Day 7: 1st Week Down

I thought I was becoming a photographer yesterday. Turns out, I actually began my training today. The DTS was split into different groups and moved all over the castle to learn different steps of the photographing process. I was happy to hear that I was placed in a group too. It’s exciting to learn something totally new. I spent the first hour of the rotation in the dark room with my pinhole camera. Unfortunately, it wasn’t finished, so I had to use an old one. I learned all about the process of setting up the dark room in order to develop photos. It made me happy to hear that it was one of the other student’s first times in a room like that too. If they would’ve tossed me in there and said, “go”, I would’ve been so lost. It’s a complicated process, at least to somebody who knows nothing about developing photos. You have to make sure the door is shut, but not only the door to the room. You have to make sure the door to the door to the room is shut. The lights have to be off in the first room before you can turn them off in the second, and then you have to turn on a red light. I would do the process injustice if I tried to explain it to you. Your best bet is just to ask Elliot or somebody else who knows more than me. It was cool to load the cardboard box cameras and take a picture then see it developed. Mine turned out to be all black, which meant that the camera I used had some sort of light leak in it. Oops. Oh well, it was still fun to see it happen. Next was learning about developing black and white film. Evidently film is different than developing RC paper, which is what I developed with the pinhole camera. Everything is totally new to me. It’s all probably really easy to understand, but I still feel lost in the whole thing. I like learning, though. After the film section, lunch came and went. After lunch, the toilets came. I don’t know if I’m just getting lucky or people aren’t pooping, but there is never poop on the toilets. That makes me happy. Cleaning toilets is something new for me, but I think it is revolutionizing my life. Or maybe it’s just the smells from being too close to the toilets. Either way, it is good to give back to the castle for all that they are constantly doing for me. Everyday, somebody different asks me what I’m doing in the castle. I tell them that I’m only passing through and that I’m a guest, not a student. Every single person that I’ve told my story to has told me that there is no way I’m going to be able to leave. They say that once people come to the castle, they never want to leave. I can understand why. I think that if I could, I would stay forever, but I can’t. My plans are to leave next Friday for Salzburg until school starts in February. I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye to the magnificent Watercastle, and the wonderful people living inside the castle. Saying goodbye to the castle will only be saying hello to Austria, though, and it’s a necessary part to the journey. I spent most of the afternoon again in the café talking to more of the people from the Pick A Pocket ministry. I talk to them everyday, and everyday I’m amazed by what I hear. I feel like what I’m writing may be a little boring for you, so if you ever feel like my writing is dragging on, just stop reading and go do something exciting instead. You won’t hurt my feelings because there’s really no why I’ll know that you did it. I don’t even really know who reads this rambling writing. The only way I know is if you leave me a comment at the end of my messages. Apparently, only my mom reads because she’s the only one who’s left a message. All of the rest of you must be too lazy. Just kidding, you don’t have to write anything, but remember, I’d love to hear how everything is going in your life; no matter who you are. That is unless your life is boring, but I don’t think that is true for any of you. Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that I’m writing this and people are reading it. I usually write at the end of the night when I have nothing else to do, and I try to remember everything that happened during the day. Rarely can I remember everything, but I try. It’s something I enjoy. I tell the students that they can take photographs, but I like to write, even if it’s just about my unexciting day. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is, my writing may not always be exciting or filled with information. It may be truly stupid and boring or useless, but it serves a purpose. It is very important for me. I like to not only let you know what is happening, but I like to make sure that I remember what happens for myself. Most of the stuff that I write about in this blog is also written I my journal, but I write much more personal things there. Writing is good for everybody. It is healing. It is relaxing. Writing is sometimes boring, but always necessary. Writing is thinking, and it is also an adventure. Somebody, I think from a movie, once told me that writing is a journey into the unknown. I really enjoy that statement. None of this may mean anything to you, but I think it is good for people to hear. I will step down off of my soapbox now and say goodnight. Bis Morgen.