Assisi

"Make me a channel of your peace...where there is hatred let me bring your love, where there is injury, your pardon Lord and where there is doubt true faith in you. Oh Master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand. To be loved as to love with all my soul..." Our day began quite early! Our group couldn't have been more co-operative, punctual and helpful. A responsible handful of boys took on the task to assist with removing luggages and boarding the bus for a prompt departure. Never a complaint was heard but rather an overall spirit of team work was the driving force. We left our hotel with compliments from the management noting that our students were well behaved And we're welcome back! Ricardo smiled and said that our students must come from good families (buona famiglia). They sure do! Simone our bus driver commented as well that our students are top notch! As you can see we are leaving a good impression here in Italy and your children are well received. Ms. Rocca led prayers with the prayer of St. Francis as we travelled our way from Tuscany to Umbria. We had a little fun as she re-baptized us with Italian names having been here for 5 days and enduring record temperatures we certainly earned them! On our way to Assisi we welcomed Alessandra, Matteo, Giancarlo, Andrea, Michele and many more! Teresa seranaded us with the hymn "prayer of St. Francis" and led us to experience two extra highlights of the day, a visit to Lago Trasimeno and Santa Maria Deglie Angeli church ( both so incredibly breath taking in their own ways). We entered Assisi to learn about St. Francis and St. Chiara with Gloria our guide. We had free time and boarded the bus to Siena where we will make this place our home for the next stretch of our program. We had our second trivia game, Michelangelo vs Dante with review questions based on our experiences, guided tours etc. The Michelangelo team won this round! We want to thank Simone our bus driver who brought us here in safety. Grazie! We freshened up and gathered for a welcome reception by the hotel followed by dinner. We took an orientation tour of the Campo and surrounding streets which I am sure we will get to know quite well during our stay. Classes begin tomorrow as the English group will go to school and the Art group will gather in the garden and explore the area as artists would do. Luca and Michael are supervising and we look forward to working with them artistically. Last but not least we would like to end our night saying Buon Compleanno to Maleeka who we baptized and is now our Italian Mia! We hope that you will always cherish your 17th birthday in all your years to come and that you will remember your travel family with your print! Auguri! peace