This is where alumni can describe what happened to them after leaving the school, and what they're doing now - and any of the bits in-between. Send what you want to the webmaster - text, photos, etc. - and he'll format it for publication here. Just to be different, entries will appear as they were received rather than in alphabetical order.

Okay, so it looks like I'm the first to reveal something about myself. I was only 22 years old when I started at the school in 1971 as the mathematics teacher (and some science). I was also the boys' housemaster. I must have replaced someone but I can't remember any details about that. I loved being at the castle, and thought of the students and staff as sort of my extended family. Unfortunately, I couldn't continue at the school after the summer vacation in September, so I toured the rest of Scotland, and ended up working as a kitchen hand at the Aviemore ski centre. On one occasion while still there, I briefly met up with some of my former students who were visiting the area for the weekend. After that I had adventures in Europe, and eventually got back to my home country of Australia. My experience at Taymouth Castle School encouraged me to stay involved in education. But the call of my hippy ideals remained strong and, together with my young wife, I set up a small rural community dedicated to finding new ways to be subsistence farmers using 'soft' technology. Three years later I was again teaching and studying.

I did a lot of research in the fields of mathematical modelling and test theory, and ended up getting a PhD. This led me into tertiary education and curriculum development. But I was (and remain) always restless, so I started building sail boats (of all things) and combined both this and my academic interests when I took my young family to the Pacific islands where we lived for five years. Then, in 1995, we shifted to England to work and study, and I was able to take my wife and kids to Scotland and to show them Taymouth Castle (we were lucky enough to meet up with Norman, the sympathetic caretaker who took us on a brief tour). This was a wonderful experience for us all, especially since stories about Taymouth had become part of family legend.

Finally, I got back to Australia, became involved in university education again, but decided there were other things I had to do in my limited time on the planet. So I resigned my post and began to write a novel that had been lingering in the back of my mind for a long while. It's probably one of the more important things I've ever done. The novel is called The Tide Turners, and is about a group of environmentalists who attempt to change the world. If you're interested, there's more about it at the website for Mopoke Publishing. You can also order a copy from there. My next book is tentatively titled The Holy Well. Much of the story is set in Scotland. (April, 2001)

My year at Taymouth, while it was a great "growing" year, was not one I wanted to repeat the following year, so after flying to Tanzania to spend the summer with my parents, I flew back to California and took up residence with my Aunt and Uncle. I went to San Dimas High School for my Junior and Senior years and then to California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly, Pomona), where I started out as a Pre-Vet major, but later changed to a Business Managment major. A year into college, I met Dave Martinez, and about a year 1/2 later we were married. We had Aaron, our first child, in April of 1978, 4 months after I graduated from college. 18 months later, Toby was born, then 3 1/2 years later Kimberly joined the family. I am one of those fortunate moms who never had to work. Dave is an engineer for Raytheon, and has always had an income that has allowed me to "play". When my baby went to school, I went to work, but work has never been my focus. It keeps me from being bored at home. I've had several jobs, but have never worked towards a career.

I homeschooled my kids for a year, worked in a graphic design office for a year, worked as a teachers' aide at my kids' school for 4 years and decided to work on my Elementary Education Teacher's credential. I now have an expired credential that I've never used. I'd rather "play". At 45, I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up.

In 1982, Dave's job brought us to Tucson, Arizona. Of the places I've lived Tucson is my least favorite, and I'd love to move back to California. Dave doesn't care for Tucson, but he's not interested in moving back to CA, either. To keep myself occupied, I work for a company called Afni as a workforce management scheduler, meaning, I provide schedules for about 800 employees to ensure that when customers call the "800" number on their phone bill, we have enough people to answer the call.

Now, a little about my kids. Toby, who is almost 22, lives with my parents in CA while going to college studying to be a Paramedic (with a goal of being a helicopter pilot with Search and Rescue). Aaron, 23, is getting married in November. He is a graphic designer, and is actively seeking employement in CA. Kim, 18, who is attending college here as an Optics Engineering student, would also like to eventually move to CA.

Now for a more personal look at Sue.

When I think back on Taymouth Castle days, I get nostalgic. It was "the best of years and the worst of years" for me. I grew up in a very sheltered home. My parents were loving, strict, conservative and Christian. In 1968, I became a Christian and had morals and ethics and a general view of the world that was as close to my parents' as a 12 - 13 year old's could have been. I was also self-admittedly naive. Then I went to Scotland for a year. As a 15 year old, my eyes were opened to a different world. Without my parents' and siblings support, I had to make choices for myself about finances, education, religion, relationships, smoking, drinking, drugs, language, sex, etc.

While many of the memories of the year at Taymouth have faded, I still think fondly of that year. There were some great people....would LOVE to get in touch with them again, and we had some wonderful times: rolling down the hill at the golf course, walking to Kenmore for Tea, our Saturday trips to the different towns, getting drunk during these trips to town, sneaking into each others' bedrooms after lights out, horse back riding, making daisy chains on the golf course, eating rich food and gaining weight (remember those merenge puffs that would flip over because the filling was so heavy?, or the shepard pie that just swam in grease? How about Haggis? Or my favorite...Trifle?), smoking in the rooms with the windows open (I liked the cafe au lait cigars myself), the lounge and music videos.

While some of my memories are foggy, one memory stands out very distinctly. At the end of the year, on the flight back to Tanzania, I reflected on the past year and made some decisions about my future. While at Taymouth, I got drunk a few times, smoked some and learned to use some words I don't believe I'd ever heard before. Sitting on the plane, I realized I had compromised my own standards (as well as God's) and I wasn't very proud of it. I concluded that I'd probably never be in a situation where there was MORE peer pressure than the year I had just been through. Knowing that, I realized that noone would ever be able to force me to do something that I didn't want to do or make me have friends that I didn't choose. As a teenager, I felt a great deal of relief with this revelation. I rededicated my life to Christ, and I believe that the decisions I made on the plane, way back in 1971, have been the very foundation I have since used to build my life and is what made my year in Scotland the "best" year of my life. (September, 2001)

I am writing this message at the house of our dear friend, Colin Macpherson. After thirty one years of silence I rediscovered Colin through this website, and decided to visit after talking to him on the phone one cold and wintery night. The thought of sunshine and surf was enough to entice me to travel to his home in Queensland, Australia and to leave my footprints in the snow behind. Leading up to this decision I had spent most of my life in manufacturing. I ran a small company which produced industrial leather gloves. I recently closed the business and have spent most of my time enjoying my hobby of boatbuilding - which, coincidently, Colin had also caught the bug for many years ago (click on the small picture of me working on my latest boat to see an enlarged view).

I am happily married to my lovely wife, Dr Martha Demson DVM who at the moment is probably tending to our small farm in upstate New York where she has her horses and a few other critters.

And now for my reflections on my year at Taymouth - and I'll be purposefully brief. That year gave me my first contacts outside of the USA, and the School exposed me to people from many parts of the world. I credit this for leaving me with a wide-angled view of life. There are many fond memories I have of Taymouth Castle School but I have decided to share them with you all at our reunion (God willing) in the year 2004 - the tentative date given by Colin. Until then, best wishes to you all. (February, 2002.)

I saw the Taymouth ad in the International Herald Tribune and called about the French/English positions. I was told that someone (Jankowski) was all ready hired for these courses but that I should meet with McCormick anyway because other teachers were needed. I was very clear that math/science were out. Well, after my first-and-last three glasses of sherry ever, McCormick had me convinced that I could teach U.S., British, World History and geography. He said don't worry about not knowing what the students know...read the book the night before! Of course, he never mentioned that there would be no textbooks for some time…and, I felt that it was very obvious to students that I was barely a step ahead of them. I met Ms. Bomhoff and her wolfhound (aka mini horse) at the train station and off I went on this idyllic adventure.

It's important to know that I came from a working-class family where I was the only one to attend or graduate from college; I essentially left home after graduating from high school. By that time, the farthest I had traveled was to Canada and NY and had very little contact with other cultures. In fact, it wasn't until college that I met a person of color. Anyway, at college I was fortunate (or not so fortunate, depending on your point of view) to meet and become friends with some clever, daring and fun-loving souls during the upheaval of the 60's(including Stephen King). I discovered that I was quite independent and daring; so, took the challenge to study/travel/live/work half way around the world. Which is how I found all of you.

It was quite a year, and, one, which formulated my view of the world, relationships with others, developing responsibility and appreciating how truly lucky I was to reflect on my origins from afar. I also had the good fortune to experience great adventures. After Taymouth, I went to Israel and lived on a kibbutz in the Golan Heights (one of only two Americans at this particular kibbutz which was 300 yds. from the Lebanon border). Yes, there some military incidents which will never be forgotten.

From there, I returned to London where I taught in a Head Start program, then, on to Greece where I was a private tutor for two Greek children. However, that was short-lived since I received word that both my parents were in the hospital .My brother and sister were still in high school. I had, however, signed a contract to teach in England. I was stateside for only about a week when I was involved in a serious car accident and was in and out of the hospital for the next 7 years. Needless to say, I never returned to England to teach. I did return to England, however, for a medical consultation for my auto injuries!

In Maine (my home state), I ended up working in municipal parks & recreation for two different communities, then decided to return to graduate school (10 years later) but in higher education, not French. Then, my third career began and has held me for the past 25 years!

I have been involved in college admission and financial aid at various schools: U. of CT., Quinnipiac U., U. of Tulsa, Hampshire C., Bentley C., and Bradford C. at the undergraduate level. I started working with international students in '83 while I was in Tulsa. While at Hampshire and Bentley Colleges, I was able to satisfy my "travel thirst" by recruiting students throughout Latin America and Canada. I did recruit one year in Europe('95). Now, I'm the Assistant Dean/Director of Admission for the School for Health Studies (masters and doctorates) at Simmons College in Boston. I live in the suburbs about 30 miles west of Boston; have been in MA. now for 16 years.

So, what did Taymouth mean to me? Many things: I determined that I wasn't a good teacher but that I did love education and was committed to working in the profession in some fashion in the future; I learned about photography and mountain climbing from the Browns and I've continued with the photography, gave up mountain climbing for running .I truly appreciated the raging hormonal changes and outside influences which the students were experiencing in such a remote location; wonder how you all survived. The best part, however, are the memories that I have of the tricks, escapades and hi-jinks students got into. I always felt that some of us truly never relaxed and were ourselves due to the disciplinary standards imposed, but that's what boarding schools are all about. It would be great to have a reunion in Scotland and I'd be on the first plane. In the meantime, if any of you out there are residing in my area, PLEASE know that you can visit anytime! And, for those of you across country, I love appearing on people's doorsteps! After all these years, this ole bird still loves travel adventures.
Cheers,
Carmin Fortin. (July 2002.)

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