Hello All!! Sorry that it has been awhile, classes are going full blast, lots of reading : ) I feel very much excited, but at the same time mentally overwhelmed. But I am thankful that I am being challenged, if I were not being challenged it wouldn't be worth it. I must admit that I have felt a bit homesick, but am still exhilarated at the thought of being here. The campus is beautiful, it is snowing right now and looks like a picture book. I am going to Salzburg/Munich tomorrow with the school. Salzburg is where the Sound of Music was filmed : ) I am going to a concert in Salzburg!! I can't recall at the moment everything we are doing, but I'm excited.

The classes seem to work well with each other and I am especially intrigued by my Philosophy of the Human Person. This branch, as you might call it, has emerged within the last century. Right now we are considering that the human person is an end in themselves, a whole, irreplaceable, and self governing. A few ideas that have particularly struck me is that I cannot fully act with love and genuine recognition of another's value if I do not have the realization of my own unique value. Not just as a person, but rather as Monica Marie Chichester. Something which seemingly is so fundamental yet often overlooked in the daily applications of it. Food for thought

Much love, got to run,

MOnica

Vienna, Austria

Today is Sunday!!! I have gone to mass and brunch so far and it is snowing a little bit. In 20 minutes I'm going to a tour of the Kartause, which is the monastery in which I live : ) Yesterday we went to Vienna all day, with our own personal tour guides, the RDs. It is slightly funny because the real Austrian tour guides (with official red hats) have gotten mad at the RDs for leading tours so they do their best to blend in. We left about 7:30 am and arrived for mass at a Capuchin monastery around 10:00 am. We visited the 1st district of Vienna out of 23 districts. Like Yolanda's experience with Bolivia, it is the same type of spiral design. In Austria the quality of life is very high and it is a very safe city. Of a poll done of major European cities, Vienna was found to have the slowest walkers. We were dropped off at the Opera House and I fully intend to return for an Opera. Apparently they allow for people to stand in the back for about $6 US. There were many old, old buildings, palaces, the National library, museums, etc., etc. Many many!!! The city itself is beautiful, but I'm finding that because the buildings are old 1st of all they usually don't have heat. Generally, especially the churches, are about 10 degrees warmer than it is outside. At the church we arrived at, the royal Hapsburg family is buried there and we were told the following story... When a member of the royal family died, they would be processed from the palace to this monastery. The guards arriving at the monastery would knock on the door saying "Who demands entry?" The guard would respond with all the titles of the royal member and the capuchins would respond " We do not know her." Then the guard would knock again and say only the two most important titles "Queen of Hungary, Empress of Austria." The capuchin would again respond, "We do know know her." Then the guard would knock once more, "Empress Zita, a poor sinner." At this the doors would be opened. I have run out of time and must run off. Much love : )