our friend and fellow PCV julia campbell was found murdered last week. last week feels like a month ago, at least. she had been missing for over a week and her body was found beaten and buried in a shallow grave. authorities and US officials have been working together and we hear that they already have a suspect.
none of the grisly details are important. what is important is this: julia was a beautiful woman who lived in NYC and was a very successful journalist. after 9/11, she decided to give it all up and join the Peace Corps. she wanted to make a difference. she did make a difference. she worked her ass off while she was here...developing a library at the school where she taught, launching an ecology awareness campaign in her community, building an Eco Center, teaching at the local college. i was fortunate enough to experience julia's incredible work ethic when we worked at the evacuation site together in december in bikol. the girl worked nonstop even though she had also endured the typhoon's effects; her apartment had flooded up to chest level, most of her belongings had been ruined... but she put aside her own inconveniences for a few weeks to help the local victims. this is only one example, and believe me, there are many, of how selfless she was.
we miss you, ate julia.
