Need advice from all you smart peoples

[Romy]

Here's a weird situation and I'm not sure how to approach this, and I really need advice.

When I was in elementary school they started an orchestra program which I joined. I stayed in the program with the same teacher until he and his family moved overseas my junior year.

That teacher was seriously like a second dad to me and several of the other students. It was devastating when he moved away. Our orchestra just kind of disintegrated. When he moved we all had a great big tearful farewell and everything. He also gave us his new address so we could write and stuff.

Anyway, time went by and we fell out of touch, and I'm pretty sure he moved. I tried looking him up a couple times, but his name is super common (along the lines of "John Smith") so it was pretty hopeless. Something randomly reminded me of the orchestra days and I started telling Robert about him. Robert was just like, "just google his name and see what comes up."

So I tried it again. This time the very first result on the list was him! It even had his picture and I know it's him.

The dilemma: I'd love to write a note and say hi, see how he and his family are doing (they had kids who played in the orchestra with us too). He'd probably be thrilled to hear from a former student. Only, the website that came up is a school that he works for now. They only have one contact number which I can't call because it's expensive international. They have an e-mail, but it's the school's e-mail. So, how would I go about writing through the school? Just say I'm a former student of Mr. so-and-so, please pass this message to him? I don't want to do something that would annoy his boss, but it's literally the only way I can find to contact him.

Ahh! What should I do? What would you do?

 

[twobadfish]

Email the school. Don't worry about annoying anyone with email. One of the great conveniences of email is that if it takes no commitment to read one. It will either be ignored or responded to. Chances are, someone will respond with an affirmation that the message has been passed along. Just make sure you leave your email, name, relationship, and maybe even a number.

If the school is a college, there should be a directory you can search.

 

[LostAndConfused]

I'm assuming the school email is something along the lines of "[email protected]" and not just a general "[email protected]". I know several people who use their work email as a primary email address so I wouldn't think much of it.

 

[Doberluv]

Definitely email. He'd be thrilled. How fun it would be to get re-connected. Good luck!

 

[Renee750il]

Definitely e-mail! Not only will he be thrilled, but imagine what his bosses will think -- he was such a positive influence that a student from that long ago looked him up! Might even put him in line for a raise

How cool is it that you had the same elementary school music/orchestra experience I did? That's how I learned to play violin and I feel the same way about Mrs. Tallerico as you do about your teacher. I've not been able to locate her though, sadly. I loved her and until the moment we pulled away from the curb when we left California I kept dreaming that either she or my dancing teacher, Jane Brown, would drive up and offer to take me off my parents' hands. I'd have been out of that car and gone with them so fast and never looked back . . . .

 

[milos_mommy]

Email! The school will likely just forward it to him, or respond with his personal email address. I wouldn't worry about annoying them, I think it will make them happy to know so many years later his students still care about him!

 

[Grab]

If it's "[email protected]" or whatever, it's likely his personal school email. At my husband's school, at any rate, everyone has a computer in their classroom, so they each receive their own emails. He gets questions, etc all the time.

 

[Romy]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try and write an e-mail then. Who should it be addressed to if I don't know who will be receiving it? The school only has one e-mail listed, and it's a small school (less than 10 teachers listed on their website). And it has a headmaster. I think it's the headmaster part that's freaking me out. :lol-sign:

Renee, how the heck did I miss that you played the violin?!? You probably said so and I forgot (blasted memory). You'd love my teacher, he's Irish. He taught classical at school but knew I really wanted to learn Irish music and couldn't afford a private teacher, so he took a few minutes after school a couple days a week to teach me to fiddle by ear. Some of the songs he said had never been written down as far as he knew. When I got older and would jam with other folk musicians nobody ever recognized those songs. A bunch more people know them now though.