This is the Kartause, the old Carthusian monastery we lived in for the semester. Part of it runs as a hotel all year-round, the other part has been turned into dorms for the school year, used not only for our school (Franciscan University) but also for other international students from Eastern Europe, as well as for Ave Maria University in Naples. The King and Queen of Austria, Albrecht II of the Hapsburg dynasty and Johanna his wife, built it as their palace in 1332. It was a palace as well as a monastery while they lived in it, and they are now buried in the chapel of the Kartause. There is so much history involved here! It withstood the attacks of the Muslim Turks three times in the 16th century (the remains of the walls of defense are STILL there on the hill behind it!); Napoleon used the chapel as a stable for his horses during his campaign in Europe; during World War II many precious works of art were hidden here to protect them from the Nazis; and Soviet troops used the monastery as military barracks during their 10-year occupancy of Austria from 1945 to 1955! It was such an amazing and almost unfathomable privilege to live in such a medieval and historic place for 4 months!

(sorry for the crook in your neck! I'm not too versed in how to use this...)

This is me and my two roommates in our Austrian Dirndls! We had an Austrian Ball at the end of the semester - it was loads of fun.

This is the group I went to Barcelona with over Easter Break - it was beautiful!