No Greater Love

Two days last week, we went into Rome and ended one of our days at a church, Santa Maria del Popolo, in the Piazza del Popolo. This beautiful painting inside the church reminded me of the gracious price Christ paid for us on the Cross.



Today, as the world celebrates the meaning of love - let us remember the ultimate example of Love. A Love that is good, perfect, and unconditional. Paul says in the book of Ephesians, "Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious, but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but, give everything of Himself to us. Love like that" (5:2).


"There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:13

Cinderellas, Clowns, and Carnivale

Last Sunday evening, a few of us decided to walk to Genzano, a neighboring town, to experience their annual Carnivale. It was a very fun, family-oriented celebration. It was great to see all the kids dressed up in costumes - from clowns and pirates to princesses and fairies - they went all out. It was similar to Halloween in the US. There were vendors selling all sorts of things - clothes, toys, jewelry, and food.


Mary Hester, Julia, Laurel


Fairy girl with orange hair


I don't know who he is...


Candy stand


While I was walking down the street, the clown boy's dad pointed to me and the boy ran up to me and gave me a hug! It made my day!


Since we have been traveling around to different towns, sometimes there is random confetti in the streets left over from their celebrations. The streets of Genzano were covered with this favorite party accessory.





Zorro?


Cute Clown girl

"Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love." -Z. Ziglar

Sorella Gemella e Amica in Italia

Meg and Marianna have been in Germany for a month now doing their student teaching at the JFK International School in Berlin. They spent their Winter Break in Italy this past week and were able to come to Ariccia Friday! I showed them around the town and we took them to a little pizzeria place for dinner. The next day, Mary Hester and I met up with them in Rome for a day of shopping. Here are a few pictures from Friday and Saturday.


Meg and me in Ariccia


Marianna and Meg in Ariccia



Marianna and Meg in Ariccia


Meg and me on the Spanish Steps in Rome

It was great spending time with them on my first weekend in Italy. I loved seeing you, Meg and Marianna!

Exploring the Castelli Romani

Ariccia is in a part of a community in the province of Rome called the Castelli Romani, which means “Castles of Rome.” The area of the Castelli Romani occupies an ancient, fertile volcanic area from where volcanic craters produced two lakes – Lake Nemi and Lake Albano (also called Lake Castel Gondolfo). Wealthy Romans would come to this area during the summer to get away from the heat of the city. The Popes still have their summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, on Lake Albano. On Thursday, we toured our neighboring Castelli Romani towns - Rocca di Papa, Frascati, Grottaferrata, Castel Gandolfo, and Nemi.


Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati


Mary Hester and me


Frascati is known for its wine and its three-breasted women cookies - two for milk, one for wine.


Monastery in Grottaferrata


Lake Albano in Castel Gondolfo




Cute little restaurant overlooking the lake


Street in Nemi


Nemi is known for its strawberries. In May and June they have their famous strawberry festivals.


A few girls with their strawberry tarts.


View of Castelli Romani towns on Mountain Montecavo

We had a great day getting to know more about our area. This week we are having our field trips Wednesday and Thursday to Rome where will have an Ancient Rome Scavenger Hunt as an assignment. I can't wait!

A Room with a View

On our first full day we had a little orientation and toured some of the palace. It was a cold and gloomy day, but the sun was coming out from behind the clouds as it was setting. Maurizio (our program’s Resident Director) and Francesco (Director of the Palace and our Art History professor) wanted to give us a better view of Ariccia. So, they took us up through parts of the palace where the “public” are not allowed and up through cold, tiny staircases to a floor of rooms at the top. What we saw was breathtaking – a beautiful sunset behind our Italian hometown.










The main building in the skyline is the domed, circular church of the Assunta, by Bernini. The church was inspired by his restoration of the Pantheon.

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream."
-Bern Williams

Home, Sweet Palace

As our flight started the approach into Rome, Mary Hester and I looked out the window and we couldn’t believe our eyes. We were overlooking the beautiful rolling hills of Italy. We were awestruck and Mary Hester said, “I can’t wait to get down there!”

It’s been a few of days since our feet have been walking across the Italian ground and it has been wonderful. We arrived on a gorgeous day – blue skies and high in the 50s. We pulled up to our home for the next three months – and a magnificent palace in the heart of the town. The Chigi Palace of Ariccia was one home of the Chigi family – a family of the prestigious Italian papal lines. Gian Lorenzo Bernini transformed it from the Chigi home to into a prestigious baroque museum years later. The palace is filled with collections of exquisite and precious art.

Our wing of the palace is on the left. When you enter, there is the “hall” that is the center of our house. There are couches, chairs, a meeting area and workspace. Off this room is the kitchen with great, stainless steel appliances and a cute eating area. The bedrooms are also off the hall and are spacious and comfortable. Some former Auburn Interior Design students designed the lofts. Each girl has a twin bed, shelving unit, and an armoire – the area is called a “nest”.



Chigi Palace (our wing is on the left side)


Sign on our door


The Hall - Common Area


The Hall - Meeting Area/Workspace


Dining Area


Kitchen



"Happiness IS being a Tiger" War Eagle!




My bedroom "nest" (there are four nests in my room)



Me and Mary Hester in front our our house.

It is simply unbelievable. I actually am living here. Home, Sweet Palace.

“He is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Arrivederci, America!

So, I woke up an hour before my alarm went off this morning. The first thing I thought was, "I am going to Italy TODAY!" This is so surreal. It is finally here! My flight leaves Atlanta at 12:30 p.m. and we go to New York, then to Rome. We will land in Rome at 8:15 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Arrivederci, America!