Wanderlust: Travels Through Ireland and Beyond: My School Has A Castle and I Sunk Your Battleship! Win.

Okay, let me start by saying, the food here is DELICIOUS. I don't know who informed me other wise before coming here, but they were sadly mistaken. Everything is as fresh as can be and the dairy is actually the bestin the world, I'm sure of it. I am loving it and I came here expecting to hardly eat at all haha.I feel like I'm getting so spoiled that when I get back the the US I'm going to groan and moan about all the food I eat. Oh well, I guess I will just enjoy it while I can.

Yesterday was fun but such a long day as well. We left for the school at 9 (trusty Robert picked us up in the Van) and we were mostly lectured at for the whole day, not necessarily a bad thing, just a lot to process. All the faculty and staff seem so nice! And so encouraging and creative! I love them all so far. The dean got up and said a few words about the school and then we heard something from all theprofessors so we know who teaches what now. We had a delicious lunch break and thenmorelectures,then another break, then we got assigned our studios!!!!! That was so exciting. Mine is perfect. I share it with my friend Casey and it's in the second floor (kind of a large attic-like space)of one of the buildings. There are skylights and windows and we can look down into the courtyard and our other friends' studios, it's superb!

Afterwards we heard about a few of the projects some of the professors are working on in each of their fields. We only heard photo and painting but oh man am I excited to start classes with them! The photo professor is amazing and she does the kind of work that I really would love to get into, at least technique wise. I think I'm really going to enjoy working with her, slash, I'm really going to enjoy working with everyone. I already cannot wait to start classes! Ah! So after that we had some supper (delicious again!)and then before we headed back to the house we went on a super secret mission to switch Mandy's studio spaces with a girl who is actually not doing the program anymore so she could be in the awesome studio spaces in the sky with Casey and me haha. It was successful of course.

So pretty much we spend the entire day on campus, checking it out and getting to know the staff. It was a good day. Once we got back to the house we grabbed our fluorescent walking vests and torches and headed to the convenient store for some groceries which we were in dire need of. Some of us were living off of rice cakes and peanut butter *cough* Hannah *cough*. We walked Mandy home, after she tried so hard to convince us that her walk wasn't that scary or that dark (whichit actually was) and then took a shortcut home through a feild which involved climbing over the rock wall in the graveyard next to the church on the way out.So exciting! haha.

Once getting back, Casey, Hannah, Erica andIjust hung out in the living room all night watching Clubland, Flava, Scuzz, and Dance Nation - which hadmusic videos that were oh so thrilling If I might say so myself, and then Hannah and I played Sea Battle (aka Battleship). I had never played and I totes sunk all of her battleships. Win.

Anyways, basically I'm still getting settled in, but I'm already socomfortable. I love it here so much. I love being surrounded by art students! I really like all the people here, they are all so inspiring and interesting and funny and wonderful to be around. I love the humor in the air and beautiful environment. This is such a great atmosphere for me and I'm already enjoying it so so much.

On a sadder not, I'm still rather sick. My illness keeps evolving; it went from wet cough to wet cough and stuffy/runny nose, to mild cough and cannot breathe through my nose. My head has a bit of pressure today and I'm feeling groggy, but luckily today isn't too busy so I can take it easy. Go figure the first rain storm I get caught in I don't have my rain coat and get sick.

Alright, well that's all for now.

- Cait

** UPDATE

Photos :)

My Studio!!