15/04/01

Dear JESers and any attachments

Well, I'm going for it and taking the plunge. LONDON REUNION ON SUNDAY 13TH MAY (2001). Please meet at 12:00 underneath Big Ben (in the sun if there's any around!) If raining, please meet inside the Westminster tube station (the entrance nearest Big Ben) Westminster tube is on the Jubilee, District and Circle Line. I was thinking of a trip down the river and a pub lunch somewhere near Tower Bridge. Any better ideas would be gratefully received!

Any of you foreign bods are more than welcome. Let us know if you need a place to stay, since we Brits are still fairly hospitable. Similarly, any of you Brits with room to accommodate please let me know and I'll co-ordinate.

Please send this message on to anyone else you know from JES. Well, now that I've done it, don't let me down!!!! Please send any replies to: andyandracheljohnson@yahoo.co.uk or post them on the JES messageboard

A presto! Rachel Johnson (nee Mitra)

9th May 2001. Looks like there has not been much response to Rachel's message, even though I know there are lot of you ex JESers in London. You were all enthusiastic about a reunion so what's happened since then? Please come along. We'll be there anyway, whatever the weather! Hopefully see some of you there.

Tarit.

Click here to see more Reunion photos!

06/07/00

It's actually happened! Despite the short notice this one was already a success, with people I didn't expect there, although about 10 people who had said they could make it didn't!

We met as planned at around 10:00 at Piazza di Spagna, wondering if we would recognise anyone (I think we all did, although I suppose there might be people still wandering around the Piazza looking for a familiar face!). Eventually we decided to go up to Lago d'Albano, and some more people met us up there. Those who managed to make an appearance were: Lawrence (Lory) Ladomery, Sara Catarinozzi, Christian Catarinozzi, Milena Candelori, Benedetta Rosso, Susan Ngongi, Mark Tiberi, Laura Tiberi, George Proietti, Nicky Scott, Orietta Bartalini, Fabrizio Bartalini, Tarit Mitra, Marco Knowles, Katie Grassi.

It was great to see everyone, as well as strange. Some people I'd not seen for 15 years! It's funny how you notice that the people are all the same people that you used to know so well, but now there is so much more to everyone. Everyone seemed so "grown up"! (I wonder if I seemed grown up to them?)

On the way up to the lake a few of us stopped off at various school buildings. At Senior House we tried to get in, but were politely told that it was now a private house, and that the Duchess wouldn't like us wandering around. Oh well!

The lake was lovely as usual, and we had a great meal with porchetta, salami, prosciutto and all sorts of starters, and pasta, whilst the conversation seemed to be dominated by comments like "Rember when...?", and about football, which was an important part of life for at least half of the school! Everyone seemed to have different memories, and it's funny how together we started to remember all sorts of things had been hidden somewhere deep in our brains. Many missing names were mentioned, and I'm determined as soon as I have a moment of time, to search for a few more of them.

A few of us had a swim, and of course ended with a yummy ice-cream (I'd forgotten quite how yummy they really are!), before heading back to Rome. In the evening we were all quite tired, thanks to the early start (I'm sorry, my fault!), but a few of us went for a drink or two. Some of us in Trastevere, and others elsewhere.

My reunion went on into Sunday and Monday, spending time and catching up with friends. It was so good to be back with them, and just to be in Rome; I'd forgotten quite how much I love that place.

In the end I was quite sad waiting for the train to take be back to Fiumicino, and it wasn't just because of the football score! But with a little smile I remembered that I can do it all again in less that 2 months, so there's something else to look forward to! I hope to see lots more of you there.

In the meantime take care, and thank so much to all of you who made the effort to come along, it would be great if you could put a little personal note about your reunion experience on the messageboard. A big personal thanks especially to Orietta Bartalini and Marco Knowles, who were so kind and hospitable at such short notice.

See you in September!

Tarit. Smile!

26/06/00

Ciao a tutti!

Well things really seem to be coming together. I don't know about you, but I'm getting quite excited! It's looking like there may be a lot more of you there than I initially thought!
A few people have asked where in Piazza di Spagna we're meeting (at 10:00a.m.). I think somewhere on the steps would be easy.

As a focal point, two people have kindly given their mobile numbers so that people can find out where we are if they are late or anything:
Mark Tiberi: 0349 7859139
Orietta Bartalini: 0328 7191645 (Write these down!)
Thanks loads for this, this will help people find out what we're doing if they cannot check the Internet. Also just in case we do something on Sunday, for those of you who cannot make Saturday.

I've also had a few suggestions about what we could do: Picnic at Villa Borghese, or, if we have enough cars between us, go up to Lago d'Albano and cool off and eat porchetta! (I know which idea I like!). Anyway we can decide on the day, but I would say to those of you coming to come prepared for swimming just in case.

For up-to-date news on the reunion, please check: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/tarit/JES/reunion.htm or nearer the time on the messageboard at: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/tarit/JES/messages.htm

I'm flying to Rome this Thursday (Can you believe I'm going to miss the whole football match??! Forza Italia, I want to see you in the final on Sunday!), and back to sunny England on the Monday. Now for the really cheaky bit: I was just wondering if anyone had some spare floor space for me (I'll have a sleeping bag), or the number of a decent cheap hostel in Rome? If you can help please e-mail me at this address in the next day or two. Thanks.

5 days to go! Excellent!
See some of you soon,
Tarit. Smile!
P.S. Once again I'm sorry for sending this to everyone, but now I'm not sure who can make it and who can't, and I didn't want to miss anyone out!

22/06/00

Hello friends, is Rome still there?!!

Since my last e-mail asking for help it's all gone VERY quiet! Do you realise there is just one week to go, and we still don't even know where we are going to meet?!
As time is running VERY short now, I think we should just fix a time and a place to meet, and the rest we can sort out from there. SO:
The time: 10:00 a.m. Saturday 1st July 2000.
The place: Piazza di Spagna.
My mobile number: +44 7968 975644
(It would be much better if we can give an Italian mobile number of someone who could be a focal point for messages etc. Laura Tiberi,Marco Knowles, George Proietti? Please let me know!)
If you don't do anything else today, just write these details down now, and carry them with you for the next week! Please turn up with lots of ideas of where to go/what to do. It would be great if could even arrange to go to the beach/lake on Sunday too. I need your help!

We've got this far, let's make this reunion a GREAT one! I hope you're all looking forward to this as much as I am.
See you soon,
Tarit. Smile!

08/06/2000

Well it hasn't been easy, but a decision has been reached!

Firstly thanks to the 42 people who responded and told me when they would be able to attend, not a bad turnout at all! (Well done Susan, the only person who said she could attend ANY of the weekends!). I'm really sorry to anyone who cannot make the dates that have been chosen, but now that we all have each others e-mail addresses, I'm sure gatherings with be easier to organise.

It was very difficult to choose a date, and in the end two were chosen! Saturday July 1st, and Saturday September 2nd. I know the 1st of July is just 3 weeks away, but it was the most popular date, so it stays. I hope we can all get flights, and get organised in time!

The September date was also quite popular, and quite a few people who said they couldn't attend the July one, said they could attend the Sepember one. That's why I thought it was worth keeping them both.

Although August was very popular amongst people who don't live in Rome, it was more or less impossible for those of you who do, whom I'm hoping will be able to make both the chosen dates without too much trouble.

I really hope you can attend both dates (I hope to), but in case you really have to choose one of them, I've listed here the people who told me they could attend on each date, to help you decide:

July 1st: Mark Tiberi, Nathalie de Regt, Laura Tiberi, George Proietti, Alexia Baldascini, Susan Ngongi, Marco Knowles, Laura Morrison, Teresa Barnes, Milena Candelori, Riku Uotila, Marco Esposito, Ximena Novoa, Benedetta Rosso, David Doeff, Laurie Ladomerie, Alain Proietti, Tarit Mitra. (+ POSSIBLY Tom Uotila, Tomasz Giembicki, Giles Sanders, Leonardo Mochi, + more???)

September 2nd: Helen Baldascini, Claudia de Regt, Mark Tiberi, Laura Tiberi, Susan Ngongi, Rachel Mitra, Lorenzo Muscara', Marco Esposito, Elisabet Maltsoglou, Benedetta Rosso, Lizzie Christie, David Doeff, Laurie Ladomerie, Alain Proietti, Tarit Mitra. (+ POSSIBLY Tom Uotila, Tomasz Giembicki, Giles Sanders Leonardo Mochi, Loma Saker +more???)

I'm hoping there will be a lot more people than the ones listed. I'm sure those of you living in Rome will turn up!

So now the hard bit's been done, we need to decide what to do. Some ideas suggested to me: Picnic in one of the parks in Rome, (or at the Senior House grounds, that would be VERY special, can anyone check if that is possible?), and out for drinks etc. in the evening for those who want to? Maybe a trip to the beach/lake on the Sunday?? Anything where largish numbers of people won't be a problem, and is fairly easy to get to? Being in England it's a bit difficult for me to organise that side of things, so we're relying on you Romans. Any volunteers?

Well sorry again to those who cannot make it this year, we'll see you next time though! And thanks for all your encouraging comments and strong responses! Please post any comments/suggestions on the web page by clicking here.

Thanks again, and hopefully I'll see lots of you soon!

Take care, Tarit. Smile!

P.S. Of course parents/teachers/girlfriends/boyfriends/wives/husbands/children will all be welcome too, and please let people who don't have e-mail but might be interested know too!