I spent 10 days in Worcester, Massachusetts in September and it just didn’t feel like a good fit. There’s a very cool art museum, public library, parks, and some great coffee shops. I went to a comedy show at the local theater one night, and had dinner at a cool East African restaurant. But the post-industrial architecture just didn’t grab me, so it was time to move on.
After two weeks in Providence, Rhode Island I think I’ve found my place. Providence is perfectly situated within about a 2-hour drive of all my people. It’s a manageable size city, and somehow wherever I need to go is always 10 minutes away. I rented a room in a house in the Federal Hill neighborhood with dedicated parking so I have access to a shower, laundry, and garbage through the end of October while I get myself situated. It is such a relief not to have to figure out all the logistics of daily life for a little while.
I’ve been taking my time exploring Providence, since this isn’t a rushed 10-day visit. The east side of Providence, where RISD and Brown University are located, is beautiful. I’ve been to a music festival, a beer garden, and a large park just south of the city. One night I took myself out for dinner and a play at the Barker Playhouse, which claims to be America’s oldest continuously running small theater (since 1909). I’ve even been on a couple first dates here.
My therapy practice is growing slowly, and I am now up to six clients. I think I might have what it takes to be a really good therapist. One of my clients, a woman in her mid-40s, is tough as nails in her daily life and somehow she wept openly for an entire session earlier this week, and was totally okay with it. She recognized how necessary and cathartic it was for her. I’m honored that my clients feel safe with me, and I will continue to hold space for whatever they need to heal and move forward in their lives.
I’m also beginning to find ways to connect with the community beyond simply exploring the city. In addition to therapy, I am volunteering one shift a week for a Massachusetts state-wide ICE Watch Hotline. Most of the calls we get are to report suspected sightings of vehicles or agents, but every so often we get reports of an active abduction, such as several vehicles chasing down and cornering a landscaping truck, or agents at a Home Depot or outside a courthouse. We are able to send out verifiers and provide loved ones with resources such as legal support. It feels like one small thing I can do to mitigate the inhumanity of the current administration.
One day there was a lot of activity in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, which is right on the Rhode Island border. I got a call from someone from the Rhode Island hotline who had been getting reports all morning and wanted to make sure she had the right number to send them to. I asked if we could connect after our shifts, which we did, and she filled me in on the Providence scene. I originally volunteered for the hotline because I can do it from anywhere, but now I have a way to get involved on a grassroots local level as well.
I’ve been doing a lot of writing lately. Since I’m no longer writing a weekly blog post, it has freed me up to do some journaling and write a few personal essays. I even signed up for a 6-week writing workshop on using personal narrative that starts at the end of this month. I’m looking forward to becoming a part of the local writing community.
If there was any question as to whether Providence wants me here, today was the proof. I set out this morning in search of a place to dump my gray water tank. Not only did I find a free year-round option at the local sewer authority, I also found a backup option at an RV dealership, where they allowed me to fill up my fresh water tank and charge my house batteries for free. I was so touched I got them a box of donuts as a thank you.
At this moment in time, I have a full gas tank, full water tank, full house battery and power station, and a full refrigerator. My gray water tank is empty. From a vanlife perspective, it doesn’t get any better than this. Now all I need to do is to figure out is a place to park for the winter months where I can plug into an electrical outlet and run a heater. If these last two weeks are any indication, the universe will provide that as well.
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