Some students travel to far-away resorts for Spring Break. Now there may be a portion of the population that wants to get away to warm-weather climates like Florida or Texas, but for those in the know, Lovell is the place to be!
Whenever Fryeburg Academy closes down for Christmas, winter or spring breaks, the dorms close as well and many students need a place to stay. For those not travelling to visit family or to other parts of the country, the Academy reaches out to local families to act as hosts to the students. One spring break several years ago my daughter invited two students to stay in Lovell. Everyone survived, the original pair of girls are now at college in the midwest and the group, affectionately called Team Vietnam, has grown to include siblings and new students to the Academy.
One of the great benefits of Team Vietnam is their willingness to cook their favorite native dishes. Last night's dinner included Sticky Rice, shredded chicken, strips of cooked eggs, fish, a mountain of spring rolls and sweet black beans for dessert. It took them hours to prepare and was wonderful. And during the week, we have a varied menu and everyone works together on the preparation, cooking and cleaning. The perfect guests!
With several members of Team Vietnam returning to Fryeburg next year, I'm sure that next year's Spring Break will be celebrated in Lovell.