Homestays

During this past weekend, the Groton students  were given the opportunity to stay at an Orkeeswa student’s boma, which is the type of housing here in Tanzania. A boma consists of several clay huts, each serving a different purpose: there are huts with beds for sleeping and others containing fire pits for cooking. Most bomas also have a “zizi”, which is a circular cattle pen made out of tree branches to hold the animals at night. Each boma varied depending on the family. The Groton students split up in groups of two and three and for two nights were able to see how the Orkeeswa students live. We followed our hosts in doing the same chores and activities that are done everyday.  The girls fetched water and firewood, as well as helped cook while the boys herded cattle.  We observed that their lives are very different than what we are accustomed to and felt the experience was life changing.

In the U.S. many of us are used to lives made easier by technology, everything within driving distance in stores.  The students here have never experienced life like ours.  Many must walk several miles to obtain water and even further for firewood.  They have no refrigerators, no stoves, not even running water to help make their lives easier. This experience was very eye opening, almost everything seeming entirely different from the life that we are familiar of. Many of us enjoyed forming close relationships with the students as well as their families, despite the language barrier.

Many of their family members did not speak English, but that did not stop us from communicating and interacting. We played with the children, everybody singing and dancing to Swahili songs.  Many of the kids were interested by the differences in our appearances, coming up to touch our hair and our skin. Our belongings, many of which are rare for them to see (cameras, chap stick, tissues, etc.), also intrigued them. Some of the mothers treated us like any of the other children around us. Relationships were formed in which both Groton and Orkeeswa students were very invested into. It was sad to leave the bomas and the families, which for two days became our own.

This experience changed the way we looked at our lives; making us appreciate the little things we have in our daily lives. Now we are back to our routine at school: working on the soccer pitch at the local primary school, participation in afternoon activities, and living in Manyatta, our home away from home in Monduli.

- Sophie B and Gisselle