March 23, 2012, by Mark

St. Paddy’s & Steak

So it turns out the United States celebrates St. Patrick’s Day on a grander scale than the Irish in Ireland themselves. Saturday was just a wash with the colour green everywhere you looked and the bars opened especially early, a blessing for some and peril for many more. I started the day watching the English beat the Irish in the final game of the six nations rugby, made all the more sweet by being sat next to an actual Irish citizen and the fact that I had steak for breakfast. And with the sun out it was a great weekend!

Even before the weekend’s festivities were over the workload pressed again, with much of Sunday spent in the darkroom creating masterpieces of photography. This was only split up by an extra Sunday class I attended due to the sheer amount to cover in the remaining weeks, something that made me contemplate what the reaction in Nottingham would be if students were asked to voluntarily attend an extra class on the day of rest…

The weather continues to make all the studying just that bit easier with sunshine becoming a daily part of life here at the University of Virginia. Although it’s still quite sometime until I board a plane back to the U.K. it is beginning to dawn on me how little time I have left here and how I must continue to make the most of everything studying in America has to offer!

Next week’s post may be a little early or late as it is my 21st Birthday. If you are not aware turning 21 is quite a big deal here, it is the legal drinking age and a much-celebrated event. The phrase ‘when in Rome’ comes to mind…

I will leave you with an image I came across this week, take a look at the link there are some splendid photos of the University of Virginia on there.

– Mark J Richardson

Photograph: Cassidy Girvin

http://434photo.wordpress.com/

Posted in 2011-Mark