5) Arrival at the house

Arriving at the Casa has thrown me from one surprise to the next. This seemingly erratic household is unexpectedly well-run, and the twenty or so inhabitants who float around like inspiring nymphs work together like a tight nit organism.

So, who is here? There is the French crowd, artists staying here from June to November through a collaboration with a French artist organisation. Additionally, there are some loose habitantes, mostly American, long stayers too. Then we have the lovely house crew; Ira and Eli run all practical cosas in and around the house, and Sophie,

Sarah, and Georgina manage the place while living in the village.
Finally, there is my November crew, who are here for this month, just like me. As we all arrived on the first of November, we spotted the same overwhelmed glance in each other's eyes and the six of us have clung together ever since.

A quick introduction; First, there is Clara from Montreal. She makes something called mail art using fabrics. More on that later. Then there is Foon, originally from Hongkong but a US citizen for many years, where he teaches art as a professor at the university. He builds conceptual art installations. Marcia, also from Montreal, is a writer working on a short story collection. Yes, just like me. And people keep confusing the two of us, so apparently, we have a lot in common.
Last but not least is the happy duo Elise and Steff from Edinburgh. Honestly, whenever I hear more about their projects, I get more curious, so I can't wait to find out more.

I spent the first day lounging around in the sun and figuring out the layout of this charming house.
Its hallways, little sitting areas, stairways that each seem to end up on different floors, and its many nooks and crannies leave my November crew and I in a constant state of confusion whenever we step through a new doorway. But I love it, so let’s see if I’ll manage to write.