Day 1: First Day in an Open Air Estate

So, this wasn't the first time that I had seen the house during the reconstruction phase that it is currently going through. Joe and I had seen it when we first came to visit San Antonio, a month before we moved here. It's not much different now, except it is supposed to be one week removed from having some systems restored.

It's a big beautiful, old house that has obviously seen many parties and many people walking through its halls, being entertained, and telling their individual stories. I walked in the courtyard and the construction manager met me. After telling him I was a new intern, he took me to one of the floor to ceiling window openings (the windows are being remodeled) to announce to my supervisor, Meg, that I had arrived. Meg happily met me at the front door of the aged three story house.

Its dark and hot in the inside with varying objects covered to be protected from construction dust. Only two rooms of this house are actually fit to sleep in, the rest are entertainment parlors, dotted with a kitchen, basement, and a bathroom or two. The room I am in faces Sheridan Street looking out towards the yard. Gaping holes where windows belong allow fresh hot summer air in. Next to me is a large wall made up of an old mirror. I wonder who has looked in this before me.

Meg shows me the important things: the fridge to put my lunch in, the bathroom, where I will be working at. I was introduced to the "Rhine Maiden", a very dusty and aged figurine chandelier of a flying woman with stag horns and candelabras surrounding here. It was my job to clean her without making the chipping paint on her come off anymore.

Although today was my birthday and I was being eaten by the mosquitoes flying through the open air window holes, I enjoyed taking care of this artifact. Meg got me some bug spray (I will be bringing my clip on next time) and I gently dusted her with paint brushes before I set up to dab her with water to take off the extra grime.

Many q-tips and washcloth dabs later, I finished my goal. Lunch with my supervisor, Meg, and the grounds Manager, Chris, was great. I got to learn more about them and more about me!

I love it here already. I look forward to this being my fall project.

To Know What You Love to Do is Bliss

Since I have started at Villa Finale (officially now, since Tuesday I was recommended not to come due to systems failures at the house), this blog will now be about my journey to becoming a museum curator and what paths I take to get there.