E-mails
I never have anytime to update, so here are copies of some e-mails I've sent.
Hi Dad and Mom!
I just thought I'd write a quick e-mail to you. Today we visited all of the house placements except mine and Chris's, which we're going to visit tomorrow. So many former Jesuit Volunteers live in Baltimore, and it seems like they all live in our neighborhood.
I had my first beer ever last night, though it was a vanilla beer. My housemates say they'll have me drinking Guinness by the end of the year.
Dear James,
I'm in Baltimore! We just got here yesterday. I have access to e-mail, I only have to walk 15 minutes to Hopkins to get it. I can be reached by phone, although I'll be out of the house sometimes for the city orientation. I'm sharing a room with Emily, who is from Columbus, and we have a terrace. Our house is so cool, but there is so much crap from all the previous years of JVs. There's a cat named Lupus that comes by too, and we bought some cat food for him out of our food money.
I love my community so far, but I'm worried about work and all the parties that people are planning. Luckily my hours are so odd I'll be able to beg out of some of the road trips. Apparantly each of the 16 JVC:East communities host a party during the year, and Chris wants to go to almost all of them. Baltimore's party is Labor Day, which is the Saturday after next, so then we'll be free.
But James, there is a free bookstore in Baltimore. Free books. They get grants and every Saturday they just give books away! There was a whole bookshelf in the house too.
I'm sorry you got sick. Was it from the planes? I hope you'll get settled in soon. I prayed for you at petitions at orientation when everybody had to say one thing they wanted our prayers for. I miss you an awful lot.
What is your address, punk? How am I supposed to write love letters to you? I love you I love you I love you.
Dear Russell (who just moved to D.C.),
Awesome! I just got into Baltimore yesterday, and I'm in the Hopkins library right now. We had JVC:East orientation, and now we're into the Baltimore orientation, and Monday I start work, where I will have yet another orientation.
Our house is awesome, and my community is awesome. I'm sharing a room with Emily, who is from Columbus, we have two gods from Jersey (that's how Chris would like to be addressed as), a woman from near St. Louis who got engaged two days before coming to orientation, and a woman from Alabama. We went shopping today, and I think it will be quite easy to stay within our stipend. Apparently Baltimore is where former Jesuit Volunteers go to die, because we've met four already.
I saw the puppets in your picture, and for the life of me I can't remember what they're called now. I remember Alexander/Sasha, but I don't think he was there.
So I definitely have to come visit you sometime after I get all settled in. Or you can always come to Baltimore too.
That's all I have time for, I should get home before it gets too late, although I am here with my housemates. Perhaps someday soon I'll have time for a real update.
