Gil Cohen - New Division Charter Class

I look at my picture, thanks to Billy's having placed it on the web,
and remember the little lost boy I was when I got to the New Division.
What I thought I knew and what I didn't know were all changed by my
experience there. I wouldn't be the person I am today had I not tuned
in, turned on, and then dropped out of the New Division.

I have been living in Italy with Paul Gervais, with whom I have been
living for nearly 25 years, for 17 years. We live in a 16th century
hunting lodge.

Paul writes books. His novel, "Extraordinary People" was published in
1991 and was a PEN/Faulkner Award finalist. He has a book coming out in
April of 2000 called "A Garden in Lucca" about him (and me) in our
garden. Hyperion is the publisher.

I run the administration of our place, we make wine and olive oil, as
well as keeping a fruit orchard and vegetable garden. The gardens around
the three houses are visited by tour groups. I also run a support group
at the Gay and Lesbian center in Pisa, which is half an hour from here.