[By Porter Levenson]

At first, I was pessimistic about visiting the AMIS International School. I felt as if we were intruding on the students’ daily life. Or, that our presence at the school would be a burden and we would interrupt the students’ learning. This, however, couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

The school principal greeted us by wearing a “Go Ducks” shirt that he had been gifted when the program last visited the school. It was a sweet gesture, and he was clearly proud of it. Traveling to the school opened my eyes to the conditions these children live in daily. Trash and wildlife filled the sides of the streets, and a small polluted river flowed next to the schoolyard. However, these conditions did nothing to hamper the moods of the students.

As soon as I walked into the classroom, I was greeted by a hug from one of the youngest boys. We were seated before the younger kids, and a space between us was cleared. Then, the dancing began. A line of children streamed in and began performing to Dennis’s rhythmic drumming. Dennis is the music director at the school and organizes the students’ performances. I was amazed at how well-choreographed the dances were and was even more impressed with the students’ abilities.

I could tell that music and dance have been a part of their lives since a very young age. I doubt that the same-aged students in America could do the same. In fact, I doubt that my peers and I could dance and sing half as well. Even though these students live in less-than-ideal conditions, they were still very joyful about sharing their talents with us. They even composed poems about Africa– honoring their roots in the continent. After the performances, we were taught the dances they did and then released into the courtyard.

Everyone wanted a picture with us. Every few seconds, a new person would come up to pose with us. I really loved their energy. They were so eager to be around us. I had fun reaching down and picking up as many children as possible. There were so many of them. At one point, when we were taking this selfie, I almost got knocked over by the sheer number of kids around us.

I dare anyone to take a selfie with more people in it.

These kids inspired me. They are so filled with hope and readiness for the future. They have no idea what their future may hold; for now, they don’t need to. These children have shown me that happiness does not come from your environment. It comes from those around you and from inside yourself.