Today we went to Vatican City and toured the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. How many people get to say that they have seen these amazing historical sites? I am definitely so lucky to be on this trip! Our group is doing something (in traveling to a foreign country for two weeks) that many other people don't ever get a chance to do. What a blessing.

I am not Catholic, but the sites we saw today were some of the most intricate, beautiful places that I've ever seen. You definitely don't have to be Catholic to appreciate these wonderful places. I can't imagine what it must have been like to contribute to the design of one of these buildings. Michelangelo is officially a genius. I can't even read while lying on my back, so I can't fathom what it must have been like to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel lying down that high in the air. That last brush stroke must have been a bittersweet moment for him - four years of work, complete at last. This trip has really helped me appreciate the hard work and architectural craftsmanship that people had thousands of years ago.

Tomorrow is our last day to explore Rome! AHHH!!! What an experience this has been. I can't wait to tell my family and friends about all of the things we've done and seen these last two weeks. Simply amazing...