Letters of joy from girl and boy

They continue their dreams,

But shall wake soon and hope for letters,

And none will hear the postman's knock

Without a quickening of the heart.

For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?

W.H.Auden, Night Mail

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

16 November 1999

To my gorgeous Tom Cruise- lookalike boyfriend,

I wish I could I could call you and speak to you now. It feels so strange not knowing where you are but hope you are safe and are enjoying your adventure. What an adventure! When you told me you and Ben had planned to cycle down the West Coast of Africa, I immediately thought that it was your way of breaking up with me, but you were so right, we are both so young and still need to experience a lot separately but together. I’m so glad you suggested staying together though. Anyway just to let you know I’ve arrived in Marsala safely and shall tell you more about it and how my Italian is progressing next time. I’m sending this on to your parent’s house in Bristol as they said they would forward on to you. 

Yours, Rachel xx

Ps. Write soon, I love you and miss you. Pps my bed is enormous… wish you were here with me on it now. Ppps. I hope James and Michael don’t intercept this letter! Xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

20 November 1999

Ciao Ma, Pa and Fergie! 

I shall call you at the weekend but wanted to send you a postcard with a pic from Marsala. Isn’t it gorgeous! First week here is going well …have met lots of other teachers, lovely Irish girl called Mary. I swear her composition is mostly caffeine and nicotine! Lovely but completely wired! I’m enjoying talking about the rugby with her and my Aussie boss! Ha! Hope you’re both well and fergie is keeping you busy with walkies. Lots of love to you and everyone at home! Ciao ciao , Rachel xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

23 November 1999

To my gorgeous little sis, Rosie,

How are you doing ? How’s all in Cardiff? Are you enjoying your final year? How are those strapping young rugby players? Met any more hotties? Want to hear all your news! Talking about hotties…the Sicilian men are smoking hot! Don’t tell Rory I said that! Ha! They have this intensity when they look at you in the street. It’s quite unnerving but also incredibly sexy. Anyway, I’m starting my first classes in the Liceo Classico later today so looking forward to that and Naomi, my new boss has mentioned I’ll be joined by a lovely American teacher called Dan so I look forward to meeting him! 

Lots of love and send me all the goss from the diff! Your older blister xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

26 November 1999

To my gorgeous best friend in the world, ‘Trolley la belle’

Sorry to tease, it brings me so much joy to call you that. I mean you’re not that posh are you Charlie…trolley! How does Charlie become Trolley? Makes me laugh to this day. How are you my darling? How are finals going? Hope you’re surviving and not getting too distracted by all the recruitment parties! Have you got suitably sloshed and have you agreed to sell your soul to JPSchmoozagon or some such yet? What I have seen of Marsala and Sicily I love so far. I’d love

you to come and see it and me but know you’re stacked. My boss is so so lovely and absolutely stunning. She looks like Nicole Kidman’s sister. She treated me to the most amazing lasagna yesterday lunchtime. Delicious and her husband Giovanni is not too bad either! Boom boom. Oh I miss you and all the naughtiness we were having …work hard, play harder! Write when you have a sec! Rach xx

Essaouira beach , Marakkesh

29 November 1999

Dearest bun,

I miss you so much. I don’t know what I was thinking suggesting we spend time apart…all I can think about is you and how much I want to tell you I was foolish to suggest being apart. Our trip is proving to be much more difficult than I thought. The other day we saw what we thought was a harmless group of children running towards us but I think the heat and larium must be getting to us as it turned out to be a group of fully grown men who then ransacked our bikes and left us with next nothing. They didn’t attack us but we cycled off a bit mentally bruised. We are now relaxing for a bit at essaouaira beach which is truly stunning. I hope we can visit together one day. Anyway please do tell me how life in Sicily is. When I’m feeling tired and hungry I like to think about you and all the delicious Sicilian treats on offer. I’ll write again soon. Rory xx

Blangdon Farm, Middle Wollop

30 November 1999

Dearest darling daughter, 

It was lovely to speak to you the other evening. It sounds like you’ve landed yourself a wonderful ‘gig’ as you younguns say and are enjoying the good life. Our Prime Minister has just announced his wife is having a fourth child. Maybe it’s not too late for your mother and I? Sorry that will turn your tummy no doubt. We miss you so much but fergie is keeping us busy. She’s such a sociable spaniel …bit of a flirt if you ask me…better go…your mother is asking me to go to the bakery to pick up her crusty baps. Ciao Bella and enjoy the magic, pops, ma and Fergie xx

Room 27, Llandudno halls, Cardiff university

1 December 1999

Yo sis, how’s it hanging?

The diff is fine although quite a juggle as my bar job and writing my dissertation is proving interesting as I seem to spend a lot of time pissed. How’s Italy? Have you met any hot Italian men you want to introduce me too? Ha! Hope you’re ok, miss you big sis! Rosie Xx

Corpus Christi college, Oxford ya

3 December 1999

Hey gorgeous, how are you or should I say ciao for now? All fine here. Up to my eyes in study and cocktails. I am currently being courted by a very attractive consultant from JP but I don’t know if I’m ready to sell my soul just yet. I may escape to Africa as soon as I’m out of here…Chris has got a gig working on some high end safari as a tour guide so I thought I could pick up some of the action. How’s Rory getting on? Have his balls dropped off yet? Sorry! How are you feeling about things? Miss you loads, love you loads , Trolley

Xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

5 December 1999

My love,

How are you getting on? How are you getting on with Ben? Have you seen some amazing wildlife and met some nice people? Something wonderful seems to happen every day here and I’m so thankful and grateful for your encouragement. Yesterday, I turned up at the Liceo Classico to teach my first lesson and the students were nowhere to be seen. So odd…I waited 10 minutes in case they were running late but then decided to have a walk down the corridor where I heard giggling…. There must have been twenty absolutely stunning 16 -year -olds gazing dreamily at this 6ft 2, built for the marine corps, blond -haired,

blue -eyed Daniel. He gave me a very embarrassed smile when I walked in and said ‘I’m so sorry. Hi I’m Daniel. I think these ladies were on their way to you…’ at which point I replied ‘oh I doubt that very much’. When I ushered them into my classroom, the number of times I heard ‘I luvva Daniel, I really luvva him’ uttered. Oh dear god. Anyway it turns out Daniel has just arrived to help with the classes at the high school and he is here with his fiancé Lisbet as he keeps telling everyone. Anyway enough about me. I shall write again and send you lots of love and snogs xx

‘The Willows’ , 190 Bath road, Bristol

6 December 1999

Hello my darling,

As you will see from my address, I am writing from home. I feel I have failed but I just couldn’t have carried on. Ben is completely nuts and felt he could just push through blindly but each morning I was waking up with these very strange senses of doom. Now that I am not taking larium, I do believe it was that. I think we weren’t well equipped for the onward journey to Agadir and I honestly think Ben is completely out of his depth. He was disappointed that I wouldn’t be joining him but he knew how much I was missing you. Anyway sorry to be full of doom. Please do tell me more and I hope all those lecherous Italians are staying away from you. Maybe I should come and join you? How would you feel about that? I will need to come up with a plan soon as mum will not get off my back about what I’m going to do. She even suggested medical school this morning. Not sure I’d be up for that. I miss you, please write again soon, Rory x

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

6 December 1999

Charlotte,

Sorry for the formality but I’m concerned about something.

I felt I had to write to you as I have just heard Rory is now back in Bristol after his travels around Africa. It didn’t work out for him and sounds as if he was experiencing an adverse reaction to Larium. He has however suggested joining me here which has sent me into a mild panic . How am I able to focus on building friendships and relationships out here and focusing on my students if my boyfriend joins me out here? This was meant to be us separately growing and then getting back together in 6 months or so. I know I was desperately sad when I left him but I’m rather enjoying a bit of freedom out here. Tell it to be straight. Am I being desperately selfish? 

Rach xx

Corpus Christi college, Oxford ya

7 December 1999

Darling Rachel, you are not being selfish and I have to admit I think he’s being a bit of a prick given that it was he who suggested this ‘time out’ situation. Look I’m still secretly hoping you find a gorgeous Italian baron who sweeps you off your feet and has an equally gorgeous brother for me . Joke but not a joke. I think you just focus on you…ooh and tell me about your night out with Daniel while his fiancé was away? Want to hear more about that! Right I need to brush up on my knowledge of lipids. Speak soon, Trolls x

‘The Willows’ , 190 Bath road, Bristol

8 December 1999

Darling Rachel,

I am counting down the days until you return home for Christmas. All I can think about is us being together. We can talk more when you are here but maybe we can apply for a teaching position in a different country? We could go to Bulgaria? I hear there are lots of vacancies there. In the meantime maybe I can look at joining you for the last week or two in Sicily? What do you think about that? I’ll look at flights today. Rory xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

10 December 1999

My love, thank you so much for your last letter. I would love to see you but I fear that if you come out to see me in the next couple of weeks I will be completely distracted with planning and teaching and catching up with some of the friends and families I’ve started to know. Perhaps your next adventure if round the corner but you haven’t found it yet? What about heading out to see Chris in Africa? We’ll have a fantastic Christmas and I look forward to being in your arms then. Yours, Rachel xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

5 January 2000

Dearest Ma, Pa and Fergie

Hope you’re all having a good start to the year!

It was so wonderful to see you all at Christmas and it was so sweet of Granny to lay on an Italian style Christmas. Her Tirimasu was divine! It was so lovely to all be together and I hope you weren’t too sad to hear they have offered me an extended contract out here. I’m so pleased you’ll be able to all visit over Easter. Amazing! Naomi tells me that that is when the islands near here are completely wonderful for a visit. Sending you lots of love and speak soon, Rachel xx

Flat 20, Via Francesco Crispi, Marsala

My wonderful best friend, I’m so pleased to have a friend like you who I can be truly honest with. How is all in Oxford? Are you on countdown? It was so wonderful to see you albeit briefly before I flew back. To continue where we ended our conversation…as I mentioned I felt as if Rory was piling on the pressure for me to leave Sicily early so I explained that I felt we should continue as we had said…to continue our seperate adventures knowing that we will come together again in 6 months. He seemed very unimpressed that I’d been offered an extended contract here and accepted it without consulting him. He has started applying for medical schools in the UK so we shall see but for now I’m happy knowing that I have you by my side, my family and all the magic to look forward to here! Ciao for now babe xx