July 16

Last day of the Pinhole Workshop. I only stayed until lunch break today. We spent the morning showing the kids some more darkroom tricks; photograms and solagrams. They were so impressed with the tiny tricks. It was funny. It was also "ask Rachel about America day." They had so many hilarious questions and completely incorrect assumptions.

- Rachel, you live in the South right, so do you go truck hunting?
- Rachel, do you live near any neo-Nazis?
- Rachel, Minnesota is the hick state, right?
- People in New York City are so friendly. (Insert their best American accents here.)
- Rachel, why is the chocolate in America so bad?

(String photograms.)

(Making prints of their faces.)

So at the break, I had to leave to go to a meeting with Common Ground. I got my stuff together and said my goodbyes. I was surprised how upset I was to leave. I had only known these people for five days, but I was really sad to go. The kids hugged me and said they would find me on facebook and they would mail me potatoes if I mailed them twizlers, which apparently is what Ireland's missing! Donal gave me the chips below as a going away present. They said they were part of his lunch, but it's ok, I needed to take them, cause he was basically offended when I hadn't tried this brand of chips yet. Darragh and Aoife said they were really good, too. I gave the other "leaders" their goodbye totebags, and with a laugh and a hug I was finished with my time in the Gallery of Photography. Sad. I'll miss them. It was a fun week. I walked out of the gallery and almost felt tears coming. I've only known them for a few days. I can't imagine how it's gonna be when I leave Common Ground, and then two days later, leave all the girls. I don't even wanna think about it.

(Gift from Donal.)

(Reading in a cafe for a few till I meet Siobhan.)

(Studio 468 team meeting.)

After the studio meeting, we went to a team celebration dinner for getting out the publication a few weeks ago. It was nice to go out with a new crowd for a while. Again, I was sad when I left, because I know I won't see Logan again, and I may not see Kieran or Chris again either. The two weeks we have left is starting to dawn on me.

(Team dinner in the Italian Quarter.)

(Cheers!)

(Starter: Bruchetta.)

(Main dish: Beef lasagna.)

(A really, really awkwardly composed image, but I'm glad to have a group photo. On the left side of the table is Siohban and Chris and on the right is Kieran, Logan, and myself.)