Skipping Ahead

So it's my second day on campus, in class, etc. etc. I must admit that CUA has a beautiful campus. There isn't a particularly unified architectural style on campus, but there's certainly no Science Complex/Clapp Building (probably b/c they haven't gotten anyone from MSUB to design a building for them)
There are buildings on this campus that are just as old as Main Hall and others, such as their University Center, which i'm currently seated in, that are pretty brand-spanking-new. Some buildings have an extremely Gothic revival sort of twist, while others are pretty modern looking. It's definitely brings an interesting dynamic to the overall campus. I think my favorite building so far i haven't even been in yet. It's the architectural studies building. I may like it because it reminds me of an art building, and when you walk past in the evening when it's quieter on campus you can smell sawdust and see students at work.
There's also a Basilica on campus. It sort of dominates the campus skyline... if you can really consider it having such a thing. It's the first thing you can see of campus two stops before you actually reach the Brookland stop. I didn't take the opportunity to go inside of it yesterday to snap pictures, but the interior of the building is quite impressive and decadently decorated with mozaic tiling. There's so much gold and azure in there, I can't even come up with an accurate way to describe how dizzying and overwhelmingly gaudy it feels. That was my impression of it a few years ago at least. I'm obviously going to have to check it out again and see if i feel any differently about it.
(alright, just stole a picture from someone else on Flickr, if you want to see it: http://bit.ly/upY2h it's an HDR, so take the colors with a grain of salt, that style of photography tends to over-emphasize colors and make things appear a little surreal)
I haven't really spent much time exploring campus just yet, but hopefully i'll collect some more images to share in the near future. I'm feeling a little shutter-shy because i haven't really eased into campus life yet. Don't feel quite at home just yet, but i hope that will come with time... or i'll just obnoxiously behave like a tourist and take pictures anyway.
To touch on my program briefly, I've had the craziest roller-coaster ride with what is going on over the past week and a half, and that in itself has been exhausting.
The Irish Studies Program was established shortly after the institution itself was established. We're talking a 100 year old program, established by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, although at that time it was established as a Celtic Studies program, idealizing early christian Ireland and the folklore of that time. 15-20 years ago the program was given an endowment from an elderly lady (who my professor, Dr. Coilin Owens) said was slightly crazy, and has been receiving funds from that estate since. Over the summer, the two major players in the program, Dr. Christina Mahony and Dr. Bob Mahony, went their separate ways and left the program in ruins. As my current adviser puts it, this is the last year any new students will be starting the program, and as far as i can tell those students consist of me.
It's quite bizarre to me to go from a budding program at UM, that has people pushing for it to survive and grow, to a program that has been established for such a long time but has been left to fall apart. I thought i was getting tired of the same courses and things being offered at UM, only to go to a school where they really aren't offering anything at all.
My plan at this point is to do 15 credits here over this year (two courses this semester and 3 next) then to do the internship and study-abroad in Dublin in the Fall. I have a meeting with my adviser today at 2:30, and am hoping that together, we can make some kind of game-plan in that regard.

I keep forgetting what a great experience getting to live in the DC area really is at this point. I have been so focused on trying to figure out what's going on with school and this program that i haven't been able to soak it in. I'm going to take the opportunity this weekend to tour around some places a little in DC. Or at least that is my hope. I would love to get out of the city and get away from everything, but don't know if that's going to be such a wise plan right now. Maybe in October i'll have an opportunity to go out and take in some more rural surroundings. I'm really looking forward to seeing the fall set in on the Appalachians. you can count on some more photos then.
I do have other photos to share from the past few days, Metro images, DC images, but i'll go back in time, posting them this weekend, then flash forward to include images i plan to take this weekend.