Hi loves,

Sorry about the PostChap truancy. My month at the barn in Colrain, MA, was perfect. Unbelievably beautiful barnloft and house, sweet landlords and fellow renters, a swimming hole across the street and two more down the road, hidden hiking trails everywhere (my last day I found caves!). Mad used bookstores in downtown Greenfield. and delish fresh produce. Perfect, perfect. I saw becky and destry and sara d-z and danK each about once a week (carms, I really like that abbreviation cuz he definitely uses that word in convo ... ). My life was serene except for a few angsty hours interspersed contemplating my future with DanK - for those who don’t know, he left last week for south africa to work for this activist dude named zackie ahmat (who spoke at amherst's commencement). not going to elaborate, I’m sure you can all imagine.. the past couple days have been really rough because he’s been living far in the countryside without internets / possibilities for contact.

last week i lived w my parents at the jersey shore. They spent all their money for the next twenty years on a cottage in margate this summer, fully furnished, so my mom moved right in, she’s ecstatic. Guess it was the right choice! It is nice, and you’re all invited (but especially Carmella, who gets a shout out from my mom). Beachy breezes and soft sand, but stress from my parents, who really wanna know what I’m doing with my life!

Awesome. Moved to boston Saturday evening.. went out that night w mccune and mai and some other guy.. ridiculous. The next day I hung out w rhona and sara d-z (random, random), and then today was my first day of work! Exhausting. This is going to be exhausting – think 8 AM to 6 PM five days a week, working with kids or prepping to work with kids non-stop during that time. And it’s not paying me much money! But I’m excited for the relationships that I know I’m going to cultivate in the school with staff and students and my fellow fellows. Literally on Nichols st in Chelsea the set up is, school (ie, Phoenix Charter Academy), next building is the church, next building is the rectory, which is a big old funny mansion where they’ve housed nine fellows, including me, in my own swank room, so come visit!! / rosie, I can’t wait for you to come back!!

OK, so much love, rach.