Many have expressed interest in having an ASM California Directory with the address, phone and e-mail information of ASMers residing in California. It would be a handy thing to have when scheduling last minute reunions or when a meeting or business trip puts one ASMer in the neighborhood of another.

The California Directory could also be a place to advertise your business or occupation for networking purposes. Perhaps we could scan in business cards or small ads.

If you are interested in having your name placed in the ASM California Alumni Directory or have any comments about format or content, please send an email to MFeareyASM@aol.com. If you would like to put together and distribute this directory, please let me know. This may end up becoming a prototype for a national/international ASM alumni directory.

And now to the Email Bag:

Fom Paul Marconi '80 (San Diego):

The reunion in San Diego [March 14] sounds great and I certainly would love to participate. I think this ASM home page [The Unofficial Pages of the American School of Madrid < http://www.gutech.com/asm >] is extremely well done and it has allowed me to reunite with some old friends.

I graduated ASM in 1980 and went to Tufts University in Boston on a Navy ROTC scholarship where I graduated in 1984 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I then went into submarines and really enjoyed it so I stayed in the Navy ever since then. I served two tours of duty in Italy (making frequent trips to my beloved Spain!) and I am now stationed in San Diego as the Executive Officer on the USS HOUSTON (Los Angeles Class Submarine). My wife, Giulia, who is Italian, and I have a daughter, Valeria, who is 2 1/2 years-old. I will remain in San Diego until August/September and then I will most likely be transferred to Washington, D.C.

From Kari Kolstad Lenggiere '72 (San Dimas):

[I asked Kari how her last name was spelled and pronounced. She responded:]

It's spelled Lenggiere, and pronounced Lynn-Jerry...sort like benandjerry. The whole thing: kari lynn-jerry is a little poem, much like going through life as Ronald McDonald.

When they announce the "standby list" at the airport on the public address system, it is often pronounced, "lingerie". People usually look disappointed when I walk up to the gate in response....they expect someone more exotic...perhaps a stripper.

All is well in the "Lenggiere" household, life has slowed down a bit after the holidays. I hope all is well with you and yours, and I'm looking forward to making it to the next ASM gathering.

From Bruce Brown for wife Mimi (Johnson) Brown ('66):

Here is some info for Mimi Johnson who was in the class of '66. Your form doesn' t tell the whole story... She is the mother of two girls Katie (12), and Natalie (11). Two years ago she went back to school to get her Masters in Psychology from Antioch Univ. here in LA. She is doing quite well and getting in a lot of training hours in the local public schools seeing "clients" aged 6 to 13. Mimi is also married to me - Bruce Brown, I'm a general contractor and our company works primarily on custom residential projects.

From Jill (Echols) McMahon ('66):

Now you know why I would be a lousy class agent. I have so many "In Box" and to-do files that I'm hoping a burglar will take them. I love getting all the messages and seeing what everyone has/is doing. I don't know if you

remember but in '69 I worked with Charmian Mock as her secretary. I also taught art for the middle school. I bring this up because, during my tenure at ASM as an employee, I made some sort of impression on an ASM student who at the time was in the 6th grade. It turns out that about ten years later Catherine Croft (I guess she'd be the year '75) and I were both District Sales Managers' for Mexicana Airlines. She was DSM in Quebec and I in Sacramento. All the Sales Managers used to meet yearly in Mexico for our Sales Convention. She and I became fast friends and when we started comparing notes, i.e. well, where did you go to school and how did you learn Spanish - you know, the usual small chatter - it became a Rioja moment. Small world - I tell you. Anyway both of us were the victims of downsizing within the company. I have my own business in the travel industry and Cathy works for a large incentive company in Canada.

My mother (Nancy Echols), my family and I will be going to Madrid this June for Tica's son, Mikel's graduation from ASM. This will be, I think, something special since I was first, then Tica and now her son. We should get a certificate or something!

From Rosalia Gonzalez ('65):

Maria Conchita Gonzalez is my sister and we are just thrilled with all the information you are gathering. Keep it up.

From Arne Mortensen ('65)

I spent most of last year living in Chennai (formerly Madras), India on assignment for Qualcomm. I'm back in San Diego now, and I bask in the many wonders of the US ... you did know that Home Depot is a wonder, right? :-)

On the way back to San Diego, I spent a few days in Madrid ... had it not been for a one day trip to Madrid in 94, I would have been totally blown away. Thirty three years makes a dramatic difference ... some one tore up the trolley tracks ... I went past the site of the school in those days and, I could not recognize the area nor the building.

BTW, I would be interested in any information about faculty at ASM from that era.

From Sergio (Dennis) Cerdá ('64):

[Sergio wrote about his first reunion experience, the Monrovia, California Mini-Reunion on Tuesday, January 26^th, 1999 - two days after he located the Unofficial Web Pages of the American School of Madrid!]

The reunion was something "inesperado". I really had no idea who would be there but all that really mattered was knowing that whoever was there would not be a stranger, even if I had never met them before. I knew I would be well received and that I would "connect". I feel my expectations were met.

It was wonderful reliving the memories and hearing about people whose names I had not spoken, or heard, in many years. The bond was there. Michelle Fearey's efforts at finding ASM alumni is unrelenting and to her credit she has retrieved yearbooks for every year since 1962 through 1970. It was wonderful to be able to look at the yearbook pictures and share the 'feeling' of ASM; a combination of people, place, food, drink and depth of relationships. There is truly no other experience that I have had since, that can compare to this feeling which has stayed with me for over thirty five years. I know I am not alone in that experience when I consider the comments from the other "reunionees". One of the mothers at the reunion spoke of sharing the feeling of her experience of ASM with her children if she possibly can.

The ASM experience added a special quality to my life and I am happy that through this new found connection I will be able to maintain that quality by sharing it with others who understand what I am talking about. I believe ASMers were blessed with a special insight into life, an insight that has caused many alumni to become social workers, psychologists etc.

As the reunion drew to an end these words came to mind, "I am happy to have found other travelers along the road . . . (because) now I don't feel so all alone."

God love and keep all of you as always,

Sergio (Dennis) Cerda

Class of '64, ASM

 Sergio can be reached at: flyenhi@earthlink.net

From Mrs. Anna Marie Gonzalez Fernández (ASM Teacher - retired - http://www.gutech.com/asm/pfernan.htm ) :

This is a quick and nearly belated Happy New Year message to all ASM alums. I wanted to thank all of you who have sent messages to me over the past several months. My first year off teaching in 39 !!! years coincided with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Human Rights. The goals and values contained in that document were some of the ones that I hope many of you learned over the years at ASM.

A few people have asked what I do with my time now and my answer is that there is so much to do, that now I wonder how I ever had time to prepare all those classes, grade all those essays and research papers and tests and still have time for house, home and family. I even managed to squeeze in a visit to Miguel in Washington and then he went with me to Cheyenne and Denver for a family reunion.

Miguel was in from Seattle and then went to Paris for the New Year. Pablo spent about eight weeks in Iran but came in time to go with us to Gijón and Mara Belén enjoyed having her brothers around at the same time for the first in several years.

One of the activities that I work on is helping out the municipal government here in Majadahonda. Elections are coming up this spring and there is a lot to prepare and many issues to face like how best to use the soccer stadium and how to assimilate the increasing immigrant population.

My once favorite soccer team has been lowered to second division and may be heading for third. Poor Sporting of Gijón!!!

I enjoyed receiving the news that many of you had a great meeting in Miami and have planned more of them. This month Mrs. Curbera who has also retired is spending this month visiting Mrs. Haer as well as her daughter and grandchild in Florida.

Greetings to you all, Anna Marie Gonzales Fernández

The following ASMers have been located in California:

Sergio Cerdá and I never met until last week at the Monrovia reunion. We found out that we both grew up in the Pasadena area during the 50s, spent the better part of the 60s in Madrid, Spain and returned to Southern California as adults. I am positive that this scenario is not unique.

Make it a habit to mention Madrid and ASM in conversation with people you meet (business meetings, while traveling, when waiting for your kids at their activities, anywhere). You might be very surprised when someone answers, "When where you there? Where did you go to school? I was there too!"

 Class Ring Survey:

Did you lose your class ring? For whatever the reason, many people have misplaced or lost their American School of Madrid Class rings. At the last reunion, three out of five of us were interested in purchasing a new ring if that was an option. I am investigating the possibility of getting replacement rings made (through the representative for Jostens in Madrid who handles ASM). If you are interested in purchasing a replacement ring, please send an email to MFeareyASM@aol.com. I will let you know the details as soon as I find out.