The end of an era

A couple weekends ago, we bid farewell to another one of our own. A fellow third year volunteer, and a dear friend. The good news is, he's a southie kid and will be sharing dollar pints with me at Tom English's before the year is up.

So most volunteers, when they finally take off, plan a night out in the capital or the beach with their closest friends, who are usually nearing their end date themselves. Usually one last hurrah to cap a couple years of blood, sweat and tears in the developing world.

Joe, on the other hand, isn't your average volunteer. And it's not his style to go gently into the night.

No, for Joe's despedida (goodbye party), he rented out a beachfront house, complete with pool and space for 30 people, and threw the mother of all parties. He might have even had clowns and a unicorn petting zoo, but the two kegs and unlimited sushi kept me pretty well distracted.

Here are a few shots from the event...


The man of the hour




Rhett and Axel, two stand-up guys.


Fred loves him some chicken teriyaki.


Joe said a few words


And we dug into the feast.


Such a good vibe.








Later on, Sam learns why it's never a good idea to fall asleep in public.




The final product.

Approximately 10 minutes spent setting up...


...yet hours upon hours of enjoyment.




Sam was such a good sport. And, from conversations I've had with him, is turning out to be a hell of a volunteer.