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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

It's the final countdown!

Skye and I took a trip to Lucca this past Saturday for our last hurrah before finals. The city is surrounded by a huge wall and you can actually walk or ride bikes along the top of the wall. So that's what we did with a few other friends. The city is in the countryside of Tuscany and it was very beautiful and quaint.

We just finished our first final for Humanities 313! Two more to go for each of us! Eeek! And then we are on our way home on Friday!

We have created some lasting memories during this trip and learned a ton about the world and ourselves! We are ready to come home now because we love and miss you all!

See you in three days!

Counting our blessings,

Kelsey & Skye

Friday, June 24, 2011

Hey There Pepperdine Family!

Kelsey and I are going on our last two weeks here in Italy and we can't believe how fast the time has gone. This past weekend we got the opportunity to go to Athens, Greece. What an amazing experience! In Athens, we went to the ancient acropolis where we visited the Parthenon and the temple of Poseidon (the god of the sea). From the top of the acropolis there was an incredible view of the city of Athens and Mars Hill (which is the place in ancient Athens were Paul preached to the people). We also saw the temple of Zeus and the first Olympic stadium. Unfortunately we could not go into the stadium because they were setting up for the Special Olympics which are going to be held there in a few weeks.

After visiting Athens we took a trip to the ancient city of Corinth. This is the same ancient Corinth that Paul wrote the letters to in first and second Corinthians. In Corinth we were able to see the ancient town and learn about how the people of Corinth lived. We were also able to see what was left of where the married couple Priscilla and Aquila used to leave. This is the couple that actually hosted Paul when he was in Corinth. This was an amazing experience for Kelsey and I because it brought the Bible to life. It was our first experience exploring places that were written about in the Bible.

Then we went to the ancient village of Mycenae, which has an amazing view of the Greek countryside, and is home of the beehive tomb of Agamemnon. Agamemnon was very involved with the battle of Troy for the history buffs reading this. Then we went to Epidairus, which is one of the few theaters that have been preserved from the Ancient Greeks. The theater was spectacular and they still use the theater for concerts in the summer. Kelsey and I had a great time running up and down the marble stairs in the theater, taking pictures of each other.

In a nutshell, Greece was a very moving trip spiritually and culturally. We learned so much about the Greek history! It was amazing to see how much they value there history and strive to keep it alive as much as possible! We both absolutely fell in love with the Greek food. There food is so amazing- we tried traditional pork and lamb along with pita bread.

Thank you all for taking the time to travel along with us and read our blog. As the time winds down we hope to take advantage of our last few days here in Italy. At the same time we can't wait till we are back in the states. We are so grateful for all the things that we have seen and all the places we have traveled. We love you all so much and can't wait to see you soon!

God Bless!

Skye

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

This past week we had mid-terms galore! Once we passed those (with flying colors of course), Skye and I decided to treat ourselves with a day trip to Venezia! It was absolutely gorgeous! I find that every place I go to is somehow better than the last! First Chinque Terre was great, then Rome, then Venice! Ahhh, we love them all!

Saturday was spent in Venice. At first it was raining so much we were a little bummed, but it then it cleared up for by lunch time! The day started off with a water taxi ride down the Grand Canal. We were dropped off at San Marco Square with its beautiful cathedral. We then saw a glass blowing demonstration and learned that it takes 20 years to become a glass master! Maybe in another life J

The city is famous for its glass as there was glass everywhere! There were some very cool creations! We took a short little gondola ride, so fun! Then of course walked and walked and walked, admiring picturesque views around every corner! It was bellisima to say the least!

Sunday I took another cooking class (Skye wasn't able to come this time because she wasn't feeling well, but she is feeling much better now). We made ravioli, fried zucchini flower (my new favorite vegetable if you can call it that J, beans with sausage, and little cream puff type things for dessert! Yummy!

Hope all is well over there! Three weeks till we return! The countdown begins!

Ciao Ciao!

- Kelsey

Monday, June 06, 2011

Hey Waves!

This week was an amazing experience - it would be impossible for me to perfectly describe everything. This past week was different than most because we had a long weekend, meaning we only had class on Monday and Tuesday so we could travel from Wednesday through Sunday. Kelsey and I went to Rome for three days and then we took a day trip to Pompeii on Saturday.

Trying to describe our experience in Rome is very hard and does not do justice to the incredible experience we had, but I till give it a shot! After we checked into our hotel we quickly hit the streets of Rome to explore all they had to offer.

First we had to buy metro tickets for the three days that we were in Rome. When we hopped off our first metro ride we found ourselves outside of the Coliseum. The Coliseum is breathtaking and to finally see it in person is an experience like no other. Once inside we were escorted by a tour guide who told us that the Coliseum is the most visited landmark in the world.

After that we made our way to Pantheon which also was amazing to see. What makes the Pantheon unique is the `eye' or the hole at the top of the ceiling that gives its own unique style. After that we walked to the Trevi Fountain which was our favorite place to go in Rome. We went to the Trevi Fountain three times in three days. The first time I saw the Trevi, I was in awe because I was seeing it with my own eyes. I got pretty emotional the first time I saw it.

On the second day in Rome we woke up very early to make our way to Vatican City. Here we saw St. Peter's Basilica, which is the church where Michelangelo's Pieta resides. This church has `holy doors' and the story goes that if you touch these doors that you will have good luck for the next 20 years. Kelsey and I both touched a piece of the door! (Hopefully this will come in handy for the upcoming season!) After this we went to the Vatican museum and saw the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. There is nothing like seeing the Sistine Chapel in person. After our visit to the Vatican City, we went to the Church of Bones. I suggest you go to Google and type in "Church of Bones in Rome" to see the history and beauty!

On our final day in Rome we went to the catacombs at S. Castillo. The catacombs are where the first persecuted Christians are buried and where they held there church services since they were not allowed to do so freely. The catacomb that we went to was the largest in Rome with four underground levels. It was amazing to learn how much work the persecuted Christians went through just so they could have a safe place to worship the Lord without having to worry about being killed. They took us underground and we actually saw some of the tombs of former popes, saints and families. This was an experience that Kelsey and I will never forget.

As you can tell, Rome was AMAZING. We returned to Florence Friday night and left early Saturday morning For Pompeii.

Pompeii was so cool. Pompeii's village and pottery is so well preserved that when walking around you really get a sense of how everyone lived. Walking around Pompeii, we saw many different houses, courtyards, an amphitheater, and many different fresco paintings on the walls. There was also a lot of pottery that was preserved from this civilization.

Not many people know the story of Pompeii but the volcano located next to it, Mt. Vesuvius, erupted and destroyed the whole village. Due to a mixture of hot lava and ash during the volcanic eruption, some of the people trying to escape actually turned into stone so there bodies are on display. This was very eerie. The two images that stuck out to me the most, was a man who was in the position of prayer when he died as well as a pregnant women. To witness these stone people made the experience in Pompeii very real, even though it happened centuries ago.

All in all, our trip to Rome and Pompeii was unlike any other. It was definitely an experience that we will never forget. We are so grateful that we are able to share our journey with you and hope that you are able to come and experience Italy for yourself. We have one month left in Italy and even though we are having the time of our lives, we miss you all so much!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Buon giorno! We find ourselves looking at another week that passed by way too quickly again! Skye's Religion 301 class took a field-trip last Monday to San Miniato, which is a monastery. I tagged along anyway although I am not in the class. We were able to attend the service that was solely in Latin with Gregorian chants. Although we couldn't understand, it was nevertheless an amazing experience!

Afterward we were able to meet one of the monks. His name was Benedict and he told us a little about his life and daily schedule living at the monastery. A very disciplined life indeed!

Our humanities class took a trip Wednesday to the Uffizi Gallery which use to be the city offices during the Medici Reign. It is now a museum with some of the most famous works from the Renaissance. My favorite work was the La Primavera by Botticelli!

Thursday we took a field trip to see the Palazzo Pitti, the Royal Apartments of the Pitti and Medici families. This building now contains the majority of the Medici art collection - it was breathtaking and was my favorite exhibit so far!

The weekend was sprinkled with homework assignments and studying for midterms that begin Monday. Skye and I took a trip Saturday to the Boboli Gardens which is the backyard of the Palazzo Pitti. We spent a few hours there exploring and enjoying the beauty! On Sunday a large group of us from the Villa went to a cooking class with one of the most established chefs in Florence! It was a blast! We might have to cook the Waves an Italian dinner when we get back! Don't judge us Ryan (Strength Coach)!

I have never been so tongue-tied in my life to try to describe the art and experiences that we are having here in Florence. We are learning and growing everyday! I am so thankful for this experience - how blessed are we! Sending our love to Malibu! Miss you all! Kelsey

Monday, May 23, 2011

Ciao Pepperdine Family! This week Kelsey and I had our first official week of school. In Florence the school week is only four days long so we are in class from Monday through Thursday. With that being said we only had the weekend to travel so this weekend we went to Cinque Terre.

Kelsey went for the whole weekend and I met up with her in Cinque Terre on Sunday.

Cinque Terre is probably one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to in my life. If you ever have the opportunity to go I suggest you go. The scenery and ocean are unlike anything I have ever seen. If you are looking for a place to see God's beauty then Cinque Terre is the place to go - from the clear aqua blue ocean to the high rocky mountains - everything is so unique and beautiful.

Cinque Terre also is known for its beautiful beach in Monterosso. Kelsey and I had the privilege of going there and actually swimming in the Mediterranean Sea! I was also able to take my first boat ride. We took the boat out to sea and it was an amazing experience!

Looking back on this weekend, it is clear that God has graciously blessed us beyond our wildest dreams. This experience has really been a dream come true for me. We hope that you all are having a wonderful summer in Malibu. We miss you all more each day and can't wait till we see you soon! Until then God Bless! Arrivederci!!!!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Ciao! Skye and I (Kelsey) just finished out first week in Italia! What an experience it has been! After a near twenty-hour excursion we finally arrived at the Pepperdine Villa in Florence, Italy. Our first four days were jam-packed with an orientation and day trips to help us learn the essentials of the area and rid ourselves of the jet lag.

Our first day in Italy was spent on a walking tour, learning the location of the banks, supermarkets, and bus/train stations. The first night we walked by the Duomo (main cathedral in Florence) which was absolutely breath taking. Afterwards Skye and I had our first taste of gelato!

On day two we took a short bus trip to Piazzale Michelangelo where we saw an incredible view of the city as well as a trip to Fiesole and the Etruscan ruins. We spent day three in Siena and San Gimignano, which are two beautiful cities with gorgeous views and cathedrals. We spent Saturday on our own, exploring the city and visiting a cute flea market.

Today we went to the Fiorentina soccer game in the pouring rain! We were drenched from head to toe but it was a very fun atmosphere! Needless to say we have had our fair share of struggles not knowing Italian, accidentally speaking French (Skye) and Spanish (myself).

Despite our struggles we have been finding our way around by sticking to the basics with "prego", "gratzi", "ciao", and many hand gestures. We are having a great time, learning our way around and enjoying lots of gelato!

Classes start tomorrow so we will begin our more formal daily class and workout schedule.

Missing you all,

Kelsey & Skye