Day 4: Visiting the Vatican

In front of the Trevi Fountain.

I got a call from Katie today.

We kept is short but she said they were dead tired the first day - with people actually falling asleep at meals! - today (Gladiator Day) was awesome. According to her, they all "can't believe we are really here!" Apparently they are all drinking water like crazy - "the leaders are on us, mom" and they aren't that hungry. Gladiator Training was a complete hit - she said it was great!

Gladiator School. Hmm, will this help get them into college?

For a kid who has had her fare share of homesickness, I have to say she sounded remarkably good and in very high spirits. She also thought it was interesting that most shops there wanted cash; they didn't really want to take her credit card. I have no idea why - but she found an ATM and managed to get her hands on some money.

Her delegation leader Judy, sent a note from today's activities:

Today we went to the gladiator school where we we gained insight into how the gladiators of the past fought and the hard life they lead. We learned the attack and defend positions that gladiators learned using wooden replica weapons. We enjoyed a typical Roman lunch at the gladiator school. We then had a few hours to make our way through the streets of Rome to locate famous Roman sites like Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps - and answer questions about each site. We all ended our City Quest at the Spanish Steps and walked to The Hard Rock Cafe for a dinner of burgers and fries with vanilla ice cream to end the meal. Back at the hotel we got more information about the home-stay. 

Today - day four - they get to go to the Vatican City and I am a little jealous of the amazing art they will experience. They are too young to appreciate it right?! And yet, I bet it will change them forever. Here are the details:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People to People Itinerary: MONDAY, JULY 2: Rome, Italy

• Visit the center of the Catholic Church and the world's smallest country, the Vatican! Go in the Vatican Museums and admire the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Wonder at the scale of St. Peter's Basilica.
• Participate in a unique educational meeting with a priest who will speak generally about Catholicism in Italy and the organization of the Vatican. Please feel free to ask questions.

The Sistine Chapel.

The Creation of Adam. Sistine Chapel.

St. Peter's Basilica.