I was beginning to think this whole rain thing in Ireland was a joke. It's been so gorgeous lately that I never thought we were going to actually get any bad weather. Definitely not. I just got caught in the second downpour in two days. Not what I would call "soft rain."

So, about that archaeology quiz......an interesting way to start the morning. "I guess it could have been worse" is the optimistic way to look at the situation. I don't think we are getting them back for a while so no point in worrying too much. But thank you, Maryfran, you're right. 30 years from now, even a month from now, I will certainly have more regard for that beautiful time I spent down by the river than for an example of a portal tomb (for the record, I actually got that question right!).

Although I would have loved having some extra time at home with my family (and yes, probably spending a weekend or two up at Holy Cross), making the Early Start Program a requirement is a good move by Holy Cross. Way to go, Britain Smith. When my archaeology class started a couple of weeks ago, the last thing (and I mean the LAST thing) on my mind was schoolwork. I was still totally in laid-back, summer camp counselor mode. Teaching Period 1 (i.e. the official start of 1st semester) doesn't begin until September 20th, which is also when the majority of the UCC students will arrive. Up until now, the campus has been fairly empty. The only students here are visiting international students who are participating in the Early Start Program. If I arrived in Cork just a few days prior to the official start of the 1st semester, I would have been SUNK. Being here has helped me slowly transition into academic mode, and also transition to my new surroundings, becoming more and more familiar with the city every day. And although it has been happening slowly, I am also starting to meet other visiting American students who are in my class and live in the same apartment complex as I do. Overall, despite the surprising difficulty of my archaeology class, I am glad I have had the opportunity to be here for the Early Start Program, and I am more than ready to get back in the swing of school.

My laundry should be finishing up soon so I'm going to grab it and then head to the library to research my Archaeology paper. It just never ends, does it?

No pictures today, but after my overnight field trip up to Dublin on Wednesday I'm sure I will have plenty to share.

Happy Labor Day! and Slan!