The first day of the second term at RVA started Monday, January 6, unlike many schools in the Midwest and Northeast which had their Christmas breaks extended due to extreme cold and snow caused by an Arctic Vortex (sounds like a scifi-thriller name to me.) Temperatures here were 79 to 80 degrees with a partly cloudy ski. Most of the students had returned on Saturday which is known as "Arrival Day". By Sunday, most of the students were back at RVA with only a handful coming on Monday.
Classrooms such as this one are now occupied by students and teachers full time. For high schoolers, the day begins at 7:45 and ends at 3:35. They have 7 periods of class time. Their day also includes a 15 minute Chapel time and a 15 minute Chai break (remember Kenya is a former British colony, so tea time is still observed). Junior highers follow the same schedule for the school day. Titchie students ("Titchie" is a British term for elementary students that has remained from the colonial period of the school's history) start class at 8:00; have a one hour lunch at noon; resume studies at 1:00 and end their day at 3:00. The classroom pictured is the one in which I taught my Current World Issues classes during the 1st term of the 2010-11 school year.
The gymnasium building houses the basketball court. The mascot for RVA is the African Cape Buffalo which used to roam freely around the current grounds of the school back in the 1900's. Sadly, civilization has driven them away. However, their absence makes going between classes and dorms much safer. The gymnasium floor had just be laid when this picture was taken. Todd Dubber was instrumental in having the old floor removed and the new floor installed. He spent many hours of hands-on work involving the floor. Shortly after this picture was taken, he and his family returned to Canada for a one year home assignment.
The Cafo (cafeteria) pictured here doesn't get much use during the term break. But once school resumes, the structure buzzes with activity. The boarding students are fed their meals here. Station kids eat at home or pay a fee to eat at the cafo during term. Megan, Lyndsey, and Ian eat their meals at home. The exception being Sunday lunch after church. The family signs up to eat that meal in the cafo and the cost is added to their RVA account. We did the same the term we taught here. When we are visiting, we pay KSH920 ($10.59) for two all-you-can-eat meals.
At left is the oldest building on campus, Kiambogo, the Administration building. The corner stone of the structure was laid in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt who was on his famous African hunting expedition at the time. For awhile, Kiambogo was the only building on campus and housed everything. Today administrative offices are located here as well as the staff library and copying center and the staff chai and meeting room. As Dean of Men, Jeff's office is located on the second floor along with the Dean of Women and the school's Principal and Superintendent.
Another building that sees little action during break, but is bustling during the term is the Laundry. The four windows that are pictured boarded up are the ones from which the students pick-up their laundry weekly. The laundry staff washes clothes as well as bedding for the dorm kids. Station staff may have items that are too bulky for their washers, such as bedspreads, washed at the laundry also. But a fee is charged for the service.
The second term is underway. The one thing everyone is praying won't happen is the dreaded "2nd term illness". With so many students going a variety of directions for break, they return carrying all sorts of germs picked up at their vac destinations. Hence, the 2nd term is usually the worst term for sickness permeating the campus. For example, one year a student left on term break and returned bringing with him the Swine Flu. The whole campus fell ill. Medical specialists from all over were contacted to help battle the outbreak. So pray the 2nd term at RVA will be sickness free this year. The staff and students would surely appreciate it.
Nearing the end of our stay, but ... there is more to come.
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