Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for January 08, 2015

‘Twas quite an adventure while it lasted, wasn’t it, Gunther?

Yyyyup… that’s what I had been afraid of. Her ‘writing out’. Maybe not indefinitely . But it doesn’t seem to bode well for the “band”. The break-up of “Gunths n Rosas”….. – Only this time, Rosa threw herself into the volcano, saving Gunther. I guess she can help Aaron and Mr. Fogarty fix up the volcano some more, and now they can get that “Take out special” at the local carry out, since there’s one more…. – Could be more that happens, though….

And there it is.

So, How Come someone posted today’s comic yesterday ??? =-O

Gunther, pllueeze do not return to your squishy self! ;)

“Back To The Egg” (♫)“Exchanges And Returns”“Get Back To Where You Once Belonged” (♫)“Reset Button”“Circumstances” (♫)“A Lonely Ride On The Midnight Express”“One Under Par-boiled”“One For The Road…….” (♫)“I Found My Calling, But I Think It Was A Wrong Number”or “A Square Peg And A Round Trip”

So I wonder when & where Gunther got his new look? He still looks like the old Gunther here.

Meant to say: "Could be more that happens in the story , though….

Oh well…

Oh well…

Rosa’s such a witch with a “B”! Gunther sacrificed so much for her and now she gives him up? It’s going to be a long time before sweet little Gunth gets over this.

“Since the van cannot make the trip all the way to the village, yep, you guessed it – that would be Rosa carrying supplies up the mountain…” ^Which will call for new lyrics, and a completely all-new, restructured and repurposed (and converted into a “Twisted Tune”) version of “She’ll Be Coming ’Round The Mountain”…

Here’s something Gunther might have studied in high-school: Homines dum docent discunt Even while they teach, men learn.(Seneca, 4 BC/AD 1-65) ;)

Well, if it took that long for Rosa to catch on that he NEVER wanted to be there…well, better late then never.

I hope, however, that it proves impossible for Gunther to go back to being how he was.

LOL, talk about “Reality Television”!!!

Oh well…all’s well that ends well…

Well…yeah, I guess full credit to Rosa for ‘if you love something, set it free, if it comes back to you, it is yours, if it doesn’t, it never was.’

He tried something new, decided it wasn’t for him. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as he doesn’t stop trying new things.

I don’t consider what Rosa is doing is a “calling”…she doesn’t even know what college would be like and how earning her degree in something that would be helpful to the Peruvian villagers would go a looonnnngggg way to really help these people. One of them could do the job that Rosa seems to think is her “calling” much easier and also with real cultural awareness. To me a “calling” is a missionary or a real doctor (such as Doctors Without Borders) or a nurse practitioner or other educated people. Right now all she is doing is scut work which will get her nowhere… ;)

And…suppose Rosa simply doesn’t CARE about whether or not she’s ACTUALLY helpful. Suppose all that matters to her is feeling like she’s helpful, and the truth of the matter be damned?

She could indeed have a calling doing menial work in a remote village, doing nothing of use. It’s just a calling most of us would find wasteful.

Also, it’s a comic strip. Common sense not applicable.

Sooooo…Gunther stopped shaving and changed his fashion sense AFTER he left Rosa?

Well Luis is there, Gunther is there, the truck is there, but its a long way to Lima and since Gunther is still clean shaven, the trip back from the mountains could be an adventure yet to come. I cannot believe that after all these weeks and months together, Gunther and Rosa have not shared more than just a cubical and a few tools. That would be a very big suspension of belief even for this comic strip. And, a story line that has been building for so long can’t end with a hug and sad good bye. So, keep talking, Gunther, the big story is yet to come.

With Peru being south of the equator, wouldn’t the seasons be opposite of what we have here?So depending on what time of the year Rosa and Gunther arrived in Peru (Summer or late summer/early fall)and how long they worked in the city, They ended up working at least through winter( the hot season) until New Years… The cold season is yet to arrive during our spring and Summer. I think…?

Well at least we know what happened. Now maybe we can figure out what’s going on with Knute + Krystal. And Jayblue, Guths & Rosas wasn’t bad!

IJB: I wonder if Rosa will decide it makes more sense to study at one of Lima’s fine universities during the winter months and take part in a internship during the summer months, all pointed towards her love of working with the villagers? Now, That would make sense because she will be better equipped to actually do something. And, such a decision might unruffle everyone’s feathers (meaning her uncle’s and her parents)!

I wonder what the villagers really think of Rosa? She would go a long way by learning their dialect, for example. But the young people there probably are amazed that she is doing the exact opposite thing that they want to do…get to the big city and follow their fortunes… ;)

Well, time for me to gather IS Katie and go on upstairs… ’Nite all! ;)

Gunther, I Hope Tomorrow You Tell Us that You Jumped in That Van So FAST That You LEFT Both Rosa AND Luis There Eating Dust and That You DROVE Pell-Mell Down the Mountainside in Record Time and Didn’t STOP Until You Hit Jorge Chavez International Airport and Gleefully Booked a One-Way Flight to the USA.AND That You’ll VOW, even though You’re Just a Lowly Two Dimensional Cartoon Character, You WILL Personally “Knee-Cap” Your Creator if He EVER Tries to Pull a Damned Fool Stunt Like THAT, Again.

(Deep Breath)

What? Gunther didn’t want to be a low level laborer for a bunch of mountain dwellers? For a person wit a great deal of intellect, it must be torture.

Seems like the van returned in less than a month. A Gunther dream come true. He hadn’t even sprouted his scruff yet. Gunther needs to date a realist. Not an idealist.

I wonder what Rosa’s folks will think about her uncle letting her traipse off to a remote mountain village and leaving her there. (That’s what it will look like to them.)

Oh yeah, the uncle who never told her about what he does as a doctor before she left the States, the one that has avoided her all this time. Now he’s giving orders! -Rosa found out she wants to keep Peru neat and tidy, just as Delta was always guilting her friends into keeping roads clean back in the day. Good thinking! Much better than Yale!

Gunther grew his beard on route back home, because at that point he was all world weary and angsty and stuff. I guess. I’m sure he will keep it. He can’t let Bernice down!

Good for you Gunther! It sometimes takes a trip to find out what you want to do with the rest of your life. You are just starting out with your long life.Best wishes to much success in finding out. How is Bernice going to fit in Gunther’s picture? Time will tell.

Yeah right, Rosa with no skills and no medical training wanting to live the life of a peasant. Great heart, but little brain.

I know she is being portrayed as being a humanitarian and hands-on person, but I can’t help thinking that if turning down a fantastic opportunity for an excellent education wouldn’t have done more good in the long run. Right now, Rosa is an unskilled worker in a rural clinic. If she came back in 8 or so years as a doctor, she would actually be able to contribute a lot more to the people it serves.

Lots of young people don’t think that far ahead.

in the sticks for a week, but no stubble yet?

I’m proud of Gunther. Not everyone has the courage to step out of their comfort zone and try something completely new and different. And if it turns out that something new and different isn’t for you, it’s okay to go back. When the next opportunity arrives, he’ll be more confident about taking that step and trying it out, instead of saying “no,” and then wondering years later “what if.”

I think he’s going back. Just home to say goodby.

But Gunther is leaving clean shaven with the button up collar? When does he gain the beard and sweatshirt? I think there is more to this yet.

I have a feeling it will be the last time we ‘ll see Rosa in this comic strip and it’s sad. But at least I’d like to see Bernice and Gunther becoming a couple. Maybe the way Bernice was ALWAYS looking at him after his return from Peru was an hint that she was starting to finally fall in love again and that they’re meant for each other. Those two have so much in common not as Gunther and Rosa.

How long was it before Luis returned to retrieve them? I assume the van normally travels to the village every week or two, but maybe Luis was ordered to go retrieve the two truants as soon as their disappearance was discovered. So this could be happening the very next day, or maybe only a couple of days later. Gunther was in the village for 48 hours, so there’s no stubble yet.

As for Rosa’s life of “service”, yes, I’m sure that an impoverished rural community in the mountains that is relying on charity from a rich doctor in Lima must really need his untrained niece to come there and rake the lawn, as she’s doing in today’s strip. Attractive landscaping is so important in impoverished, rural mountain villages.

I assumed she was gardening. You know, growing vegetables to feed the people at the clinic.

This is a sad turn in the story.

So far we have seen Rosa collecting sticks and using a rake. She is therefore helping the impoverished villagers by being one of them and doing the same things they do. Some help!

If Rosa really wanted to be helpful, she should acquire some medical skills, perhaps becoming a nurse practitioner or at least an EMT, if she doesn’t want to commit herself to the training necessary to become a doctor. With at least some medical training, she could be vastly more helpful to the villagers than she is now, by picking up sticks and using a rake. I think they can already do those things just fine wtihout her “help”.

Be a mommy’s boy playing with his sewing machine? How truly pathetic.

I do hope all of those fashion designers who started out making their own cloths to sell and now live in mansions, did not and do not get wind of what you said about a “mommy’s boy” You the type of man that scares me.

Wrong continent.

way is put right now……………… Gunther returns to Lima, this time in the front passenger seat, easy to get a trip to the USA………. where is the reason for him not shaving and losing his plaids? (BTW, he just slept and did not take time to shave at all)…………………………. at this moment the only things I can think of is that he either got to Lima, maybe allowed to work at the clinic, while getting things together. saw he missed Rosa and stopped caring, and he stopped shaving and tore his shirts than suddenly he decided ENOFFF, and came to the USA and is getting his college funds and return to Lima…………… or Rosa’s uncle sent him out, he lived in the Calles de Lima(Lima Streets) and after a few weeks, he got enough funds to get plane ticket

Maybe Gunther is unshaven because he’s been in jail for the last month, before being deported Let’s see the rest of his tale.

Like I always said, with Rosa it is strictly a one way street (her’s). She is too young and self centered for someone to have a mature relationship with her. She is happy now, but in the future she will regret the fact that she did not go to college and become a nurse or doctor, so she can help anyone anywhere in the world. She has not thought about Gunter’s future at all. A lot of people think Gunter is weak because he didn’t stay, But I think working in the clinic office in Lima, showed him something he really loves.

Maybe they will meet a couple years in the future, and things will be different. Unless Gunter ends up with Luann (another on who does’t know what she wants yet – TEACHER is just screaming for some attention from her.

So what’s wrong with a chronically needy insecure nerd? Charlie Brown made a career out of losing. Gunther is branded, let him be.

…..a Mama’s boy.

First time I’ve felt the need to post. Gunther is not a wimp for not following Rosa’s dream. She’s doing what she’s passionate about which is excellent for her, but Gunther needs to live his own life. I admire Mr Evans for having him try something new, but here is no shame in taking another path when you find that you’re traveling a road that isn’t suitable. If their paths should cross in the future, their relationship will be much stronger for them both pursuing their personal strengths.

Rosa had to stow away on a supply delivery van because she was completely unqualified to benefit the lives of the mountain dwellers. Even Peace Corps wouldn’t have sent her unless she had something to contribute.

And such is life . . . or so it goes!

This is a win for Gunther. No experiment is a failure if you learn something from it.

Please Gunther. No more plaid shirts. What you were at the plastic surgery clinic is fine. You were excited and really interested in your work.

All the other characters have changed, or are changing. It wouldn’t be logical to freeze only Gunther into his high school nerd form…

Just wondering what Gunther was expecting to find in Peru in the first place? If I recall, Rosa stated her desire to work in that kind of setting from the beginning.

I’d like to pose this question. A few comments mentioned a possibility of Bernice and Gunther hooking up because she kept looking at him. Since Bernice went to Tiffany’s room and asked to spend the night does that mean Bernice was interested in Tiffany too?

Destination Departure: Or as I like to call it… Captain Obvious wakes up.

Foresee the futureKnow thyselfBe yourselfOn reaching the end, be without sorrow.

Gunther likes himself in spite of all the pressure to change who he is. Too bad he had to get permission from the boss (Rosa) before he could leave.

Not sure how I feel about Rosa… Gunther did follow her all the way to Peru… I am kinda ticked off that she didn’t tell him what her plans were. But at least Gunther knows he is great with computers and software! And he can tailor.. Perhaps he should start his own business

Did Rosa spend last spring thinking, “I feel so terrible about all the poor people in the mountains of Peru. You know what they need? STICKS! I shall devote my life to going there and collecting sticks for them!” Meanwhile, people who were equally concerned about the poor in South America but who, unlike Rosa, aren’t complete nitwits, went to college, acquired medical or other helpful skills, and then joined the Peace Corps.

Ever here the phrase “so smart you’re stupid”..that describes Rosa to a tee….Gunther on the other hand at least learned something

Oh by the way Gunther, there never was a “we”

Who he ‘was’ is gone forever, it will be interesting to see who the new Gunther is.

Don’t forget the time he made a date with both Bernice and luann for the same dance, and his reflections that bernice was more his type (which she is).

Right. Stay tuned and enjoy the ride—one of the most interesting in a long time.

He didn’t go back. He stayed with Rosa for a couple of weeks and realized how desperately they needed a doctor. Now, he back to get into med school and then he’ll return to her.

With everyone saying Gunther is going to hook up with Bernice I originally was going to say they’re in college and meeting new people. Then I realized we’re a semester in and still the high school group only seems to hang out with each other still.

Sweet of her to realize it wasn’t for him.Love for others should include love for lovers.

The driver will probably get in trouble for letting Rosa stay, but she doesn’t care about that, what a surprise!

rest with the sticks, I am sure that after finding a room to stay at the village, they gathered sticks to put in a room stove to heat up the room at night…………… I agree that without any training and any donations of necessary supplies(food, medicine, schooling books and supplies). they are just another body that has to do everyday duties, that has just slightly more knowledge of moden first aid principles………….but do not include the gathering of sticks as things they doing for the village(unless we talking getting some extra wood for the old lady neighbor)

But that doesn’t matter since she is not a citizen of Peru. She has a work visa which requires her to obey her employer.

Well, to get really technical, I’m not even sure she has a work visa. I’m thinking it might just be a tourist visa (valid for only 90 days). But, since she is only at places that her uncle controls, she might get away with that…. maybe… Peru also requires evidence of a “return ticket” or "onward travel in order to obtain a tourist visa at the airport, upon arrival.

I don’t believe Rosa’s citizenship status or age matters, in this case, She is subject to the laws of the country in which she is located. To ORMouse’s original point, I think she is old enough to make her own decisions in Peru. But she is also old enough to be directly responsible for violating immigration laws by working on a tourist visa (assuming she doesn’t have a work visa). And her uncle could be in a bit of trouble for facilitating that work, as you say. Which is why I don’t think he’d forcibly intervene on her behalf. But he might also disavow her and leave her to fend for herself. Might get him in a bit of trouble with Rosa’s parents, but… we’ll see.

There’s a lot about this that’s unresolved, and needs clarification. I hope that Greg does so, plausibly.

Doesn’t she have any problems with immigration? Or is she a Peruvian citizen?

No, she is a US Citizen (native born, IIRC), with a US Passport. She will definitely have problems with immigration if she is violating the terms of her issued visa.

I would like to see Gunther develop into a less “nerdy” but still very smart, “geek-friendly” guy who is more comfortable with who he is, and what HE wants to do with life… and it would be fun to have Greg make his character reflect someone who has ambitions (perhaps even a bit over-the-top, “dreams”) that he plots out and works on accomplishing while at Moony. And, he could “stumble” into a more good for HIM relationship with whomever Greg ends up choosing (I do happen to like the idea of it being Bernice, however). And, he should IMHO keep the beard and ’stache and let them grow out more fully.

Closer to how it sounded:.http://www.gocomics.com/comic/explore/1103726/55

Two summers ago, I spent a few days in Cuenca, Ecuador, and had to get there by flying into Guayaquil and taking a van into the Andes. (Cuenca is a pretty big city, but it’s like this village in all the physical ways.)

A) Rosa just doesn’t want to take that van ever again. They’re terrifying. When you’re looking down at the clouds below you (literally) and the driver is going around blind curves on a narrow road with no rails or fences, while he’s devoting all his attention to cleaning some gunk off the inside of the windshield with one hand, things start to happen to your brain.

B) Yes, the weather in these places isn’t at all what a Norteamericano expects. Here in New Jersey, the summer of 2012 was mostly in the 90s, but Cuenca was in the low 70s.

In “real life”, Rosa and Gunther would be in Peru under a “Volunteer” visa, which is valid for 183 days, so their allowed time in the country would be up just about now, anyway. Of course, this is the Evansverse, so the visa laws are whatever he wants them to be.

Do you think there’s an “out” for Greg in re her work status if everything she does has been for no pay ( volunteer work)?

I’m not certain… but I would think not. It’s what she’s doing and how it affects both the citizens and the govt. Even if voluntary, if she’s taking work away from a Peruvian citizen (and, potentially income taxes from the govt.), that might be an issue. Furthermore, if she were in a country (not saying Peru is one, but…) where things like “political or religious activism” and other activities were banned, she’d be in a lot of trouble.

Hope it was fun while it lasted Gunther. You’re letting a cute gal get away.

we don’t know the citizenship of her dad, we just know is not USA……………………. let’s say she was born in the USA, she possible could have triple citizenship(USA, Mom’s country, Dad’s country)

and if she was not born in the USA, but applied and got USA citizenship, she could have as many as 4(mentioned 3 plus country of birth), many Latin American nations have double-citizenship laws

The best definition of liberalism is that good intentions lead to good results. Rosa seems to feel that with her high school education that good intentions can help the people of that village. Local healers are probably pretty well trained in traditional remedies that she knows nothing about. She has zero training that she might have picked up if she “wasted” her time in medical or nursing school.

At least Gunther had technical skills to offer, which he has the wisdom to judge useless in this setting. Bravo to him Rosa displays arrogance in thinking she has anything to offer the indigenous people. They want you to come and leave real skills behind, not just good intentions and useless platitudes. The people who live there are not stupid, lazy or helpless, they are poor. Unless she is packing a platinum American Express card, she should go home and gain some real skills to offer.

Gunther’s Song*“I don’t want to grow up.I just want to go to schoolObey my mom and QuillAnd recite some silly rules.”*Too late, G-man. Real soon you’ll find that you can’t stay on the ground now that you have spread your wings!

Gunther has been “burned” by several girls. I think Rosa must have been a major disappointment, because she put the moves on him. Maybe he’ll turn to Quill as his trusted listener, thinking that “boys” are just safer. Maybe Quill and Gunther will become the “secret” couple.

Right now the experience is fresh and new and exciting. I think Rosa will get tired of menial tasks and manual labor. Then she’ll have to make a choice. If she wants to create bigger change she’ll need more skills and experience. She’ll have to come back to the US for that because she can’t stay in Peru forever (legally). I do think she has been rather short sighted and impatient. She could have studied abroad in Peru, or joined the Peace Corps or anything else. She didn’t want to take the time to research her options. Instead she chose to run off to her uncle’s (with whom she hardly speaks to or has a significant relationship) clinic not knowing the first thing about the type of work he did or she would be required to do.

I’m glad Gunter went back. I don’t think he’s weak for doing so. He took a chance, didn’t like it, and had the nerve to do something about it rather than sit quietly and miserably.

I was always hoping Gunther wouldn’t continue being such a geeky wimp. What a chance of a lifetime, with beautiful adventurous Rosa, to be able to really help some people. Well, at least maybe he can continue being a designer. I hope Rosa stays in this strip, however.

I think Gunther shows more talent for IT then fashion design. Running the clinic in Peru’s IT department with no notable training outstrips everything he’s ever done in fashion.

Tbh she was never thinking about him in the end.

“Mother TeRosa”. I like that…-Thanks for showing that someone who is eager to help is not just an idiot or self-centered. Unfortunately, too many on this board will ignore your very reasonable words, and continue to rant against Rosa.-I have concluded that, if the person who was inspired to volunteer to help others even though not college educated had the name “Ross” or “Ralph” instead of “Rosa”, the postings would all be about what a selfless, good guy he was.

Saw it coming way back when. But it’s strangely refreshing to hear Gunther verbalize the truth he had inside. Almost makes him seem more matue than the geeky kid we was last year. Nice sub-story.

looks like he wants to be his old squishy self

“…except he didn’t return to Luann…he’s returned to Bernice.” Hear, hear!!! I think, I hope Greg will lead Gunther to Bernice as they have a lot in common, especially as concerns their education. She looked like she was interested in Gunther, and I hope they will both get together! ;)