The end in sight!

With finals being finished and only one more day to go, the campus has a different feel: Some are sad, others thrilled, and still others, have mixed emotions.

Still trying to process everything that has happened these past 16 weeks, most are in a whirlwind. I would encourage all of the fall 2008 participants to begin to reflect and actually write down their experiences. A few years from now, many of the precious insights will have disappeared. Don't let them slip away!

I especially want to thank all those students who have contributed, have served the program, and have been faithful to their daily tasks as student, brother, sister, friend, and travel partner.

Also, special thanks to Cory Heimann who helped put together the semester DVD project! It turned out wonderful and many of the students have already watched it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

To end with, I encourage all just to say thank you go God for the gift of this program and for the amazing opportunity that you all have been given.

Blessed Advent and enjoy these pics of Gaming in the snow!

The Festive Season!

In the past week or so the Kartause community has celebrated Thanksgiving, the beginning of Advent, and couldn't bypass a day trip to the ski mountain of Hochkar about 45 minutes from Gaming.

While classes were held on Thanksgiving day, evening commenced with an all campus turkey dinner. Mind you, the Turkey was brought out with sparklers in it as the students sang the star spangled banner in honor of the good ol' USA!

After dinner, classic Austrian dancers and dance instructors came to teach the students group Austrian dancers. Then the evening was finished off by a student manned DJ.

Advent here in Gaming is celebrated by a large and festive Advent Market right in the main courtyard of the Kartause. Here they sell sausages, kebabs, cheeses, honey, crepes and a million other goodies and delicacies...It is a great time to all.

Finally, on Saturday, over 50 students participated in a ski trip to the Hochkar mountain resort.

Skiing / snowboarding all day was a welcome relief to studies and exam preparations. We were even blest with an incredibly beautiful day which just topped off an already near perfect day.

Today is the last day of classes, then reading day, final exams.....and back to the USA! Can't believe the end is in sight!

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!

This past weekend in Gaming we had our first snowfall. Everybody was ecstatic as it was pouring rain before the snow came. Over the weekend, students--male and female--as well as faculty & staff, and numerous children could be found sledding, playing in the snow, or building snowmen! What others are even more excited about is that this Saturday, the Hochkhar ski mountain opens for business. Incidentally, we will be doing a ski trip on opening day! Can't wait!

Can you believe it, only two more weeks until the semester is over! Just a reminder to make the most of it!

10 day Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi

All 160 students as well as the Student Life Staff, T.O.R. Friars and Sisters headed down to the "Eternal City" of Rome and then off to Assisi for the past 10 days.

The schedule was jamm-packed with walking tours everyday, mass at a different major basilica each day, a papal audience, as well as some free time to explore the Vatican Museums or some other treasure. In Assisi, we also had tours, more free time, and also a special silent hike up to the hermitage of St. Francis up in the mountains. Concluding the pilgrimage was a special Tau Cross ceremony during the closing Mass where each person would kiss the cross as a sign of their conversion and "new beginning."

The weather was fantastic and I believe the most drama we had was a train / metro strike on one of the days which caused us to change around the schedule.

Eating pasta and wine for both lunch and dinner, gelati and other goodies has resulted in many of us dieting from Rome. But, nonetheless, we all loved every minute of it.

Now, we are looking at only 3 1/2 more weeks and the semester will be wrapped up!

The end's still a bit off, so finish strong, stay focused, and enjoy your last few weeks in Europe!

Kid's Fall Festival

Yesterday at the Kartause, the students along with female residence director, Katie Hess hosted a Fall/All Saint's Day party for the Kartause kids. As I watched from afar, it was evident that the kids were thoroughly enjoying themselves! They loved all the attention from the students as they paraded through the dorms and they especially loved all the cookies, candies, and cake at the party. Who wouldn't?

Among many other instances, the kid's party underscores and illuminates one of the unique parts of Austria: its intimate involvement with children and families. I have often heard students comment about how much they enjoy, appreciate, and admire the children. They uplift their tired and too often weary spirits. They are living witnesses to the joy of life and to the joy of knowing and loving Jesus with a child-like faith.

I hope, for years to come, that children will remain intimately involved in the program for indeed they are an icon of simplicity, joy, love, and trust, and gentleness. We would do better to imitate their example and learn from them as much as they learn from us!