Working Days at Orkeeswa

Today was another typical day at Orkeeswa. The schedule has been the same since Monday. We wake up at 8:00 breakfast is at 8:30 and we leave for the school at 9:15. After a bumpy car ride we get school around 9:45. Then, from 10:00 to 10:45 we have language exchange.
Earlier in the week we were just learning Swahili and Maasai words but now the table have turned and we are teaching he kids in our language exchange groups about public speaking in English, essentially speaking loudly and clearly. At 11:00ish we headed over to the primary school which is on the hill right across from Orkeeswa secondary. We split into groups and carried our pick axes and shovels over to dig holes. Digging is fun. Using the pick axe is also fun and reminds me of splitting wood. The Orkeeswa kids are incredible at digging though. The dig holes at home too to get the clay that they put on the walls of their bomas (aka houses). We accomplished a lot today and headed back to the school at 12:30. Lunch was at 1:00. During lunch we have dance parties. Almost all of us have learned the dance that all the kids dance to so we dance along. Today we did the Macarena and Cha Cha Slide for them. It was tons of fun and is most days. After lunch, which ends at 2:00, we have workshops. We are assigned to one of the five groups, art, dance, drama, music, or leadership and poetry. I am in leadership and poetry which is all girls and it has been incredible hearing their stories. Most days after workshops we play sports for an hour. Yesterday I tried netball for the first time which was super fun! Then we typically walk back but today we didn’t because we have to prepare for our bomas stays tomorrow. Today is also Sunday so we went to the big market and I got some gifts (*wink wink*). The market is very exciting and hectic. Thankfully the Orkeeswa kids were there to help. Tomorrow we go on our boma stays and we are all super psyched.

-Addison
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