Students have already returned to the classrooms. Those who attend boarding schools are no exception to the rule. In the past, one category of learners did not do things like the others. They had an unfortunate habit of playing truant during the first week. This blogger recalls the good old days when he would enjoy life to the fullest during that week, without worrying about tomorrow. Story.
Aaah, the good old days… Who would have thought that one day, we would look back on our boarding school years with a tear in our eye and a little smile on our lips? Back then, the concerns were simple: study, to eat, kuryama. Ah, that well-oiled routine of our dear school, at least, most of the time. Because let’s face it, the first week of each term was anything but routine. And I’m talking about the the cruel ones (the old ones, of course, us) and not check (the new ones). Although some check managed to sneak into the festivities for… let’s say… logistical reasons. Besides, we didn’t even know that you are old meant an old dog (a bit of a disappointment, right?).
The first week, this festival of the cruel ones
First point to note: for a real veteranarriving on Sunday or Monday was totally out of the question! Those days were reserved for the most pious, the they are known (the well-educated), those who followed the rules like in the Bible and respected authority as if their eternal salvation depended on it. The high school bullies, the real ones they are cruelthey arrived quietly on Tuesday evening, parental pressure having (finally) had its little effect.
And who says first week says pocket money. Lots of pocket money. Result? We were drunk almost every day of that week. Why? Because our boarding school didn’t allow us to go out every month like other schools. No, no. We could spend two terms locked up (long live the Masteras our director was affectionately called). So, for the first week, it was like partying for a whole term of imprisonment!
THE check and Holy Week
Some checkfresh from cities like Bujumbura and Gitega, had this lost look that caught our attention. These poor souls came with full pockets and little experience in surviving in boarding school. Our favorites? Those who often had in their pockets what we sorely lacked: money. So, we taught them the basics.
First of all, kidneys (the secret paths) to escape to a not allowed (yes, an illegal exit). Once on the road (on the road, for the uninitiated), they were shown the bars where the they don’t move (our dear supervisors) were not likely to show their noses. And thanks to our precious check (who was discreetly financing the operation, of course), the bar crawl began.
No Taste at the time, but we had much more dangerous ancestors: A tree, Namesand the infamous the blacksmith. This drink was for the most daring, the crazy, those who wanted to test the limits of propriety. And the real legends? Those who mixed it all together, you onlymixing an explosive potion that would have put a Molotov cocktail to shame. The blackout that followed? Even Regideso couldn’t compete.
But let’s get back to our check. It was not out of pure kindness that they were welcomed with open arms during this first week. No, no. There was an intention behind this “generosity”. In exchange for their initiation into the ”boarding school life”they provided our temporary financial comfort. And in return we gave them a vital skill: that of the 21.
The famous skill of 21
Now, be careful! Everything check Anyone who wanted to hope to survive the untimely searches had to learn this invaluable technique. On the 21st, it was simple: manage to pass through a 21 cm opening to escape from the dormitory while the searches were in full swing. Those who mastered this art were assured of navigating peacefully through the hellish life of the boarding school, where where the child cries and the mother does not hear (the child may cry, but his mother does not hear).
Life lessons (or almost)
All this to say that, even if we were acting crazy, these years have shaped us. They have taught us to get by, to play with the rules (and sometimes to bend them). So, dear new residents, if you are reading this wondering what awaits you, here is my advice: be smart. Make your mistakes, but know where to set your limits. And above all, remember that someone else’s walk breakssomeone else’s path can break you if you follow it blindly.
So, good luck to you. Don’t copy everything we did (believe me, it wasn’t always a success), but find your own way. And who knows? Maybe one day, you too will look back on those years with a nostalgic smile and a little tear in your eye.
Did you find this article helpful?
2024-09-18 08:23:27