Benedictine college, Atchison, KS

Why many of the most orthodox catholic colleges are located in small towns? We wondered about  that while driving for 9 hours in the rain to Atchison, Kansas, home of Benedictine College.

The Monastery

Atchison is on the Missouri river, at the border with..... yes, Missouri

Campus view from the river

The Ravens

Campus church

Stations of the cross in the woods

Walking on campus

What did we learn (or were reminded of) on this trip?

- You can truly perceive the virtues and the development of the whole person are at the core of the education on these campuses. The openness and love are palpable in people's smiles, their demeanor and the type of activities and events that are offered.
- All of our children need to take some theology classes before they graduate from college, even if they decide not to attend a catholic college.
- There are plenty more FedEx trucks on I-70 and I-80 than there are UPS trucks (Paolo's count was 105 to 35).
- Mom and dad like the small town atmosphere and simplicity of life.
- According to some locals we talked to, the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has made the small towns along I-70 in Kansas less safe. That's very sad.
- Daddy can drive for long hours on uncrowded highways. He likes to space out and he enjoys even the flat landscapes.
- We love traveling together and we missed Isabella not being with us, but the boys probably did better in the car without her.
- Paolo decided that one of his goals is to play at least one game of bowling in each one of the fifty states. In Kansas we played at the West Lanes bowling center. His score was 93. He can only improve from here.
- Daddy said he wants a US political map on the wall and highlight all the highways we drive on. There are already a lot of them.
- Next stop: University of Mary, in Bismark, North Dakota, probably in September.