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Apostolics Invade Italy: Thieves, Art, Shopping
April 2, 2007 By Kimberly Rigney Once upon a time I was perusing my favorite webzine
when I happened upon an advertisement for a tour of Italy.
I checked out the website listed and was a tiny bit dismayed to see it
was a UPC Singles trip. Ten
days with a bunch of desperate older singles did not sound appealing, but I was
dying to visit Italy. After much
wrestling with the idea and trying to get time off, plans were made and I was
bound for Italy! Up, Up and Away! March 3, 2007 arrived rather quickly, and I headed to the
Jackson, MS airport to catch my flight. I
was scheduled to arrive in New York at JFK airport at 12:45 p.m. and meet up
with the group at 2:30 p.m. in Terminal 1. However, Delta airlines decided to cancel my flight, putting
me in JFK at 4:30 p.m. I was a bit
apprehensive, especially since I had to check my luggage all the way from
Mississippi straight to Milan, but it was Italy or Bust!
I called Lana Farnell, one of the trip’s coordinators, and let her know
I would not be able to meet with the group when she would pass out tickets, but
I would be on time for the plane’s departure at 5:55 p.m.
She reassured me that a few others had been delayed, and to simply meet
her at the Alitalia check-in counter upon my arrival to JFK. Many hours later, I, along with the other 89 travelers in SAM
(Single Adult Ministry), landed in Milan, Italy. Unfortunately, my luggage, and the luggage of 4-5 others,
didn’t land with us. The lack of
sleep and the tedious paperwork involved with baggage claim had me a bit grumpy.
Even though the people seemed normal, not the desperate singles I had
envisioned, I doubted my decision to come on this trip. The Magic of Venezia My bad attitude disappeared quickly.
As our boat turned the corner in the Adriatic Sea the next day, I laid my
eyes upon the islands of Venice. Luggage
or no luggage, I was determined to enjoy this trip.
Venice is just like the movies: the small canals, the
bridges, the windows with laundry hanging out--picturesque.
The first half of the day was spent touring famous sights such as the
Doge’s palace and the Bridge of Sighs. The
Bridge of Sighs connects the palace to the prisons.
Lord Alfred Tennyson gave the bridge its name because the prisoners would
“sigh” as they walked across it, knowing they were going to their
punishment. We also had an
opportunity to walk around St. Mark’s Basilica where the remains of the
disciple Mark are kept. The rest of the day was spent shopping in quaint stores. We
even had an opportunity to ride on a gondola with an accordion player and
Italian singer to serenade us through the canals. A few of us capped off the
night walking the streets of the neighboring town where we were staying, eating
in a local pizzeria and staying up late discussing world religion, politics, and
the differences between men and women. Next Stop, Firenze! From Venice, we traveled across the Apennine Mountains to Florence. What a
view! We drove by tiny villages snuggled up against the rolling countryside.
However, upon arriving in Florence, nothing could compare to seeing
Michelangelo’s David in the Academy Museum. The statue has to be 20
feet tall and so perfectly sculpted that I think God himself applauded the work.
After that, some newfound friends and I walked the streets of
Florence, stopping between shops to admire the architecture and beauty of the
city. A few of those sights
included the Duomo (Santa Maria’s Cathedral),
numerous statues and monuments, and houses along the Arno River.
By the end of the trip’s third day, everyone was beginning to know one
another, and so a crowd gathered in the lobby of the hotel.
It did not take long for a rousing game of Mafia to begin, which turned
into a nightly tradition for the remainder of the trip!
(I think many of us had just as much fun playing Mafia as we did touring
Italy.) The Luggage Prayer The next day, we headed toward Rome with a stop off at Pisa.
Several of us were still without luggage, so before leaving Florence, Bro. Gary
Erikson, International Sunday School Director, prayed the missing luggage
situation would be resolved that day. I added a hearty amen to that prayer, as I
was ready for my own personal belongings. I
was rather humbled the first night when I had to wash my clothes in the sink
with a Tide packet and use the hair dryer for a clothes dyer. Thankfully I had not been stuck in the exact same outfit
every day. My wonderful roommate
lent me clothes, and I had finally found a store in Florence that sold
reasonably priced clothing. No, I
didn’t pack extra clothes in my carry-on. I’m not a Girl Scout. The Pickpocket There wasn’t much to Pisa except for the Leaning Tower, yet
it was definitely worth the stop. After
taking pictures of trying to push up the tower, we bought pizza from a local
street vendor and shopped along the walkway. I bought a pair of fake Chanel
sunglasses with the help of some professional SAM bargainers. After spending
money on knock-offs, we piled back on the buses to finish our ride to Rome.
While heading back to the buses, one of our tour member’s wallets was stolen
by a local thief. However, great ole Bro. Ron Walls, one of our trip
coordinators, called for an offering, receiving double of what was taken from
the lady. Several hours later, we reached our 5 Star Marriott right
outside of Rome. I walked in and was greeted with some bad news. My luggage was
in Rome at the airport, not at the hotel. I just shrugged it off. What was one
more day?! I headed upstairs with my roommate to put things away before dinner,
but when we finally figured out how to open the fancy doors, I was shocked to
see my luggage sitting in my room! I hugged it, screamed, jumped up and down,
and then ran down the hallway announcing its arrival to everyone. After being in
Italy for four days, I would finally have the opportunity to unpack my suitcase. Loose in Roma The next day was our tour through the Vatican, Sistine
Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Donning my own clothes at last, I set out
ready to explore. The Vatican museum was filled with thousands of paintings and
sculptures, but my mind was focused on the Sistine Chapel. No cameras were
allowed, and they asked you to be silent while inside. Silence was not a problem
because when I walked in, I was speechless. Michelangelo’s work was
magnificent. I found a seat and just stared at the ceiling for several minutes
while tears formed in my eyes. After I was pried from the chapel, we toured St.
Peter’s Basilica and the Pantheon, and then were let loose to explore Rome.
My friends and I wondered around in a circle eating Pringles
and gelato (Italian ice cream), drinking Red Bull, and searching for the Trevi Fountain. Once
we found the fountain, like all tourists, we threw our coins in, hoping to one
day return to the boot-shaped country. After
stopping at a few shops and taking a bathroom break in Burger King, we found one
other place of interest: The Time Elevator.
One of my friends saw an advertisement on the Rome Map for an
interactive, 5-D show on the history of Rome.
It was very cheesy and not worth the 11 Euro ticket price, but we had a
lot of laughs as a result.
The catacombs were a bit disappointing to me.
All of the remains and artifacts were taken out of the catacombs centuries ago when it was
first discovered. The tour
consisted of walking down several flights of stairs to see small indentions in
the wall where bodies once laid. By
this time, most of us had reached tour overload, and were ready to go back to
the hotel for a rest. Several of
the SAM members headed back into Rome later that night for dinner and a walk
about the city. Sunday was reserved for our own explorations.
Before leaving the hotel, we had a short church service.
SAM director Debbie Siaz encouraged all of us to be content in our
singleness and continue to serve God through every situation.
Spiritually renewed, we loaded the buses and headed out for our last day
in Rome. Many of SAM decided to
stop by St. Peter’s Square to see the Pope bless the crowd that gathered.
Others spent the day making final souvenir purchases and enjoying that
last bit of gelato. What? Already? Our departing day came all too quickly.
As far as I was concerned, I still had a four day supply of clothes left,
so there was no need to leave now! It
was amazing the bonds of friendship I had formed over just a few short days.
I even got teary-eyed as I hugged several people goodbye.
What I feared would be a desperate group of singles, turned
out to be an adventurous, loving family that I would miss dearly.
Next year’s trip is London and Paris, and if the Lord provides, I plan
on being a part. The only thing
I’ll do differently is pack extra clothes in my carry-on. To get the full effect of Italy, feel free to stop by my blog,
www.originallyunoriginal.blogspot.com,
and view some pictures. ninetyandnine.com © 2007, Kimberly Rigney ------- Kimberly Rigney is a happy, 23 year-old single
Apostolic. She enjoys her job
teaching history and sharing her adventures from Italy with her students.
When she’s not teaching or working with the youth group at church,
she’s dreaming of her next travel excursion. |
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