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Sunday, June 30, 2013
Blog 7 Sunday June 30th - Home Stay Experiences
Supai! (sayipa). We just came back from an amazing home stay
at Christina Seth’s boma. We collected firewood, fetched water and harvested
beans. We also found our new favorite food: freshly picked sugarcane from the
grandmother’s farm. We had so much fun playing with the little kids and blowing
bubbles all around the boma. We also got a lot closer to Christina and her
sister Paulina (Shangazi). After cooking dinner, we had an hour long bonding
session in the kitchen. Today, we went to church and introduced ourselves to
the entire congregation IN SWAHILI!
-Layla and Tania
Howdy all! It’s Reed, Laura and Mimi back from our homestay
at Agnes and Agnes’ home (if you’re confused – so were we). The three of us
spent our days gathering firewood from up the mountain and carrying it on our
heads back to the boma, collecting water, cooking and playing lots and lots of
games – exhausting our “camp-like” sensibilities. To our great surprise Agnes’
aunt, who lived next door, had a house equipped with electricity, television
and even wifi! This is where we spent our evenings; very comfortably, we might add.
All in all it was a rewarding experience.
P.S. Callie Fiertz, congrats on the graduation (whether it
has already happened or is happening in the next couple of days). Love ya sis
xx
- Reed, Laura and Mimi
I had an amazing homestay at Ndeeray and Ninao’sboma! We
spent our day collecting water, beading, and playing soccer with the fifteen
children under age seven. Anna R. and I learned a few lively songs in Swahili
and learned how to carry a baby on our back using a kanga (cloth with many
uses). The parents were very welcoming, the kids were incredibly adorable, and
many pictures were taken!
-Anna T.
We are back at E’Manyatta after a wonderful homestay with
Naihorwa and Bertha! We spent 2 days collecting water, firewood, cooking, and
playing with beautiful little babies, and we are so grateful for this unique
experience. We especially enjoyed getting to know our gracious hosts through
family dinners and snuggle sessions, and we are definitely going to miss our
new family.
Love,
Alexandra, Holly, and Olivia
Georgia, Suzy, and I stayed with Esther and Yuster at their
boma. The first night we milked a goat and learned how to cook rice and beans
over an open fire. After several games of Uno and Banana Grams we went to sleep
and woke up early the next morning to collect water with their donkeys. Also,
we collected firewood and carried it on our heads for an hour! Esther’s mom was
super welcoming and made us earrings which we’ve been wearing for the whole
day.
Love,
Kelsey
Anna T. and I had an amazing weekend while staying in
Orkeeswa Village with Ninao and Ndeeray! We arrived and were immediately
greeted by both of their families that included at least 15 young children
together, including Baby Samuel ;). We enjoyed eating corn stock, milking
goats, and getting water with the donkeys. Anna and I really bonded with our
kind hosts and their families through making friendship bracelets and drawing.
I had a great time at my first home stay in a boma and will always remember
this experience!
-Anna R.
After being warmly invited into the Samson family, we went
on a hike up one of the nearby mountains; after three hours of tiring climbing,
on the top of a mountain we enjoyed white bread, Coke, and a spectacular view
of the rolling plains of Monduli and the nearby bomas. Upon returning back to
our own boma, we started playing a little sandlot baseball with herding sticks
and freshly-picked lemons. Wrapping up our visit, we had an amazing homemade
meal of potato stew, spaghetti, and beef.
-Derek and Wells
Fraser and I were lucky enough to be invited for the weekend
to the house of Orkeeswa students Edo and Ushumo. Unfortunately Fraser was not
able to make it for the first night because of a slight fever, so the first
night was spent alone. Despite not having any other Groton students with me,
the family of the boma was extremely welcoming, and I had a blast herding
cattle and having dinner with the father of the household. The next morning
Fraser showed up, and after a spirited game of the card game: “Last Card,” the rules
of which still befuddle me, we took a hike all across the village. The day
ended with a trip to another student, Lenga’s boma, and another spirited dinner
with the Father of the household. Overall Fraser and I had a wonderful weekend,
one that we will not likely forget for many years.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Blog 6 Thursday June 27
We split into groups at teatime for
our daily language exchange, but mine turned into more of a reunion than a
Swahili lesson. While I was introducing myself to the group of Form 4 boys I
was sitting with, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a vaguely
familiar face but before I could sort out his name, the boy embraced me and
shouted, “Lucy! Lucy!” Although his face fell noticeably when I explained that
I was Lucy’s younger sister and not the goddess herself, Lais seemed content
that we are at least related. We worked hard for another two hours until lunch,
and were then rewarded not only with a change from the usual rice and beans but
also with our groups for the homestays tomorrow. At the end of the day
tomorrow, each group of two or three Groton students will journey to a
different Orkeeswa student’s boma (neighborhood), and live with them and their
family until Sunday afternoon. The next blog on Sunday will surely be filled
with more details and stories about these homestays. Our last activity at Orkeeswa today was a small group, story-telling session with the Form 4 students where I was again paired up with friends of last year’s crew, Lota and Lais. Laurie instructed us to talk about the person we love most, and Lota charmed me with his poetry. We ended the day with a
professional Swahili lesson from Osotto, a young man studying to become a
history and Swahili teacher at university.
--Georgia
P.S. Many inquiries about the identity of Sir Hungry Hungry
Hippo. Give us a hint: what country are you currently in?
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Blog 5 Wednesday June 26 (now with photos!)
Cornrows and Circumcision
Today was hardly an average day in
Monduli, Tanzania. Despite a typical, quiet morning of transporting dirt and
practicing Swahili, the post-lunch adventures of the Crew were exotic.
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| Click to see photos. |
Following the
daily rice and beans, we gathered in the third form classroom to hear about a
very special Maasai ceremony. Sangorie and a few other
form five boys explained (very patiently) the activities that were about to
take place. This ceremony celebrated the beginning of manhood for boys in
Maasai culture following their circumcision and period of preparation. We
boarded the buses with thirty of the Orkeeswa school kids and departed for a
MaasaiBoma. When we arrived, the elders of the village were gathered for
raucous celebration. After a half hour, we saw an unforgettable sight; a
tightly packed herd of young men were approaching, singing and dancing wildly.
As they came closer, we observed that the dancing consisted of hopping and
rocking one’s torso. The men shrieked and hummed as they ran towards onlookers.
Sticks in hand, the men were quite a spectacle. The ceremony was enjoyed with some
bottled sodas, which the Orkeeswa girls impressively opened using their teeth
as a bottle opener.
We returned
to E’manyata around four, but the adventures were far from over. Many members
of the Crew walked into town and bought snacks at the Tumaini shop. Mimi
inquired about the nearest hair salon, as many girls were interested in a new
“do.” The clerk responded with a strong suggestion of “NOT in Monduli.” Mimi
nodded and led the Crew across the street to the Precious Hair Salon. The
curtain used as a substitute door and backyard bonfire did not faze anyone (if
only it had). The people were welcoming; the hairstyles were bad. Holly, Mimi,
Reed and Georgia each requested four cornrows on the side of their head.
Although the goal was extreme beauty, the results were closer to baldness than
expected. When we got back to the lodge, the reactions were mixed. The evening
was not complete without a photo shoot.
To say the least, we all kept it pretty kosher ;)
-Wells and Anna T.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Blog 4 Tuesday June 25
Today we went back to Orkeeswa School,
Began the day with Laurie’s fighting teach.
We learned to stage fight; it was very cool,
We learned Swahili—some words were a reach.
And then we went back to work on the steps,
So that the hill of their school does not erode.
We found that in 6 minutes, sixty-three reps
Of buckets full of dirt—quite a load.
After, we took a trip into the town,
We walked from the lodge in which we stay,
We bought some food and had a look around,
We saw a lot of kids along the way.
We hope the rest of our trip is just as fun,
And that we become friends with everyone.
-Kelsey
Shikamoo! (A respectful hello in Swahili). Today was our
second day of hard work at Orkeeswa School. We woke up this morning, had breakfast,
and arrived at the school by 9. We started off the day with a theater activity
in which we learned how to ‘fake fight’. Laurie taught us how to move our
bodies to look like we were fighting each other, without actually causing any
physical harm. Each Groton student paired up with an Orkeeswa student to
practice these fighting moves, such as a slap across the face, hair pulling,
and foot stomping. After we practiced for a few minutes, we got into groups of
six students and came up with a short skit that incorporated our newfound ‘fake
fighting’ skills to perform for the rest of the students.
After this lesson in theater from Laurie, we broke up into
small groups and had another language inversion session. I was paired up with
four Orkeeswa students, so I received a lot of individual attention and learned
many new phrases.
After our language immersion, it was
time to get to work. We continued to move dirt from the hillside to the other
side of the basketball court using buckets. Some students used hoes to break up
the dirt, while others took to the shovels to move the dirt into buckets. We
had many enthusiastic bucket carriers, including many Orkeeswa students who
managed to carry buckets full of dirt on top of their heads without using their
hands. Fraser, Britton, and I teamed up with Mr. Beams to smooth out the dirt
piles on the other side of the basketball court. After Fraser, Britton, and Mr.
Beams moved onto shoveling, I stayed with Olivia and Anna T. to continue
smoothing out the dirt. We met a boy named Cathpert who asked us to sing for
him every time he brought a bucket of dirt over to our side of the court. We
eagerly introduced him to some popular music including, but not limited to, the
High School Musical soundtrack, “Call Me Maybe”, “Don’t Stop Believing”, and
“Party in the USA”.
After a few long hours of hard work, we settled down to
lunch. After lunch, we did another activity with the Orkeeswa students, which
involved a lot of teamwork and communication. We had to learn through trial and
error the correct way to pass from one side of a grid to the other. Each team
would send a student into an individual box on the grid and then Laurie or
Haley (a Groton graduate and volunteer at Orkeeswa) would tell the teams
whether or not that square was part of the pathway. If the student stepped into
a square that was indeed part of the pathway, they were allowed to move forward
or sideways into another square to discover if it was part of the pathway as
well. If they stepped into a square on the grid that was not part of the
pathway, they were sent back to the end of the line. The goal of the game was
to get the entire team to the other side of the grid as quickly as possible.
When we finally figured out the appropriate strategy, Haley made the game a
little more difficult for us. She added obstacles such as blindfolds, no
talking, and only speaking in Swahili. Overall it was a great way to interact
with more of the kids, and to work together.
After the grid activity, we played netball, basketball, and
soccer with the Orkeeswa students, which was an awesome way to get to know more
of the kids and have a good time. After playing sports, we boarded the bus and
headed back to the lodge for the day. Today was definitely a busy day, and we
are looking forward to learning more Swahili, further developing friendships,
and completing our project on the hillside of the basketball court. Kwaheri!
(Goodbye in Swahili)
-Holly
Photos from Tuesday June 25th w/ bonus Safari pics
Some interesting stats:
Together with the Orkeeswa community we moved an average of 630 buckets of dirt an hour.
With an average bucket weighing 25lbs we moved about 8 tons of dirt each hour, or ~32,000lbs of dirt before lunch.
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| Click photo for slideshow |
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Monday, June 24, 2013
Day 3 - Work Starts (Monday June 24th)
After waking up at around 8:18 to the sound of Alexandra and Georgia informing Holly, Olivia, and I that we had a few minutes to make the 8:20 bus, the day continued in an up beat manner. We all hopped on the bus after a hearty breakfast of African style crepes and sugar, then arrived at the Orkeeswa Secondary School and began with an interesting 20 minute Swahili lesson, during which we learned some of the basic greetings and conversational habitudes of the Maasai culture, both in Kiswahili and Kimaasai. After our lessons, we enjoyed a very special ceremony where the Maasai chief and many of the parents of Orkeeswa children were present. During this ceremony, gifts were exchanged between Mr. Beams and the chief, and student speakers excited the group for a long day of strenuous but well wortheffort. After the ceremony, we played some enthusiastic games with Laurie and met many students. Next, we began to make some major progress on our concrete benches for the basketball court, digging out mounds of dirtwith shovels, hoes, and picks, and piling them in the irrigation ditches that the rain had washed away. We finished our first day of projects at Orkeeswa with a highly competitive and fun game of charades. After returning home, and having a short but legitimate water shortage scare, we had dinner with Ms. Beams’ Tanzanian friend Asoto, a student at a Ugandan university studying to be a Swahili teacher. Overall it was both an entertaining and interesting day, and we can’t wait get back to it tomorrow. Stay classy, America.
-Anna R. and Britton
Day 2 - Safari (Sunday June 23rd)
A Sunny Safari in the Splendid Savannah
Today, with the first glimmerings of sunlight painting the
endless African sky iridescent, the mesmerizing call to prayer stirred us from
our slumber. Today was our safari. We ate and dressed quickly, meeting the Form
2 students in their eye-catching vermillion sweaters, their warm smiles
accentuated by their equally warm red ties. We piled into the Safaris-R-Us (“Double the Experience!”) vans and began
our journey to the Tarangire National Park, over 200,000 square km packed with
flora and fauna native to the savannah biome. Our safari vans were supplied
with pristine Kilimanjaro bottled water, succulent fruit-flavored toffees,
aloe-scented baby wipes, and a thorough field guide to the birds of East
Africa. All of these amenities were rivaled only by our skilled, witty driver
and guide aptly named Dennis “The Menace.”
As we drove past the construction of the new highway, Dennis
used Formula-1 level capabilities to navigate the Toyota Land Cruiser’s off-road
power through the hairpin turns and potholes. Arriving at the gates of
Tarangire, the first animal we spotted was the mischievous and agile baboon.
Then, we spotted the animal that bolsters the soul of our school from September
to June – the Zebra. Along with the zebras, we were soon introduced to the
graceful impala, the towering giraffe protecting its young, and the ostrich,
the only bird with marrow encapsulated within its bones. We then saw the familiar Timon and Pumbaa
from Lion Kings 1, 2, and 1.5. Throughout the entire journey, starlings and
lilac-breasted rollers fluttered and flitted about. Then, we were graced to see
herds of tembo, or elephants. Spent
after our first half-day of safari, we traveled to the picnic site for a hearty
meal while still watchfully scanning the horizon. Lo! “The Menace” spottedthree
simbas (lions) prowling around for
lunch, just like us.
When we gathered together at the picnic site overlooking the
river dotted with mammals, we were delighted to find thoughtful gifts left in
our lunch packs. Each student received a pair of earrings and a beaded
keychain: memorabilia for this idyllic day. We were gazing over the railing at
the elephants, when a stealthy baboon crept up to Olivia’s ankles and snatched
away her ripe yellow banana! Although Olivia was looking
forward to a fruity snack on the ride back, she was duly impressed by the
baboon’s wit and agility.
All in all, it was a day to remember.
Disclaimer: We apologize for the excessive use of
adjectives, adverbs, and other descriptors. We were in the mood for a little
“poetic prose.”
-- Olivia and Layla
We'd love to hear from you!
Feel free to leave comments at the bottom on any post. We will share them with the group at our evening check in.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Blog 1 Saturday June 22, 2013
(Photos are coming soon!)
I am very happy to finally be in Tanzania. The climate and
geography is much different from home, but it is a welcome change. I am very
excited for the coming week and all the activities planned for us, especially
at Orkeeswa.
-Britton
At the end of the first day of our trip, we gathered in a
circle in front of our rooms and Laurie asked each of us, “Why are you on the
trip?” Initially, I didn’t know what to say; even now I am only starting to
find my answer. Sure, the plane ride was long, the bus rides bumpy, and the
showers cold, but on the first day the happiness and warmth with which the
Orkeeswa students greeted me and the other Groton students made it all worth
it. The sight of kids my age and younger, not just at Orkeeswa but also on the
streets of Monduli herding goats or chasing after the bus, really opened my
eyes. I hope that on the rest of the trip I can continue to find my answer.
-Derek
Hi! My first full day in Tanzania was so much fun- I got a
tour of the school from Christina, a kid from Orkeeswa in the second form and
was part of the Blue Team for a field day. We brought home a glorious third
place, but we did it with heart, which is what really matters. I can’t wait to
go on safari tomorrow with the second form and meet everyone else at Orkeeswa.
-Tania
After over 30 hours of brutal traveling, filled with many
hours of bus rides and plane rides, we finally arrived in Monduli, Tanzania.
Though so far we have not yet been in Tanzania for as long as it took to get
here, I have had a great time so far. This morning, we traveled to Orkeeswa
school, where we were eagerly greeted by the students. At this point, it was a
great feeling to be welcomed so kindly. Overall, the time we have spent here
has been fun filled.
-Alexandra
Our first full day in Tanzania surpassed all of my
expectations. We woke up this morning, grabbed a quick breakfast at our lodge,
and then took a bus ride to Orkeeswa School. The second form students at
Orkeeswa greeted us with excitement and gave us a tour of their school. We then
split into four different teams and competed with one another in different
events. The Red Team (my team, of course) blew away all the competition when we
won 15 points during the egg toss. After our field day we said our goodbyes,
and headed back to the lodge. I cannot wait for tomorrow!
~Holly
After arriving in the dark late last night, it was exciting
to wake up and explore our new surroundings at the lodge, my favorite of which
is the small cat that roams the grounds (don’t worry, I’m just admiring from
afar). We spent a fun day at Orkeeswa playing all sorts of games with the
students who were all so nice and inviting. As we were leaving Orkeeswa, a
small pack of little kids began to chase the bus and continued to run after us,
waving and smiling, for quite some time. Their simple happiness
made my day. So excited for the safari tomorrow!
-Reed
We started off the day with the Tanzanian version of crepes
with sugar—one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a while. After, we headed to
the Orkeeswa School to see the place and the amazing view from the hill. In one
direction there were large plains and in the other lots of forest. After our
tours and the field day planned for us, we tried to play basketball with some
of the students there. During a game of knockout, I took about twenty shots
before I finally got out—I never actually made a basket until I played a real
game afterwards. As we were playing, an adorable little dog walked by.
Hopefully we’ll see more cool animals tomorrow!
-Kelsey
The showers are cold but the smiles are warm; that is all we
need. I have already been blown away by the kindness of the people here. While
at the school, I fell over after an overzealous run up the hill only to be
quickly rescued by an Orkeeswa student. She swiftly plucked the burrs from my
hand, all the while apologizing to me, something that struck me as it had been
my own silly misstep that caused the spill. I can’t wait to see what the
tomorrow might hold.
-Mimi
Hi! I have really enjoyed my first day in Tanzania. The
happiness and kindness of the people here has made me feel welcome. The field
day at the school was really fun and I loved meeting the Orkeeswa kids. Our
lodge is fun but the showers are freezing! I am very excited for our safari
tomorrow and the rest of our trip. I hope I can see a lion!
-Suzy
It was so great to see some of my Form 2 friends from last
year. Their warm smiles and welcomes reminded me why I love Orkeeswa so much. I
loved seeing the finished Form 5 and 6 classrooms and the field day we had
today was amazing. After a stunning egg toss, the Red Team clinched an honest
victory with a whopping 32 points. After the athletic events, we all gathered
around the basketball courts for a lunch of rice and beans. I’m looking forward
to the safari tomorrow and the weeks to come.
-Layla
I can’t believe we are finally here after about 32 hours of
traveling! We had an awesome first day at Orkeeswa, and though the Blue team only
finished third with 14 points, our Spring Fling Field Day was so much fun and
it was a great way to get to know all of our new Orkeeswa friends from Form 2. Blue
Team’s biggest accomplishment was showing our amazing strategy and patience by winning
the activity in which we had to move 6 kids from one side of the basketball
court to the other using three chairs without touching the ground. I can’t wait
for tomorrow’s safari with the Orkeeswa students and all of the amazing
memories in the weeks to come!
-Olivia
After a lot of travel it feels good to settle down here. The
air here has some sort of weird smell quality that I don’t know how to
articulate but it’s not bad. Hope everyone is keepin’ it kosher at home.
-Wells
Last night’s late arrival was followed by cold showers and a
necessary sleep. We went to Orkeeswa this morning and were greeted by each of
the Form two students. They were incredibly welcoming and outgoing! I had so
much fun playing basketball with the kids, although I was outplayed completely.
I am very excited for the safari tomorrow and am really, really hoping I see an
elephant! The trip’s off to a fantastic start! (Jamie and Russ, how are the B’s
doing?!)
-Anna T.
It’s so nice to finally be here at E’manyatta Lodge! We had
a great first day at Orkeeswa, playing lots of basketball and other fun field
day games. Although my team came in second to last sadly (shouts to the white
team), I made a lot of new friends. I finished the day with a nice cool bucket
shower, successful as I did not get the electric shock that we were warned
against. Can’t wait for the safari tomorrow!
-Georgia
I have surprisingly kept awake this whole day through the
bus ride to
The Orkeeswa, field day, a short break at E’manyatta Lodge,
and our
check-in. Losing one side of my contacts, and wearing my
contacts
for the right eye in the left eye probably contributed a lot
to keeping
me awake. I looked everywhere this morning but I couldn’t
find them
so I’ve just given up. When I went to the Orkeeswa for the
first time
today, all the students welcomed us so warmly, and although
most
of them thought I was Gina coming back from last year, I was
able
to make friends with a lot of them. I’m so excited for the
safari tomorrow
and now I’m just going to baby wipe myself down so I can go
to bed.
-Laura
When I arrived here in Tanzania, I had absolutely no idea
what to expect. After finally getting off the plane, we drove about 2 hours to
reach our final destination, the E’manyatta lodge. Throughout this drive, I
constantly found myself looking out the window. There were several houses,
shacks, and stores, however, the small clusters of villages looked entirely
different from the world I was used to in the U.S. The next day, we journeyed
to a rural area outside of Monduli and were immediately greeted by children and
animals near the Orkeeswa School. We arrived at the school and were all greeted
as if we were students ourselves. I especially enjoyed my tour of the school
given by new friend, Agnes. We then participated in an extremely intense and
fun field day with the 8th graders. I can’t wait for our Safari
tomorrow! Mom, Dad, Row, Aidan-I hope y’all are having a great trip in South
Africa! (: Love Y’all!
-Anna R.
After a lot of prose, I thought my masterful haiku would
freshen this blog up a little bit. Hope you enjoy:
Many hours traveled
Monduli, Tanzania
I have found my home
-Fraser
Departure from Groton
7 students took the bus from Groton to join the group of 21 at JFK. The start of a long journey....
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