WYD Day 3

Friday, July 18, 2008

WYD Day 3
Current mood: chipper
Category: Religion and Philosophy


Whoaaa the Pope is in Sydney and apparently I was on foxtel! WHOO!

It was a tad expected though, the camera guy was RIGHT IN MY FACE. But of course, I had to look unfazed, nonchalant and entirely in the moment if he were to continue filming me that night on the opening mass. Today was pretty good, the excitement is beginning to recede - the highlight of the day was having the Pope himself about five metres away from me and starting a chant in approximately three different nations! :D This morning, I had to do the reading, quite nervous but it kept me awake and defended my body against the dreaded onset of a microsleep. In any case, standing there before that crowd of people reminded me that I love speeches. Despite the terribly nerve-wrecking prelude to said speech, there's something so exhilarating about being up there, knowing that people are drinking in your every word. Mass was satisfying though, except for the fact that the girl sang "Here I am to Worship" in a very strange and high key that was impossible to both grasp the melody from, and reach with my alto voice.

In any case, we trained it to the city and I slept all the way on Toni's shoulder from Blacktown to Central lol, once again alighted at Wynyard and walked from there to Barangaroo. This walk was MUCH more convenient as the crowds of the Opening Mass weren't present. However it was still fun chanting and singing with pilgrims from across the world. People were chanting their patriotic cries in several languages (the German one is so cool by the way), us Aussies constantly shouted our "Aussie Aussie Aussie - OI, OI, OI" while everyone from the States had their "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" Anyway, I thought it would be appropriate in the prelude to the Pope's official arrival to get the "Benedicto!" Chant going (Benedict XVI - Man I want one of those BENEDICTO 16 shirts). So randomly I yelled as loud as I could "BENEDICTO!" *Clapping rhythm follows* at first no one answered and I was like "Shame man! Rejected!" But then a Spanish woman followed with a response of "BENEDICTO!" so there I was leading the chant with the Spanish, American, German, Italian and of course us Aussies. It felt so cool!!!! o(>____<)"o

It was so peculiar at Barangaroo though, it was as though they had sent everyone in Blacktown or the Parramatta Diocese to the same area as I saw heaps of people I knew, met up with them, chatted and everything. The Pope's arrival was weird though, didn't see a thing. But when he was up there talking, he was so cute! (In the non-aesthetic sense, in the old man "aaw" sense, just to clarify) I loved his accent, and his English was much better than expected. The shades of nuance in the terms he used, and the specific connotations with carefully selected words were able to unlock new ideas and meanings to notions I had believed all my life. He gave me new perspective on so many things simultaneously, they were truly words of wisdom. But my gosh! That man is such a linguist! He can speak like 5 or 6 different languages! I envy his linguistic abilities! So fluent! So awesome! When he toured around in that cute Pope-Mobile of his (OMG I think of Mr. Grace and his discomfort at saything those words when I think 'Pope-Mobile') I was like 5m away from him!! Woo! His presence here in Australia very much became a reality to me.

In any case, after his Holiness had left to tour around Sydney we had to wait a while for Bianca, Jay, Joan and Colista to return. Lucky. Got to be on the boat with the Pope. (Lol that almost rhymes!) The concert was alright, but as TJ mentioned, they were all "No Frills" acts. Ones of relative fame, but no one really knew them. It was still cool to jump around with randoms though. GOODNESS! The amount of Free Hugs! I can't believe how many people I've hugged today! Countless! There was that guy today, "Anyone from NSW gets a 75% better hug!" and he hugged me first! XD and then there was that charging group of Melbourne guys! xD Who ran up to us, and then we all ran up to them (the WHOLE youth group) and then this guy really hugged me like bear hug and then the youth group joined in and we were squashed into this patriotic sort of mosh-pit jumping up and down. Only problem was, was that because everyone squashed into us, we were still hugging and jumping and unable to untangle..... unfortunately well, I would NEVER rub up against like that unless we were.... married or something! Thankfully, this is a Catholic event where all sense of the sexual is completely irrelevant and/or ecclipsed by religious energy.

I slept on the ride home, we returned home quite early today! Instead of the usual ten o'clock, we left at approximately seven-thirty. OMG We met the Croatians on the bus! I swear, they are the most jubilant and indefatigably exuberant people you will ever meet! I just spent the last few hours trying to google that "Alleluia" song they always sing. It is the CATCHIEST tune, and they sang non-stop from the station to the bus, on the bus, all the way to the church and even out of the bus. Then they started their dancing circle. And oh! LOL that adorable Croatian guy who asked for the ball, with the broken english but who's HELLA PRO at soccer can play the drums! I just wanted to hop into their dancing circle, but I was too exhausted.

All in all, today was a good day. :) It wasn't as eventful and we didn't do much, but we saw the Pope, and that was an accomplishment. I mean, who can say that they were there on Pope Benedict's first visit to Australia. It's surely something to remember! I must get to bed! Oooh Ill bring my tambourine and a camera tomorrow! To upload take heaps of photos! :D

Until tomorrow!

Dana xoxoxoxox