In 1982 Keri Taiaroa was one of four AFSNZ students who were evacuated quickly from Argentina with the outbreak of the Falklands War. Keri was lucky enough to find a new host family—the Aldunce family in Santiago, Chile.

Marisa Aldunce who had just returned from an AFS exchange in Toledo, Ohio and her sister Paulina (aged 14) shared their bedroom with Keri during the rest of her exchange year. In 1985, Paulina, also went on an AFS exchange to Tennessee, USA.

Over the years, Keri and the Aldunce family communicated intermittently but with the advent of the internet, and thanks to “AFS Find a Friend”, Keri and Marisa first, then the rest of the Aldunce family, have been in frequent contact. (Keri’s brother, Travis, for example, stayed with host brother Sergio Aldunce when he was touring South America in 1990’s).

Then, this summer, on Stewart Island, Keri and Paulina met up again for the first time in 27 years!

In the intervening years:

• Keri pursued a nursing career, completed a health science degree, raised a family of four and is now a midwife in Dunedin

• Paulina completed a degree in Agricultural Science, followed by Masters studies and a teaching position at the University of Chile; then won a scholarship to pursue her PhD(in Environmental Disaster Management) at the University of Melbourne while continuing to represent Chile on the International Committee on Climate Change.

Paulina, husband Alfonso, and daughters Emilia and Amanda, took the opportunity this summer to visit Keri and her family at their summer home on Stewart Island where they all enjoyed the bush, the sea and the birds as well as reflecting on their AFS experiences.

While on the Island Keri and Paulina also met up with Megan McClelland who went from St Hilda’s in Dunedin on an AFS exchange to Florianoplis, Brazil, in 1991. On her return she studied Food Science at Otago University, then post graduate studies in Environmental Science (at Wellington Polytech) before pursuing a career health protection in Auckland, Manukau City and Christchurch. Two and a half years ago she decided to return to her ancestral home on Stewart Island where she owns The Fernery — a very successful Art Gallery & Gift Shop.

(03 2191 453; email: thefernery@xtra.co.nz)