Liz Dixon Branch (78)

We moved from Manila to Singapore in December of 1977. I went to Singapore American School from January to May, even though I already had my diploma from IS! (My parents needed to send me somewhere to keep me out of trouble!) The summer of 1978 I lived with a family in England as their nanny.

I graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX in 1982. While there I ran into Celeste  Peyton from IS (Class of 1979, I think?) who was in one of my economics classes (I think?) I tried law school in Louisiana in 1982, but it didn't like me so I began my career as a paralegal at a law firm in Baton Rouge, where I worked from 1983 - 1987.

My husband David and I were married in 1987, at which time we moved to Jackson, Mississippi. Our first two sons were born there, Colin in 1990, and Quentin in 1992. David took a new job in Memphis, TN in 1995, where we lived for 2  years. Our son Christian was born there in 1997.  Later that year, another job change brought us to Charlotte, NC, where we have been ever since.

I've  been a stay at home mom since Colin was born in 1990. We are in the process of completing the adoption of a 3 year old little girl from Kazakhstan. We are hoping to travel there to get her this summer or early fall.

Most memorable AS/IS or PI memory:
Golly, where do I begin? (1) A trip to Subic over Thanksgiving with friends Leslie
Bangerter (1979) and Mary Joy  Bustamante (?) We had a blast.

(2) Being in a TV commercial for a type of Jeep...taking a trip to Batangas to film the commercial on the beach there, realizing that we had no place to sleep that night, and ending up sleeping in a nipa hut with no bed or blanket or pillow, freezing to death. Breaking down in the jeep on the way home, and being stranded on the side of the road  for hours.

(3) Youth group and acolyting at Trinity Episcopal Church.

(4)  Classes with Vicky Herrera, Chona Valles, Mrs. Davies in IB English; being
"hypnotized" in Theory of Knowledge class by Mr.McKenzie; learning research
methods that stay with me to this day from Monty Swiryn.

(5) scuba diving  trips to Mindoro with my family;

(6) trips to  Baguio with my family;

(7) my  house on Cambridge Circle, my parents' parties....I could go on and on and on....

Have you returned to the PI since high school? when?
Only in my dreams.

April 01