Vienna.

Considering I went to Vienna so long ago, and considering I have more exciting adventures to write about (like ROME) I will keep this concise because it was still a memorable day in the lovely capital city.

St. Stephen's Cathedral. 

We spent most of our day trip touring around Vienna and stopping in various churches, museums, and monuments familiar from the movies and history books. Every building in this beautiful city is ornately decorated and colorful. The snow was falling and there were horse drawn carriages in the streets, taking me back in time to the era of Mozart and the Hapsburg royalty.

We saw St. Stephen's Cathedral, a towering work of architecture that seems to point all the way to heaven. There are thousands and thousands of colored tiles covering the entire roof of the cathedral in a uniquely mesmerizing pattern.

Inside, there is a miraculous icon called the Maria Potsch icon, an ancient work that is said to have cried real tears for the unity of the Muslims and Christians, and pilgrims have been praying there for unity ever since.

Maria Potsch

We went to a museum that held the largest collection of relics (in Europe maybe?) including the spear that wounded Christ's side on the cross and the veil that Veronica used to wipe His face during the Passion. The image of His bloodied face is still preserved on that veil. For dinner, we ended up at a Burger King which ended up being an experience in itself! 

The balcony of the Hapsburg palace from which Hitler spoke to millions, and later JPII. 

We spent the rest of the day exploring on our own and strolling through the snowy streets of Vienna until it was time to head back to Gaming. 

Gaming, the first few weeks.

Where am I???

Gaming Campus. 

Pinch me. I am captured in a real life snow globe. I live in an eight century old monastery called the Kartause, nestled in the foothills of the Alps, covered with snow and pine trees. I wake up every morning and look out my window and see towering mountains higher than any I have ever seen in my life, trees heavy with snow, and the steeple of the chapel across the courtyard. There is an icy clear creek running through this tiny picturesque town where everyone knows everyone else and there is one grocery store, one church, one shoe store, one amazing kebab shop. The professors live across the street with their families of at least five multi-lingual, adorable children who are always running around the Kartause throwing snowballs at us. This is my life right now.

The view out of my window.

I will now tell you all a story now that is somewhat commonplace to me now but even as I write this I am realizing how interesting a day in the life of a student at the Kartause actually can be.

My luxurious bed. 

On an average morning during the week, I wake up to the beautiful smiling faces of my roommates, Michele and Julia, around 8 and leap out of bed, eager to start my day. Ok, more like the three of us roll out of bed after 3 alarms and don't speak a word to each other except maybe, "Oh, look it's still snowing."

Then I make my way to breakfast in the Mensa (cafeteria/restaurant thing), which is usually some toast and yogurt and fruit. (Unless it's Sunday brunch and then we have scrumptious waffles with Nutella and eggs and bacon! Absolute heaven.)


I have 5 hour and a half long classes on Mondays through Fridays. I am taking Art Appreciation, Sacraments, Theology of the Church, Christian Marriage, and Catholic Social Teaching. They are all very interesting classes with some of the most brilliant professors I have ever known. I will never forget the valuable lessons I am learning in these classes from these incredible people. At noon every day, everything stops and there is Mass in the chapel, a beautiful Gothic style church where centuries of Carthusian monks and saints have prayed. I treasure these times set aside for prayer every day with my fellow students and the Kartause families. After Mass, it's lunch time, which can be anything from pork to well....pretty much always pork.

In between classes, I usually try to get some work done in the library or maybe take a walk into town to the Spar, a little grocery store where we get pretty much anything we need. Usually Milka bars (chocolate of every variety) or juice or wine of every kind imaginable. Or sometimes I go babysit the professor's children and just cuddle with the babies.

We go on hikes in the surrounding  mountains every once in a while, a very interesting experience with the massive amounts of snow that accumulate up there. But the climb is always worth it for the breathtaking, God-revealing views from the top and the fun we have on the way.  At the top of each mountain we have continued our Ireland tradition of singing praise until we run out of breath and song ideas. There are no words to say about these mountaintops other than that the "mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your Name." A few weeks ago we climbed "Book Mountain" which has a book on the top which has been signed by students for many semesters past. Another day we hiked to the Gaming caves (extremely narrow, very scary.) Maybe one day I'll have the courage to actually go inside them! I don't think I have a future in spelunking.

The Gaming Caves. 

Sunset on our hike. 

In the evenings, we usually watch a movie or play cribbage or go on late night sledding adventures. Late night kebab runs are also a normal occurrence. However my favorite evenings to remember are the honest conversations I have had with people I never thought I would be so close to. These friendships have helped me to grow in so many ways and I will never forget the amazing men and women I am spending this semester with. They have truly made the Kartause the way I will always remember it.

"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, whoever finds one finds a treasure." Sirach 6:14