Class Note 1998
Hello again, ’98s. For this latest Class Notes, I will once more give the floor to those of you living abroad. I checked in with Mary Hollendoner, who continues her adventure driving from California to Argentina in a camper van with her husband and daughter. They recently crossed the border into Peru, where their van broke down, keeping them in a tiny town for several weeks. Now they have moved on and are enjoying Peru’s northern ruins, remote pueblos, and gorgeous mountains of the Cordillera Blanca and the Chachapoyas regions. Read their stories at their blog, www.monkeysontheroad.com, and follow them on Instagram @yosemite2patagonia. Mary added that she would love to meet up with alumni who live in the countries she plans to visit, so please reach out to her if you are in Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, or Brazil!
Alfonso Montero is also in Peru; he has been there since graduating. Recently Alfonso partnered with Guillermo Miro Quesada, joining his asset management company, Salkantay Partners. According to its website, Salkantay is an “activist investment firm that creates value for its clients by developing and nurturing innovative and sustainable companies that improve people’s lives.” Great work, guys. I asked Alfonso to reflect on his country compared to the United States. He shared that, although Peru is very conservative, he has been pleasantly surprised by the rapid advance of movements such as women’s and LGBT rights and addressing climate change. Alfonso credited technology and its empowering individuals to speak out, creating a more tolerant and inclusive society.
Kenji Hosokowa did not think he would settle down in Tokyo. But when the Internet bubble burst during his third year of law school (2000-01), the Tokyo job market stayed hot. Kenji found Tokyo to his liking, and he does not plan to move. Kenji has also been president of the Dartmouth Club of Japan for approximately the last five years. He says that the Dartmouth community in Tokyo is a great crowd. I’m sure it is! Kenji does make it back to the United States a few times a year and still misses northern New England, especially the outdoors and the beer.
Finally David Walthall wrote me from Italy with a thoughtful submission. I especially enjoyed his answer to my query about the world view from Italy. David wrote: “Certainly when one visits the country it is easy to fall in love with the history, food, art, beauty, music. Living here allows one to enjoy this year-round, and I love being a guide and showing people my favorites spots, views, restaurants, festivals, etc. But, of course, we also deal with all the normal ups and downs of daily life. So I think many people, both native Italians and expats, experience a kind of dual reality. We are surrounded by all this amazing culture and beauty and want to make the most of it, but you also necessarily must live in the real world and be aware of the issues and challenges we face, such as the debates on immigration, nationalism, and populism in Italy and all across Europe. Interestingly, in a way, this duality reminds me a bit of Hanover. It is a very idyllic place, and while we were on campus at times it was tempting to tune out the ‘real’ world and just live the beauty and opportunities of our immediate surroundings. Yet I feel we were (and still are) called to use our talents and education to better our world.”
Great stuff, ’98s. Whether near or far, I love hearing from you.
—Gabe Galletti, 4000 Utah Ave., Nashville, TN 37209; galletti@gmail.com
