I believe some of the best blessings in life are the experiences you have and the people you share them with. This week, I received a truly huge blessing and it came straight from the man himself, Pope Francis. After waking up at 5 am, standing in line for an hour, sprinting to the gates, waiting inside Vatican City for two hours, and fighting for a spot near the Pope’s path with a million 2^nd graders, I finally got the ultimate selfie and I am extremely proud.

However, this experience was not about getting the selfie of a lifetime and being able to post the picture on Instagram and Facebook. I was in the presence of the man that is known as “God on Earth” and what is more humbling than that? As a group, we were able to be a part of the Papal Audience and listen to Pope Francis speak on poverty in the world. One of the most interesting things that happened was that Pope Francis did not have bullet proof glass surrounding his Pope Mobile. Talk about a man with no fear. During the actual service, he sent his blessings to each and every person in the audience, their families, and said every country by name that was in attendance.
As of now, life in Italy could not be better. Each day is better than the day before and for that I am extremely grateful. Keep sending your prayers our way and we will keep making the absolute best of this experience.
From all of us to all of you, ciao belli!
Caroline Stanphill