Dear My Friends,

I feel so much love and gratitude for you all, I can barely form coherent sentences. It was so wonderful to see you tonight, especially as I begin the painful process of departing from home this week. Thank you for the letters, the hugs, and the stories of sexual harassment. (Really, nothing I like better than people bitching about other people who annoy me. No, really.)

You can't imagine how much I will miss you all, or how much I will hear your voices in my head when I am teaching, or picking tomatoes out of my food, or wearing my loafers, or about to do something stupid. Not because I'm schizophrenic, mind you, but because I have internalized you all and will be carrying you with me to Austria...and well beyond.

In any case, my extra bed in Stegersbach will always be available, barring stupid school regulations or something. Come to Europe, I'll show you...the golf course. I don't know. Anyway, thank you, I love you, I'll post again tomorrow, so this is not good bye.

Your AmerikanErin