Photo by Stefan Wachs

Last May brought snow and the class of ’67 to the Taos Pueblo at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico. The group, on a mini-reunion trip to Santa Fe and Taos organized by Road Scholar, got “a glimpse of the Taos Nation’s living history, which antecedes first contact with the Spanish by centuries,” says class vice president Erica Johnson. “Our guide and docents presented a non-Eurocentric orientation to the history, culture, governance, economic, and societal challenges of the region through centuries of fluctuating treaty terms set by the U.S. government.” The group toured the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, enjoyed a presentation of traditional and contemporary music by a Native American flute-player, and visited El Santuario de Chimayó, a Catholic pilgrimage site.

For classes considering similar mini-reunions, Johnson advises, “Survey the class to determine programs of interest and who might be interested in helping organize a mini locally. In cities with many options, such as D.C. or New York, it’s possible for a small committee to organize successfully, but if logistics seem daunting, Road Scholar trips are very worth considering.”