Mappy

On Tuesday afternoon of our Guasave trip, we walked down the street to visit my friend Mappy (pronounced Moppy).

Her given name is Maria del Pilar, but her friends affectionately call her Mappy. She was perhaps one of my closest friends during my exchange experience 21 years ago, and certainly my greatest defender. She had lived in the United States as a child, far away from her parents, so she understood my struggles better than anyone else. She now owns and operates an English school in Guasave, which my family had the good fortune to see.

Mappy has a very caring, protective nature. Even during our recent visit, she made sure that someone cared for our every need. She loaned us a cell phone to stay in constant communication and often arranged for people to assist us with various aspects of our stay.

After we left Guasave, my children spoke often of my friend Mappy. Of all the people we met, she made the greatest impact on our family.