Visiting Day: A Family Reunion Not Without A Touch Of Drama

There was a kind of magic in school visiting days that only those who went through boarding school can truly understand. The entire week before was filled with excitement, and hopeful predictions about what your parents would bring.

You could almost smell the home food in your mind; chapati, pilau, juice, or chicken packed with care. By the time it was actually visiting day, the air around the school buzzed with energy.

Every student’s eyes were on the school gate, scanning every parent or guardian that appeared, hoping the next one would be theirs.

And then came that heart-stopping moment when you finally spotted them. Whether it was your mum carrying a bag full of treats, or your dad waving with a newspaper tucked under his arm. That single sight could wipe away weeks of homesickness.

It felt like Christmas, Eid, and your birthday all rolled into one. You ran towards them, your heart light. The smell of home food instantly erased every bland meal from the dining hall, and for a while, school didn’t feel like prison.

But visiting day also came with its fair share of drama. After the laughter and the eating, there was always that moment when your parent asked about your performance. If the last report had not been impressive, the tone of the conversation shifted quickly.

Some parents would call the teacher over to discuss your academic progress or discipline in school, and suddenly the warm reunion turned into a tension-filled negotiation.

You sat there silently, shrinking a little, while they exchanged serious looks over your grades. And when your parent threatened to carry the food and snacks back home if you didn’t promise to improve, you instantly found your most convincing words.

You pleaded, nodded, and promised that things would be different next term. In that moment, no one could sell a dream better than a boarding school student trying to save their snacks.

Then there were the simpler visits, when your dad showed up with nothing but a newspaper under his arm. No snacks, no juice, just his calm presence. You obviously felt disappointed yet somehow, he still made the day special.

He would pat your back, share stories, and leave you with much appreciated pocket money. You’d walk away smiling, the newspaper moment forgotten, already planning how to spend that money at the school canteen to compensate for the snacks not brought.

Of course, not everyone got a visit. Some parents couldn’t make it, and those students often felt the weight of disappointment sitting heavily in their hearts. But the beauty of boarding school was how friends stepped in.

You would hear someone whisper, “Kuja tukule pamoja (Come, let’s eat together), my mum brought plenty,” and just like that, you became part of another family for the afternoon. You shared food, laughter, and warmth that filled the gap left by absence.

When visiting day ended and parents waved goodbye, the silence that followed was almost unbearable. The scent of home still lingered in the air, but the compound felt emptier.

You carried a lump in your throat, replaying their smiles and voices in your mind, holding on to the comfort they left behind. The homesickness crept in, and for a few nights after, it felt harder to sleep.

However, even in that ache, there was something tender, a reminder of love waiting beyond the school gate.

Visiting days were more than just events. They were small reunions. They were moments of joy, guilt, laughter, and longing all woven together.

As you settled back into the rhythm of school life, one thought carried you through the remaining weeks:  the next visiting day, or better yet, the long-awaited holiday when you would get to go home.

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