“We had this realization that we live in a world with so many resources, yet we have a scarcity mindset as a culture. In Tanzania, if you just looked at physical resources, they don’t have what we have. Yet, they have an incredible abundance mindset. Their school motto is, ‘When you get, give. When you learn, teach.’” —Ms. Laurie Sales

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This past summer, 12 Groton students, along with faculty members Ms. Laurie Sales, Dr. Michaella Chung, PhD, Mr. Peter Benedict, and Mr. Fred Brussel, journeyed to Tanzania as part of Groton School’s GEO program. The program got off to a rocky start with a series of flight delays that kept half of the students from reaching their destination on time. But it did not deter them from fully immersing themselves in the program over the next three weeks as they experienced life at Orkeeswa Secondary School, spent time at their lodge, and went on a safari at Tarangire National Park.

“This was the first time that we’ve brought a group of Groton kids to Orkeeswa while the school was in session,” saidcommented Ms. Sales, who had previously led the Tanzania GEO several times. “The itinerary was something that we were trying out for the first time.” At Orkeeswa, Groton students attended classes throughout the week, participated in Orkeeswa’s 37 clubs, and engaged in the broader community through informal conversations.

Groton students participated in an Orkeeswa program that emphasized social entrepreneurship. “Orkeeswa has an amazing course called the Project Class,” explained Ms. Sales. “The Form One Students learn public speaking and presentation skills, and when they return in the Form Three year, they dive into local problems that are solvable and how they connect to Sustainable Development Goals. In Form Five, they go back to the challenges and develop social entrepreneurship plans.”

Through this program, many Orkeeswa alumni have launched successful initiatives that benefit the local community, such as Primetel, a medical clinic that provides mental health services and telemedicine diagnostic and consultation facilities to rural areas in Tanzania. Notably, Primetel is run by a 24-year-old Orkeeswa alum who attended Groton for a term in 2018.

Groton students also bonded with the locals. On her first Sunday there, Juwon Lee ’27, accompanied by Zoe Hardwick ’27, visited a boma, the traditional residence of the Maasai, where an Orkeeswa student welcomed them into their home. Although the student’s mother could not speak English, Juwon exchanged stories with the student and her father about their school experiences, families, and personal lives. She also shared some pictures from home. After this meaningful exchange, Juwon and Zoe met the student’s grandmother, who, immediately upon seeing the two, started repeating a phrase in Maasai. According to the student, the phrase translates to: “I love you all so much, and I welcome you all.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of the GEO was the unity between the students of both schools. Unlike other GEOs, where there are opportunities to wander off in smaller groups, everyone stayed together in Tanzania. Adalynne Mertz ’27 pointed out that “between everyone, there were a lot of different people from different forms, and different friend groups. However, we all clicked together really well. One of the things I now miss most about the experience was getting to spend time with our group.”

During club days, students and faculty both learned from and taught each other various skills.

“There’s this constant culture of learning and teaching,” said Ms. Sales. “You don’t have to be an expert at something to teach somebody. The first thing we did was attend a taekwondo class. It was being taught by a girl who we thought was a teacher, but we found out later was a Second Former. By the end, not only did she become a close friend of our group, but our kids were able to teach the younger Orkeeswa kids.”

Outside of club activities, students from both schools were eager to engage in conversations and interact. Between joining lessons, students hung out over tea, played basketball, and made music.

Groton and Orkeeswa students bonded quickly, in part due to the GEO’s no-phones policy. To attend the Tanzania GEO, every student had to agree that the entire experience would be technology-free. Although some of the group initially had reservations about this aspect of the GEO, Mr. Benedict told us that most quickly forgot about their phones within a few days: “We asked the students how they were doing, and they were actually happy. At the end, they were worried about getting their phones back and falling back into old habits.” Others thought that the trip wouldn’t have been the same if they had access to their phones. Juwon felt that the phone policy “allowed us to foster a good community with Orkeeswa students and Groton students, many of whom I wasn’t very close with before.”

At night, the Groton students gathered around the campfire at the lodge and shared their experiences that day. “They allowed everyone to synthesize and understand all the information we were being exposed to every day,” reflected Nolan Wilson ’26. They spent hours talking about what they appreciated and, as Ms. Sales put it, their “Oh wow!” moments. When the GEO finally drew to a close, the Groton group found itself with a new outlook.

“Our students learned a great deal––experiences they’ll never forget,” said Mr. Brussel. “The kids there are so positive and appreciative of what they have. The Groton students started seeing a different perspective and knew what they should appreciate.”

“It deepened my understanding of what it means to be grateful,” said Adalynne. “I think that at Groton, many people, including myself, take for granted our access to education, and a pretty awesome education, too. I appreciated seeing the gratitude everyone had for each other, their teachers, the facilities, and for the opportunity to be there.”

For many Grotonians, the contrast between American and Tanzanian society was eye-opening. “Something that changed a lot was my relationship with America,” Nolan reflected. “Looking at the differences in American communities, I’ve seen how isolated we can be from each other. I saw how these values differed across the world and realized what community means to people. Orkeeswa is a meaningful example as their impressive dedication to the community shows the values that the school instills.”

Some of the most lasting lessons came from Orkeeswa’s culture of giving. “When you get, give. When you learn, teach,” said Ms. Sales, quoting Orkeeswa’s motto. Adalynne added, “It’s not just saying what it means to be grateful, but embodying it.” When asked, everyone unanimously agreed that they would go again if they had the chance. “I’m grateful for the perspective and growth this experience has given me,” shared Nolan. “I feel like this is the best GEO that Groton has to offer.”