~Manatuto~

In Manatuto the students visited their sister school, Kay Rala Secundaria. They spent a week living with a family, walking to school with the students, learning languages from each other, and sharing the life of the people of the town and countryside.  It was two weeks of amazing experiences, beautiful scenery, shared music, intense heat, and treasured friendships. The kindness shown by the students and teachers of Kay Rala, as well as the citizens of Manatuto, was overwhelming, and the Nova students returned strongly dedicated to keeping this relationship alive.

The week in Manatuto was filled with adventures, laughter, and sorrow. During their stay, the town’s only and much loved priest, and a student at Kay Rala both died of Dengue Fever. Despite their grief, the people of the town included the visitors in their mourning, and they participated in some of the many masses that lasted for several days before the funerals.

Friendships grew as the students attended classed together, sharing languages, learning new songs and games, making art together, and playing basketball. The Nova students took a field trip with some of the local students, to Laleia, the home of President Xanana Gusmao’s father, where they met with some former guerillas and heard many stories of hardship from people they met. They also visited the small village of Kribas, over 20 kilometers from the school, where some of the students attending Kay Rala live. Wherever they went, there was laughter, music and smiling children. They saw first hand how the great victory of independence shone through in the smiles and the songs of the Timorese people in spite of the hardships they endure.

Timor Countryside Arriving at Kay Rala High School Welcoming Ceremony at Kay Rala Welcoming at Kay Rala Kay Rala welcoming feast Road to the beach in Manatuto Timorese children swimming Timorese boys playing Road in Manatuto Nova and Kay Rala students walking to school together Water buffalo on the walk to school At the funeral for the local priest Timorese traditional clothing Typical scene of destroyed property in East Timor The village of Kribas Family in Kribas Kay Rala and Nova students on field trip . Timor Countryside

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