Last Saturday, a group of alumni from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt school in Lima, Peru, gathered to celebrate their classic Alumni Luncheon, a camaraderie-filled lunch full of laughter, anecdotes, and memories, in which SIMALCO participated as an official sponsor.
The event, organized by the FDR Alumni Association, was an opportunity to bring together former classmates who had not seen each other in many years, especially after the pandemic. Some of the attendees traveled from their places of residence to see the friends with whom they shared school years, and the excitement could be felt in the air. Upon arriving at the school, the alumni hugged and greeted each other warmly, catching up on the stories of their lives. It is estimated that around 500 alumni from more than 50 classes participated.
One of the most emotional moments of the afternoon was when Superintendent Kerry Jacobson toured the new spaces on the Camacho campus with a group of alumni.
“I’m impressed every year with the large turnout of alumni from all over the world. This year, this was even more surprising as the difficulties with the pandemic are just waning and the travel warnings to Peru are still fresh. What a remarkable blessing this gathering is!”, said Jacobson.
At lunch a buffet of typical Peruvian food delighted everyone, especially those who were returning to the country after many years away. There was also a DJ who played music from the last few decades, and to close the party, a “hora loca” full of color.
“I think that the students who attend Roosevelt grow to understand (and really appreciate) that they are growing up in a very unique community. That international, diverse community forms bonds in ways that aren’t the same as our family bonds or our traditional community ties. Roosevelt’s uniqueness is also undergirded by a genuine commitment to each other’s success. This trait encourages great accomplishment among the graduates and strengthens the ties between each other. Wherever alumni go, they think of the formative aspects of Colegio Roosevelt and consider it ‘home’”, Jacobson said.
Maintaining a friendship with our schoolmates can be a challenging task at times, especially as our lives become filled with other commitments and responsibilities. However, having childhood friends can also be a source of inspiration and motivation in our careers and in life in general. Alumni gatherings are a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and rekindle those friendships, helping us to keep them strong even after many years.
