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.

-Britton and Fraser