The Chelsea High College Course of 1971 held their 50th higher school reunion above the weekend and a familiar experience joined them from far absent.
Alba Lucia Pelaez came to Chelsea High University from Colombia as a international exchange 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 getting her lessons to graduate with a diploma.
“It was a great knowledge,” Pelaez recalls. “When I went again to Colombia, I was happy to say that I graduated in the U.S. It was a extremely unique option. This was my initially journey back to Chelsea in 50 yrs. I haven’t been back due to the fact I graduated.”
Her daughter built the trip with her and was glad she did and was happy of what her mother did all all those a long time back.
Though so significantly time experienced handed, Pelaez mentioned she and her friends nonetheless love every single other right after 50 a long time and said various of the girls were like sisters to her.
“These ladies, I expended a ton of weekends in their homes,” she reported. “It was a beautiful memory that I hardly ever missing.”
Ruth Hartley, a member of the course of 1971 claimed Pelaez arrived into their class a few months just after she learned English.
“She begun in the fall of 1971 and graduated in 1972, but we claimed her,” Hartley explained.
Over the reunion weekend, some of the members of both lessons met at Lloyd’s restaurant on Friday night for a surprise welcome occasion for Pelaez. Saturday, the reunion was held at the Weldon Pavilion at the Chelsea Sporting activities Complicated.
Through her check out, Pelaez stayed with her former classmate Terry Foote. A number of of the girls obtained collectively there and had a cooking lesson on producing her famous carrot cake.
“Alba is quite effectively known in Bogota for her carrot cake,” Hartley reported. “It’s a recipe she took from listed here and perfected it in a Colombian feeling. She taught us how to make it.”
On Tuesday, Pelaez headed back to her house in Pereira, Colombia, but explained her stop by was a blessing.
I’ve definitely appreciated [Chelsea] as one particular of the very best spots that I enjoy,” she mentioned. “I’m likely to check out to arrive back again following calendar year so we can make the celebration of the course of 1972.”