My Experience at Boarding School - A

There was a time i don't give value to things. However, life has a way a shaping one. As such, I believe our experience plays a role in our character.

I remember back in primary school, I never understood the true meaning of "Hunger". I was very selective of the food I eat (e.g I don't take fried rice, meat pie etc). Also, i don't take certain combination. For instance, rice with ordinary stew, potatoe chips without ketchup etc. The rice has to be Ofada rice with its stew or white rice with fried stew.

Though I read the word "very hungry" in many stories (especially of the tortoise) , I never understood why people go certain length to satisfy this urge. Back then, it wasn't real.

When I look back today, i think this is because;

1. My mum wakes early to get us breakfast daily
   2.She packs snacks for us for lunch break
2. she packs additional food for us for lunch
3. we eat three times daily
4. we had a lot of options to choose from

In general, we were never hungry before they offered us food.

When I entered secondary school, I was placed in boarding. We had a time table for everything; a time to eat, a time to sleep, a time to play, a time to read, a time to wake etc. This was no longer my comfort zone. I could no longer eat when i like, nor eat the quantity I want at that time. in my fist time in boarding, I discovered the true meaning of hunger. I could not eat when am hungry. To further worsen this, the food was never enough even when its served.

It was in boarding school that I suddenly discovered my appetite for some of those food I would normally reject. It was there I leant to beg for food am interested in when i see someone eating it. My experience with the seniors at school helped me to respect those at home.

I saw a lot of things happen in boarding school. Some good, some bad. Some juniors loose their self esteem, some have their spirit broken, and some learn and become stronger.

Boarding school has a way of shaping a young child's life.

But a question that boarders me is ; Is boarding good for a young Child?