Love Always, Ireland

-1-

From the moment the plane landed, I had crippling anxiety. The dialect was different, even though we were speaking the same language; clothing styles were unique; even the food was going to be a drastic change from my college diet of burgers and fries. Ireland was instantly beautiful—everything green, bold, and rich. Since I've never been away from home for more than a week, the next five weeks are going to be terrifying.

"Breathe." Kristy laughs at me as I stare out the window of the public transport bus.

I glance briefly at her and back out the window to a rainy Ireland day, not wanting to miss a single sight. "I am breathing."

"Well, you seem like you're going to puke, and you have since we left home. What are you so worried about? Five weeks here, one week of finals when we get home, followed by three, easy weeks until our ceremony. We are practically college graduates. You should be excited! We're in Ireland! This trip is going to be amazing!"

She stares at me with raised brows, waiting for some type of reply. Kristy thinks this is a holiday and we are here to party. We're not. I need to focus. My entire future is riding on this "trip".

"It's not a vacation. This is five of the most important weeks of college. You act as though we are finished. We're definitely not."

"School by day. Vacation by night!" she says excitedly. Also in a way that says she's looking for trouble.

I roll my eyes at her and go back to staring out the window at all the dampened, green grass. We pass crippling castles, farms, and beautiful churches. The homes are mostly small cottages—unlike the large farm houses I'm used to back in Iowa. I wish we had time to see more of Ireland. The schedule lying in front of me is extensive. I read it for the millionth time, attempting to commit it to memory.

Monday - Thursday
10AM - 4PM:
Filmography Musical Direction Class
(Prof. Tomlin, Room 73 of Campus B)

Friday
10AM - 12PM:
Exams/Final Music Selections Due*
(Tomlin/Sullivan**, Room 52 of Campus A)

Saturday-Sunday:
No Classes

Final Project:
Weeks 4-5 are dedicated to the last project.
No class until May 1st, finals day.

*Note:
Final four music selections will be on the class site on their due date. Voting will take place this same day by all students from Filmography, Cinematography and Musical Direction classes.

**Note:
Crypt Studio Internships will be rewarded after Graduation Ceremony. Alex Sullivan, CEO, will discuss this process in Ireland Class, day 1.

By the end of this trip, hopefully, I will have successfully become a musical director. We are here to score the movie our school's filmography and cinematography classes are shooting. They film, and we compete to add the perfect music. I came ready to compete. I want to be the head of my class and lead this project.

Kristy slams her hand down with a paper filled with addresses over my schedule. Her attempt to startle me was futile. I'm used to her constant need for attention.

"And those are?" I ask, not actually wanting to know.

"Bars, Annie. Good ones. Bars with delicious Irish beer and delicious Irish men with panty-wetting Irish accents. I have found a different one for every night we are here."

"A different man every night?" I grin, arching a brow in her direction.

"You know me." She shrugs. "I totally would."