Everything and Anything is Possible. Sometimes the Most Unexpected Opportunities are the Most Significant 

Reflections from Our Outgoing Interim Director, David Perry, and His Partner, Clare Perry

David (Interim Director 2022–2024) & his spouse, me, Clare Perry, are soon to be official AES alumni.

Clare: While I usually interview alumni members and do the write-ups for Alumni Spotlights, today I will play both roles. And instead of narrative presentations of David’s story and my own, I have decided to share the questions and our answers below. 

David Perry:

David, what brought you to AES? Where were you before? Brief timeline? 

It’s funny how life goes sometimes. Twelve years ago, when Clare and I first considered going abroad from independent schools in the States, we knew very little about international schools, but one of the few schools we had heard about was the American Embassy School in New Delhi. At that time, Bob Hetzel was the Director, and we reached out to him to inquire about working at AES. He didn’t have jobs for both of us back then, but he did exchange poetry with us for a while. Ten years later, we were in Santiago, Chile finishing up our roles there, when I was invited to come to AES to serve as the Interim Director and help the School through a period of transition. We weren’t too sure—our parents were getting older, our kids would be far away, and two years felt like a long time—but we remained intrigued about AES and said, “yes.” And so, more than a decade after reaching out to Bob, we ended up at the American Embassy School.

Where are you going? What will you be doing? What do you look forward to doing with your free time? Work and hobbies?

We are moving to Massachusetts where we had spent most of our adult lives before moving abroad. We plan to continue our work in independent schools. We’re looking forward to reconnecting with a familiar New England landscape; we look forward to walking the beaches, trails, bike paths, lakeshores, and mountains. We have missed the quality of light, the familiar trees and flowers, the architecture, the food, and the rooting for our favorite professional sports teams. Mostly, however, we’re looking forward to reconnecting with friends and family in the area. 

What is your most treasured memory from AES or time in India?

I loved spending time in Old Delhi. I felt like I could see the city growing right before my eyes. The energy and forward progress were palatable. I loved seeing the mixture of the old and new. That said, one of my regrets is that I did not see enough of India. I was here for such a short time and ended up using vacation time to visit with my young adult children in Europe and the US.

Most challenging moment here and memory of it?

Delhi Belly was not a lot of fun. Neither were the lines at the airport. 

Favorite activity in India or on campus? 

I really enjoyed Sunday afternoons on the residential common hanging out with other families. It was great to have the faculty children running around; it reminded me of raising our own young children years ago on a boarding school campus in Massachusetts. The good food, the fun games, and the compelling conversations were a staple of our experience at AES.

Favorite place on campus and why? How has it changed or not?

The surroundings were so beautiful—from the flowers, to the birds, to the fascinating bugs, to the architecture, and the rock gardens. It was a treat just to be on campus every day. 

Name the ways that AES and India might have changed or guided your thinking. How might that look in the future—share possible images of you in life after AES that might show evidence of your having been impacted by AES.

I  think it would be fair to say that we fell in love with this place. Never in our lives have we experienced such kindness, generosity, and warmth. People here were so committed to each other and the School, so open and tolerant, so willing to do anything to help each other, so respectful of each other, so much fun to be with. We both learned so much from the people we encountered at AES.  What I think I’ll take with me from this place is an impulse towards generosity. Enter to Learn. Leave to Serve. 

Clare Perry:

Clare, what brought you to AES? Where were you before? Brief timeline? 

In the international school teaching world, perhaps in other fields too, some use the term “trailing spouse” to denote the spouse who accompanies the internationally employed person. As so, while I mostly came to AES as a “trailing spouse,” I was also lucky enough to secure a part-time job with one of the best work teams I’ve ever known:: The Headway Team—responsible for admissions, communications, marketing, and overall advancement. Before this, I was in Chile where I also worked part-time but with students—teaching and doing some college counseling. Two of our kids graduated from the international school in Chile.

Where are you going? What will you be doing? What do you look forward to doing with your free time? Work and hobbies?

We are Massachusetts-bound! David and I met in Massachusetts over 30 years ago, had our children there not long after, and made many close friends. So this is a bit of a home-coming, however, I hesitate calling it that. As a person who considers home to be a rather fluid concept (mostly where I am with my family, or given our empty nest, where I am with David), I prefer to think of this move not as going home but as simply starting the next chapter in a region where we have many close friends and family. 

Anyone who knows me, even not very well, knows that I am a walker! I also love to write poetry, do yoga, go camping, eat delicious food, drink great wine, and sometimes dance the night away. I am sure we will find wonderful venues for all of these activities.

I plan to continue working part-time—hopefully doing some writing, marketing and communications, program development, and teaching or counseling of students. 

What is your most treasured memory from AES or time in India?

I’d have to say that one of my most treasured memories from AES will always be doing yoga up on the second floor of our house, looking out to the horizon where I’d watch planes coming and going, kite birds swooping wild and high, the industriousness of rooftop life in the camp, and on the balcony just outside the glass—Pranita. 

Pranita is the name I gave to our part-time cat who regularly visited me during my morning yoga sessions. I swear she sometimes copied my asanas—especially cat and cow and downward dog. She is a beautiful tri-colored cat whose coat-patterns mirrored the gray, amber, and slate-colored stones of the rock walls that framed the balcony. 

If we weren’t allergic, I’d really love to adopt her. But in the meantime, please keep your eyes out for my sweet, sweet prana cat—Pranita.

Most challenging moment here and memory of it?

Getting a prolonged bout of Delhi-Belly. Need I say more!?!

Favorite activity in India or on campus? 

I loved using the campus outdoor kitchen. Money was well spent by AES in its investment in the outdoor communal space where there are grills, a smoker, a pizza oven, and more. I used to love cooking down there with David and then enjoying the camaraderie of other campus families!

Favorite place on campus and why? How has it changed or not?

I would say it is atop any of the rocky outcrops. Funny, as I didn’t spend much time on them myself, but I love hiking rocky ridges and so when I’d walk by and see kids climbing on the campus rocks, I’d be reminded of  all the mountains I have climbed and hope to climb. I’d think about the futures of these AES students and where their adventures will take them. 

Name ways that AES and India might have changed or guided your thinking. How might that look in the future—share some possible images of you in life after AES that might show evidence of your having been impacted by AES. 

I have gained an appreciation of Hinduism that I did not have before. I particularly love the story of Ganesh. I have a small brass incense holder molded around a figurine of Ganesh. I look forward to using it for yoga sessions facing the ocean from our new home in Massachusetts. 

Working on the MarComm team has influenced how I think about marketing. Before AES, I had mostly worked with students to represent themselves through narrative writing and specifically through their college essays. While before, I may have overlaid some biases against marketing, I now see a huge connection between helping students and institutions—in this case AES—tell their stories.

Finally, as you all know, everything is possible in New Delhi. We lived that in our day-to-day life. I will forever carry that mantra with me!