Jeff, Roxana, Dan, and their summers

Continuing yesterday’s theme of “what I did on my summer vacation,” today we hear from Jeff, Roxana, and (almost) Dan.

First, Jeff, who definitely made the most of his summer:
Despite not having any exotic vacation plans this past summer, I had a great time.  In fact, I can’t believe summer has come to an end and students are already back on campus.   My vacation consisted of relaxing on the beaches of Cape Cod, where I spent a couple of weeks with friends.  Each August, we come together from various cities to spend a week in Provincetown (the best spot on the Cape).  Provincetown is quite an eclectic place filled with great restaurants, bars, entertaining shows, and beautiful beaches.  Aside from my time there, I spent a weekend whitewater rafting in Maine, a weekend hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and quite a few weekends on Rhode Island beaches.  I guess you can say I covered most of New England this summer.

While those trips were solely for pleasure, I also visited Washington, DC three times for Fletcher recruitment events, where I met many interesting prospective students, from all over the world, who were there for internships, educational programs, or full-time employment.  These trips are always fun, as I’m able to visit old friends, and I love DC in the summer.  (I’m a big fan of hot, humid weather.)  As always, I also ran into Fletcher students (both past and present) and professors.  It’s always nice to catch up on the fly while running through the streets.  Now I’m back in the Office preparing for my travels to Asia, Europe, and the Pacific northwest of the U.S., recruiting students for next year’s class.  Perhaps I will see some of you blog readers during my travels!

Next, Roxana, whose big summer activity was the result of many months of planning:
This summer was very eventful for me as I made a significant change in my life!  Friends and family from all over joined my fiancé and me in Nahant, MA for a wonderful wedding ceremony and reception.  Many of my favorite Fletcher student friends were also in attendance.  In honor of our multicultural backgrounds, we had a “Fletcher-esque” ceremony, which included a reading by Khalil Gibran, a hand fasting ritual, and jumping the broom.  The reception lasted well into the night, with a whirlwind tour of Boston the next day for our out-of-town guests.  For our honeymoon, we wanted to go to a country neither of us had been to before, and Costa Rica was the winner.  After a week in a rainforest at the base of the active Arenal Volcano, zip-lining, waterfall rappelling, and lounging in natural hot springs, I can happily say that Costa Rica was the best place I’ve vacationed at thus far.  Even after returning with the flu and pneumonia, I can’t wait to go back.

Last, I’m going to add a few words about Dan‘s summer.  As you may know, Dan Birdsall joined the staff in July, fresh from two years as a MALD student.  Just over a month after he moved into his office, he was off for a pre-arranged break.  Like Roxana, Dan was taking time for his wedding and honeymoon.  On Monday, Dan will tell you a bit more about himself.