The unwavering vision of two TASIS Hellenic Class of 1986 alumnae, Tina Gammas and Katerina MacGregor, was the driving force behind this heartfelt 40-year reunion in Kifissia, Greece—the lovely northern Athens suburb Mrs. Fleming had chosen back in 1979 to start her latest school—that was held on the former TASIS Hellenic campus on June 20 after more than a year of planning. TASIS was committed to supporting the reunion’s expenses, and Tina and Katerina rallied classmates and booked the tour and theater at the International School of Athens (ISA) for the reception. TASIS Hellenic alumni and former faculty are truly a family, and the Class of ’86 kindly extended their reunion celebration to include alumni and former faculty members from all years of the school. The day of the reunion was a joyous scramble of running to the caterer with Tina to pick up the food and the TASIS Hellenic cake she’d ordered. Katerina ingeniously bought two baby pools that we filled with ice for drinks. I brought the requested TASIS logo items the class wanted: luggage tags and pens. Katerina printed the entire yearbook in negative-sheet-fashion and hung it for viewing, which was a big hit with everyone. We had seven former TASIS Hellenic faculty members in attendance: Lucy Corsi, Kathryn and Karl Christiansen (who met while teaching at TASIS Hellenic), Chris and Eleni Tragas, Anna Xydas, and Katherine Cairncross. Everything ran on Greek time, with the tour starting a good half an hour behind schedule. There were many who could not wait to see their old classrooms and lockers! After the tour, we were assembled by the ever-ready TH Master of Ceremonies, George Serentini ’84, who got those in the front to hold the Greek flag and all of us to shout “TASIS rules!” while group shots were taken.
The slideshow was rolling in the theater when we emerged from the tour. Before inviting everyone to the meal, a handful of people, including myself, were invited to the floor to thank everyone for coming and share their own personal memories and joy at being together again. Food and drink were enjoyed over joyous laughter, storytelling, and plenty of, “Wow, I haven’t seen you in years!” Late arrivals continued to join the group throughout the evening and were immediately welcomed by all. The TASIS Hellenic green-TASIS-crested cake for the Class of 1986 40-year reunion was a hit and received three ceremonial candle-blowing and cake-cutting moments. George had ’80s music vibing in the background, but the roar of chatter outweighed the music. After a quick cleanup of the ISA space and the distribution of food to take home, drinks at ESCOBA—a must after every TASIS Hellenic reunion—rounded out the evening into the night, where the fellowship and shared history continued to be the center of conversation and a fabulous time together. The Class of 1986 reunion was a wonderful celebration of enduring friendships, cherished memories, and the lasting impact of their TASIS experience. This group loves being together and always picks right up from where they left off. Many are sure to join the TH Class of 1987’s 40-year reunion next July (date to be confirmed). I also look forward to marking TASIS Hellenic’s 50-year anniversary with an all-class reunion—stay tuned and plan to be in Greece in July of 2029! Recap written by Director of Alumni Relations Michelle Arslanian Naroyan.
