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 8^th 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