The Chelsea Substantial College Course of 1971 held its 50th large school reunion a short while ago, and a common facial area joined them from much absent.
Alba Lucia Pelaez arrived to Chelsea Higher University from Colombia as a international trade student for 18 months thanks to a scholarship from the Civitan Club.
When she first arrived, she spoke no English and expended time learning the language and tradition, and in the slide of 1971 began taking her classes to graduate with a diploma.
“It was a excellent expertise,” Pelaez recalled. “When I went back again to Colombia, I was very pleased to say that I graduated in the U.S. It was a pretty exceptional option. This was my initial vacation back again to Chelsea in 50 a long time. I have not been again since I graduated.”
Her daughter produced the journey with her and was happy she did and was proud of what her mom did all individuals decades in the past.
Even though so a lot time experienced handed, Pelaez explained she and her friends even now love every single other following 50 decades and said numerous of the ladies had been like sisters to her.
“These ladies, I used a good deal of weekends in their residences,” she said. “It was a gorgeous memory that I in no way lost.”
Ruth Hartley, a member of the class of 1971, mentioned Pelaez arrived into their class a several months just after she acquired English.
“She started out in the drop of 1971 and graduated in 1972, but we claimed her,” Hartley reported.
More than the reunion weekend, some of the associates of both courses satisfied at Lloyd’s restaurant on Friday night time for a shock welcome party for Pelaez. On Saturday, Might 29, the reunion was held at the Weldon Pavilion at the Chelsea Athletics Elaborate.
All through her pay a visit to, Pelaez stayed with her former classmate Terry Foote. A number of of the girls obtained alongside one another there and had a cooking lesson on creating her well-known carrot cake.
“Alba is very properly recognized in Bogota for her carrot cake,” Hartley explained. “It’s a recipe she took from in this article and perfected it in a Colombian sense. She taught us how to make it.”
On June 1, Pelaez headed back again to her dwelling in Pereira, Colombia, but said her visit was a blessing.
I’ve genuinely appreciated [Chelsea] as a person of the very best locations that I adore,” she said. “I’m going to test to arrive back again subsequent 12 months so we can make the celebration of the course of 1972.”