I think I've said it before... thanks to Pope John Paul II and his World Youth Day pilgrimages I've traveled the world. I've been to France, Israel, USA {many years before I could even imagine I would get married and move to the US!!}, Canada... I have participated to many pilgrimages. My last one was in 2000, in Rome... until this summer... after 13 years.. Pope Francis met the youth of all over the world in Brazil. It has been an amazing experience.
I was not too excited to go, I have to say.. first of all because I didn't feel like leaving my children for 2 weeks far far away from me, and also because I didn't really care about visiting a place where they speak Portuguese {a language to me completely unknown}.
Today I can say I'm very happy I had the opportunity to go. Me and my husband were in charge of a group of youth... listening to their experience was the thing that I liked the most, the way they struggle in their life and how God is helping them. We were all there together to see the Pope and have a meeting with Christ. It has been a blessing.
I also liked the country very much! It reminded me a little bit of Italy {except for the jungle!!}, the people were incredible, and the Portuguese... well, I started learning it!!! I'm still studying now... it's so similar to Spanish and Italian, I think I'll be able to speak it.. it's gonna be a piece of cake! ;)
I didn't take many pictures but I picked a few I could find online to show you the beautiful places I visited. My eyes has seen all this {and more}...
this is me and my husband in Paraty...
a picture I took in Rio --->
..this is to give you an idea of how many people were at the meeting with the Pope in Copacabana!!! :)
The next pilgrimage with the Pope will be in 3 years in Poland... will I be there? Hopefully with my kids, but only God knows... :)
xoxo,
