University College of Sorcery and WitchCraft

Dear Friends,

I am afraid that I have sold my soul to Magic Land and they won't let go of me till Christmas. And even at Christmas it will be difficult to leave the Land of Wonders, but by that time all the guards are stuffed with turkey and chocolate-pumpkins and other Christmas treats that it will be easier for me to escape. I hope.

It is a land of forests and banana slugs and secret caves and drum circles at full moon. The name for this land of wonders is UCSC, University College of Sorcery and WitchCraft (why it isn't called UCSW is a mystery to me), but it is known to muggles as University of California, Santa Cruz. However, I like to call it the College of Advanced Magic and Other Glittery Occupations, because that's what the lady with the stardust in her hair that I met in the forest said it was called before the Magical Reformations happened.

I live off campus because living on-campus would cost me too much; like all the childhood memories from before I was 5 years old, or the color of my hair. All I have to pay off campus is dollars, pfff. Silly muggles. They don't know what really has value in this world.

Some of my non-muggle housemates have shown me around on campus in the past few weeks, but the campus is so big that I still have trouble finding classes (how do you get from the one side of campus to the other in 15 minutes when there's a FOREST inbetween and your broom is broken? I can tell you, this is near impossible).

The College of Advanced Magic and Other Glittery Occupations is situated on the top of a hill in the middle of a forest in Santa Cruz, California.

Adventures I have had on Campus:

#1

I saw a deer. And got really excited. I stood really still, and tried to approach it carefully. In the background was the noise of a bus passing by and a loud bang of some sort. The deer didn't even flinch. I decided to walk normally. Wave my hand. The deer didn't seem to care much and grazed on.

#2

I saw another deer. And another. And another.

#3

I saw a racoon

#4

I saw a really big lizard when I was reading in one of the fields.

#5

I went into the Porter Caves.

Close to Porter College is a field. And next to that field is a forest, with a small path leading down. This path leads to a concrete patch with a hole blown into it, and if you look into that hole, there is a ladder leading down. And down there there are some small caves. Apparently people have parties there, in the muddy dampness. I went there with Grant (an ex-housemate) and we followed one of the tunnels till the end. At some points we had to crawl over the ground through the clay-like mud, only lit by the faint light of a torch. When we hit the end of the tunnel, we shared a chocolate chip cookie in the dark and crawl-walked back. In winter the tunnels flood with water and we're planning to go there with wetsuits on and put floaty candles in the water and just stand there because that's beautiful.

#6

There was a pond with big fish and one of the fish sucked on my finger. Ewww.

#7

I saw where the older generation magicians live. There is a trailer park in the middle of campus where the more established witches and sorcerors have put up their camp. The camp is full of beautiful vans and caravans which are wildly decorated and beautiful. I met a girl there who will teach me how to surf, the authentic muggle-way. Woot!

#8

I went hiking to the Garden of Eden. I left from campus with a small group of students and we walked for an hour, through forests and next to train tracks and down the hill the entire time (not realizing that going up was going to be much much harder without a broom) and eventually we came to the Garden. The Garden of Eden isa small valley with white sand beaches and a river flowing through (forming a small narrow lake) and rock walls that you can climb on and then jump off of them into the freezing water. I only took pictures with my non-digital camera, but I'm planning to go again tomorrow and then I will post some pictures here, I promise:)

#9

I went to class, which was scary because the courses I will take are really hard. It's gonna be one tough, tough quarter. I might not update much, but I'll try my best.

Much love,

Weike