Waldegrave are been proud to present our newest visitors from our linked school in Kenya, Madogo.

Two lucky top students and there teachers were selected to travel all the way from their normal lives in the East African nation, to experience a very different lifestyle here in the UK. The girls spent a few weeks living in the homes of some of our students, and when they werent out sightseeing some of London's best hotspots, they were living the life of Waledgrave girl, right here in our very school.

I talked to Binto and Gladyss and asked them about the differences and similarities between Waldegrave and Madogo. "Here you wear short skirts, or either trousers. At our school we have to wear both!" Binto, the Head Girl of Madogo told me . "Plus the children are always shouting out when the teachers talking, we sit in silence in our lessons." Gladyss, who was also feeling a little homesick sighed: "You have to walk from room to room, to the next room. In our school we just stay in the same room, its much easier"

However, there were some things there preferred in English schools. "You have so much technology here! We dont really have computers. Plus, its a girls school, I would prefer an all girls school to a mixed one because theres a lot of comptetion and also some girls getting a little intimidated by the boys" I had to chuckle, as despite the extreme cultral differences and the miles in between, girls in Kenya didn't seem too much different to the ones in the mixed schools around the local area. "We have to work till 6pm, and here it finishes early at 3:30" Gladyss told me.

However one of the most striking things about the two was there undying determination and love for eduction. Gladyss being an aspring doctor, and Binto coincidently a journilist both agreed on one thing that Waldegrave school should add to the curriculum. "Swahilli." It was only then that i realised, that the two girls spoke absoloutley perfect English despite it being there second lanuage! I imagined myself being interviewed in the lanuage i did at school, French and to be frank, I doubt the conversation would get much further than 'Bonjour, comment ca va?'

How often do we go on holiday to exotic countries, not even knowing where we are and knowing nothing of the language? Are we as culterally knowledgable and diverse as a nation as we think we are? I dont think so. So, lets start today. Take small steps at a time. My first effort, was finding the teachers and girls again before the left, and greeting them "Jambo" (Hello) "Vipi?" (Whats up?).