I hope my posts are sufficient enough to tell you all how things are going. Please contact me for anything... even if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you and respond the best that I can! "Happiness isn't real unless shared."