Gilligan, we'll miss you

It’s that time again—a volunteer group is leaving while another one is taking its place. And now nearly two years after we started this adventure called Peace Corps, my group is now the seniors. We are the veterans, the old hands, the next group to be heading out the door. Where has the time gone?

My sitemate, Michelle, is a member of the departing group (the “Healthy Schoolers”), but she has decided to extend her service for a couple of months. I’ll have to put up with her crazy for a little while longer (I love you Michelle!). But my good friend Jill Geissler (or Gilligan as she has been called…the “j” sound does not exist in Spanish and Guatemalans have an extremely difficult time trying to pronounce her name) is leaving in less than a week.

Jill often made the 2 ½ hour trip from her small community of Campur to the big city of Tactic to hang out with Michelle and me. Twice she was evacuated from her site because of disturbances (most recently this past week) and stayed at my house (aka. the refugee camp) for extended periods of time. Lots of listening to Joe Purdy. Lots of watching Grey’s Anatomy.

We are going to miss you, Jill. Alta will not be the same without you.