Dog Days of Winter
While Scott and I were wandering around East Africa, many of the students at Orkeeswa were going to school most days and working pretty hard. When we first went to school on Thursday after being gone for a month, Scott and I found happy but tired students who, when asked, said their break had been good but busy. One student even said, “What break?”
About half of the students had to attend an HIV/health training for two weeks, which took place at the school. For the rest of the three weeks, the students had to welcome and entertain groups of westerners. Being run by an American non-profit, Orkeeswa attracts many visitors, individuals and large groups. While I’m not involved in the process at all, organizing a stay for a large group can be very taxing on the administrative staff. They essentially have to play travel agent prior to the visit and then play host during the visit. But there are advantages to groups of westerners coming to see our school – the potential for an immediate donation, the potential for future donations, and the more exposure Orkeeswa gets, the better.
Of course, the students are involved. Visitors don’t want to see an empty school. When Scott and I returned, the school was in the midst of hosting the Groton School, a prep school in Massachusetts. There were about 15 students and six adults. On top of doing things like boma visits, touring around the village, and painting some rooms at the neighboring primary school, the Groton group (Scott liked to call them ‘dirty Groton scoundrels’) were mainly at Orkeeswa doing needed construction work with our students in the mornings and hanging out in the afternoons. It was a great atmosphere to be around – sunny days, lounging around on the grass, listening to music, and throwing around baseballs, which Groton had donated.
Above: Edward. Below: Jackie, Ndito, Nengai, Anna, and Flora.
Above: Saing'orie and Lenga. Below: Big Rose.
Everyone who stuck around over the break seemed pretty haggard with the non-stop visitors, but from what I saw, the outcome was pretty spectacular. The Groton students had really embraced the opportunity to meet other students from a vastly different culture and lifestyle. And the Orkeeswa students were receptive and open, as they are with all visitors. Over Groton’s two-week visit, strong relationships developed and will hopefully be continued through letter writing and emails (for the one of two Orkeeswa students who actually have an email address and use it). I asked one student, Saing’orie, how he felt about the Groton visitors and he said that it was great. He said that when they – Orkeeswa students and Groton students – were all hanging out together, it felt like they were the same, from one mother. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but it was genuine. Saing’orie also said that more visitors to Orkeeswa means more people who’ll welcome him and make him feel at home when he goes to the states.
About half of the students had to attend an HIV/health training for two weeks, which took place at the school. For the rest of the three weeks, the students had to welcome and entertain groups of westerners. Being run by an American non-profit, Orkeeswa attracts many visitors, individuals and large groups. While I’m not involved in the process at all, organizing a stay for a large group can be very taxing on the administrative staff. They essentially have to play travel agent prior to the visit and then play host during the visit. But there are advantages to groups of westerners coming to see our school – the potential for an immediate donation, the potential for future donations, and the more exposure Orkeeswa gets, the better.
Of course, the students are involved. Visitors don’t want to see an empty school. When Scott and I returned, the school was in the midst of hosting the Groton School, a prep school in Massachusetts. There were about 15 students and six adults. On top of doing things like boma visits, touring around the village, and painting some rooms at the neighboring primary school, the Groton group (Scott liked to call them ‘dirty Groton scoundrels’) were mainly at Orkeeswa doing needed construction work with our students in the mornings and hanging out in the afternoons. It was a great atmosphere to be around – sunny days, lounging around on the grass, listening to music, and throwing around baseballs, which Groton had donated.
Above: Edward. Below: Jackie, Ndito, Nengai, Anna, and Flora. 
Above: Saing'orie and Lenga. Below: Big Rose. 
Everyone who stuck around over the break seemed pretty haggard with the non-stop visitors, but from what I saw, the outcome was pretty spectacular. The Groton students had really embraced the opportunity to meet other students from a vastly different culture and lifestyle. And the Orkeeswa students were receptive and open, as they are with all visitors. Over Groton’s two-week visit, strong relationships developed and will hopefully be continued through letter writing and emails (for the one of two Orkeeswa students who actually have an email address and use it). I asked one student, Saing’orie, how he felt about the Groton visitors and he said that it was great. He said that when they – Orkeeswa students and Groton students – were all hanging out together, it felt like they were the same, from one mother. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but it was genuine. Saing’orie also said that more visitors to Orkeeswa means more people who’ll welcome him and make him feel at home when he goes to the states.
posted by Siapiau | 7:21 AM
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