This weekend we visited current volunteers to see what their lives and jobs are like. I visited Erin who has been living in Quthing in the south of Lesotho. It's in the Senqu River Valley in the highlands, so its very different from where we are in training. She is surrounded by mountains, but it's only a ten minute walk to a little town Mountmoorosi. Getting here was tricky, but not as bad as I expected. The taxi ranks are where you find buses and taxi in the cities and towns. They are packed with people and cars, and all lined with vendors selling produce, cigarettes and clothing from little metal and cardboard shacks. They make delicious donut things called fat cakes that I have can't pass up anytime I'm in a taxi rank. We took a 20 person van with 25 people in it from Maseru (the capital city), we were really packed in there, you just have to be ok with having no personal space. Mike (the other trainee I went with) and I were literally sat on for most of the trip. In a little over four hours we got to a camptown where we transferred to a smaller van that was even more crowded. I'm a little taller than the average Basotho, but apparently am too tall for some of the vans and had to duck down for the last taxi ride, luckily it was only an hour. The Basotho think that a breeze from an open window will make you sick, so they all close the windows and it gets really hot and stuffy with people coughing and sneezing. It was a constant battle for me to keep my window open, as soon as I moved my arm out of the window someone would close it. But with the window open the trip wasn't that unpleasant. The driver blasted music, but with earplugs in it was a normal volume. The entire trip took abut 6 hours, which seems to be a good distance from Maseru, I don't think I would want to be much more remote. But it was definitely worth the trip.
Mountmoorosi is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. We climbed up the mountain the first day, at the top there are ruins from where a local chief went to escape the Boer invasion, and you are completely surrounded by views of other mountains and the river valley. The second day we visited the youth center that Erin has set up, it's really amazing what she has done in only a year. Her initial project of starting an aloe farm wasn't really working out, so she put her efforts into a youth center that the chief of the town had approached her about. She already has a building and has covered in murals and started a library and youth peer advisory panel. She has really made a home here and seems like she's making difference in people's lives, it was very inspiring. The trip was amazing, and a good example of how a motivated volunteer has been able to make a difference despite all the challenges. We don't find out our actual site placements for another 3 weeks, but this trip has gotten me really excited to see where I might go.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Snow in Africa
This week it got cold. Cold enough for snow, on my way to school in the morning there was frost and ice on the fur of the donkeys and cows. It's not as cold as Michigan winters, it freezes at night but got up to 50F during the day this week. But the difference here is you can't go inside to warm up, it might not be as windy inside, but it isn't any warmer unless you're 5 feet from a gas heater. I thought I could stand cold pretty well, but this week I was really put to the test. My heater ran out of propane a couple of days ago, it was the coldest night of my life, the cold seemed to get into my bones. I don't know how the Basotho people deal with this cold, most of them don't have heaters. In the morning I decided that the hot water that my host mom brought me for my bath would warm me up, big mistake. It felt good for about 30 seconds before I became painfully cold. I looked at the thermometer afterwards and it was 34F in my room. When my host mom came into give me breakfast she asked me (in Sesotho) why my heater wasn't on, and I told her it wasn't working. Within half an hour someone from the Peace Corps had come to look at my heater, and when I got back from school the propane tank had been refilled.
I've learned that cold means unhappy, warm means happy. I can't believe Africa is this cold. The rest of the week, after I'd warmed up, has been much better. Though mornings before my room has heated up are still not fun. I've been learning how to cook from my host sisters. Yesterday I learned how to cook leqebekoane (steamed bread) and lesheleshele (sorghum porridge) my favorites. It's been so nice having my host mom and sisters make all my meals for me, they always serve me the best food. But starting next week I'm supposed to cook for myself. although my host sisters said they'll help me. I really like hanging out with my host sisters while we cook, they're always laughing and singing, it's really fun. Last night I helped them with their math homework. they're very bright but don't seem to have been taught very well. There are four of them at home since it's winter break, they get two months of because of the cold. Which seemed really silly when I first heard about it, but I understand now, there is no way you can be productive at anything when you're really cold. Anyways, its been really nice having them all here. We've also been watching the World Cup soccer matches together.
All the other American PC volunteers that live in my village (there are 8 of us) came over for both of the USA games, because my family is one of the very few that has a tv (run by a generator). My family is very well off, we have 3 donkeys, 2 pigs and 9 cows, which is pretty impressive. And they grow almost all of their own food. The canned peaches they make from their peach trees are amazing, my host sister said she's going to give me an entire jar. Even though the people here have so little they are very generous, I'm going to get fat with all the food they've been giving me. But fat here is beautiful, it means you're healthy and is extra insulation against the cold. The best part of the soccer matches is the dance parties afterwards. Once most of the people leave, my sisters and some neighbors put on American and South African music videos and dance. They were shocked to hear that Beyonce was American, they think all the black singers are from Africa. There was no dance party after the South Africa team lost, all of Lesotho cheers for them. It's a weird mixture of traditional village life and modern western music and styles.
I've learned that cold means unhappy, warm means happy. I can't believe Africa is this cold. The rest of the week, after I'd warmed up, has been much better. Though mornings before my room has heated up are still not fun. I've been learning how to cook from my host sisters. Yesterday I learned how to cook leqebekoane (steamed bread) and lesheleshele (sorghum porridge) my favorites. It's been so nice having my host mom and sisters make all my meals for me, they always serve me the best food. But starting next week I'm supposed to cook for myself. although my host sisters said they'll help me. I really like hanging out with my host sisters while we cook, they're always laughing and singing, it's really fun. Last night I helped them with their math homework. they're very bright but don't seem to have been taught very well. There are four of them at home since it's winter break, they get two months of because of the cold. Which seemed really silly when I first heard about it, but I understand now, there is no way you can be productive at anything when you're really cold. Anyways, its been really nice having them all here. We've also been watching the World Cup soccer matches together.
All the other American PC volunteers that live in my village (there are 8 of us) came over for both of the USA games, because my family is one of the very few that has a tv (run by a generator). My family is very well off, we have 3 donkeys, 2 pigs and 9 cows, which is pretty impressive. And they grow almost all of their own food. The canned peaches they make from their peach trees are amazing, my host sister said she's going to give me an entire jar. Even though the people here have so little they are very generous, I'm going to get fat with all the food they've been giving me. But fat here is beautiful, it means you're healthy and is extra insulation against the cold. The best part of the soccer matches is the dance parties afterwards. Once most of the people leave, my sisters and some neighbors put on American and South African music videos and dance. They were shocked to hear that Beyonce was American, they think all the black singers are from Africa. There was no dance party after the South Africa team lost, all of Lesotho cheers for them. It's a weird mixture of traditional village life and modern western music and styles.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Arrival in Mokhethoaneng
When we first got off the bus in Mokhethoaneng, the village that I will be living in for the next ten weeks for cultural training, we were greeted by our host mothers or 'me (pronounced m'may) wearing blankets and singing. The Basotho are a singing people, any event is cause for a song. And there singing is amazing, there is no way of describing so I will try to post a audio clip soon.
Our language and cultural trainer called our names and our new host mother's. My host mother hugged me and gave me a Sesotho name Limpho (pronounced Dimpo) which means many gifts. She then took my bag that weighs almost 40lbs and put it on her head an carried it to our house. There are some rondovels (traditional thatched huts) but we live in a concrete block house, very nice by Lesotho standards, and so clean!
I was followed to my new house by dozen children. My 'me showed me my room and sat there smiling at me , and the children stood in the doorway just staring and smiling at me. Some tried to talk to me in Sesotho, but it we'd only been in Lesotho three days and I only could say hello. The volunteers normally have three weeks language training before their village stay, so some of the people expected us to know more Sesotho. After a while of just staring at each other I got out some cards, and the kids definitely know how to play cards. I spent the next three hours playing crazy-eights with thirteen children in my room. Eventually I was served dinner and the kids all left except for my host sisters, Mammuso (who is 21) and Itumeleng (who is 8). My host mom and sisters smiled at me and watched me eat. The Basotho have a different notion of privacy than we do in the US. Being alone means you must be lonely, so I almost always have some member of the family with me in my room. I really like my host family, I got really lucky having them, but I do miss having some time to myself.
The food is really good, it reminds me of Ethiopian food from home. A lot of rice, mirhoha (a kind of lettuce), and chicken. They do eat a lot more salt than I like, but I expected that.
When they told us we shouldn't go out at night, I thought it was just advisory. But they're serious about it, my host family won't let me go outside even to use the latrine after dark, and it gets dark at 5pm. They gave us a bucket to pee in instead. I thought whatever I can hold it, I'm not going to use a bucket. But that didn't even last the first night, and it turns out peeing in a bucket is pretty nice. Much nicer than going outside where it is pitch black and your guard dogs try to attack you. The dogs aren't let inside here, and no one seems to like them. While all the farm animals are fat, the dogs look like they're about to die of starvation. I'm woken up a couple of times a night from dogs fighting or roosters crowing.
While the pee bucket is great, I'm not so sure of the bucket showers. I have seven different buckets for everything. It's not that cold for winter, but the insulation in the houses is basically non-existent, so it gets very very cold at night. It was in the 40s F when my 'me woke me up and brought me a kettle full of hot water to bathe with. It's a pattern of being freezing then burning myself with hot water. I'm getting better at it, but I'm still not a fan.
I can't believe its only been a week, it feels more like a month. I'm already missing foods from home, or anything unsalted. I haven't gotten sick from the food yet. And there is very little disease in Lesotho apart from AIDS, and we're an hour away from really good South African hospitals, I got really lucky in my location. But I will not have much contact with people back home while we are in our village for language and cultural training for the next few months, and that is hard. What I wouldn't do for some news from home and some oreos!
Our language and cultural trainer called our names and our new host mother's. My host mother hugged me and gave me a Sesotho name Limpho (pronounced Dimpo) which means many gifts. She then took my bag that weighs almost 40lbs and put it on her head an carried it to our house. There are some rondovels (traditional thatched huts) but we live in a concrete block house, very nice by Lesotho standards, and so clean!
I was followed to my new house by dozen children. My 'me showed me my room and sat there smiling at me , and the children stood in the doorway just staring and smiling at me. Some tried to talk to me in Sesotho, but it we'd only been in Lesotho three days and I only could say hello. The volunteers normally have three weeks language training before their village stay, so some of the people expected us to know more Sesotho. After a while of just staring at each other I got out some cards, and the kids definitely know how to play cards. I spent the next three hours playing crazy-eights with thirteen children in my room. Eventually I was served dinner and the kids all left except for my host sisters, Mammuso (who is 21) and Itumeleng (who is 8). My host mom and sisters smiled at me and watched me eat. The Basotho have a different notion of privacy than we do in the US. Being alone means you must be lonely, so I almost always have some member of the family with me in my room. I really like my host family, I got really lucky having them, but I do miss having some time to myself.
The food is really good, it reminds me of Ethiopian food from home. A lot of rice, mirhoha (a kind of lettuce), and chicken. They do eat a lot more salt than I like, but I expected that.
When they told us we shouldn't go out at night, I thought it was just advisory. But they're serious about it, my host family won't let me go outside even to use the latrine after dark, and it gets dark at 5pm. They gave us a bucket to pee in instead. I thought whatever I can hold it, I'm not going to use a bucket. But that didn't even last the first night, and it turns out peeing in a bucket is pretty nice. Much nicer than going outside where it is pitch black and your guard dogs try to attack you. The dogs aren't let inside here, and no one seems to like them. While all the farm animals are fat, the dogs look like they're about to die of starvation. I'm woken up a couple of times a night from dogs fighting or roosters crowing.
While the pee bucket is great, I'm not so sure of the bucket showers. I have seven different buckets for everything. It's not that cold for winter, but the insulation in the houses is basically non-existent, so it gets very very cold at night. It was in the 40s F when my 'me woke me up and brought me a kettle full of hot water to bathe with. It's a pattern of being freezing then burning myself with hot water. I'm getting better at it, but I'm still not a fan.
I can't believe its only been a week, it feels more like a month. I'm already missing foods from home, or anything unsalted. I haven't gotten sick from the food yet. And there is very little disease in Lesotho apart from AIDS, and we're an hour away from really good South African hospitals, I got really lucky in my location. But I will not have much contact with people back home while we are in our village for language and cultural training for the next few months, and that is hard. What I wouldn't do for some news from home and some oreos!
First Impressions of Lesotho
Lesotho's landscape seems like the African version of the American Southwest. It's dry with cold nights (in the 30s F) but it gets up to 70F during the day with a hot sun an no clouds for days. But this is winter, my host sister says the summers are hot, but we'll see. It's very dry and hard to grow anything here, with serious erosion problems and dust everywhere, I already have it covering all of my shoes.
I am really lucky that I got Lesotho for my Peace Corps assignment, not only is it beautiful but the people here are amazing. They are the most friendly people I've ever met, everyone's always smiling and greeting you. They're also very into hugs and seem like a very loving people. They do so much with the very very little they have, but are still positive and kind. Another plus is that they are an extremely clean people. Not only do they bathe (or bucket shower) once or twice a day they all wear deodorant and smell good! Not at all what I expected in the Peace Corps. The houses are meticulously clean (although not well built and really drafty) , even the dirt paths in their gardens seem perfectly swept. There is a lot of trash and dung on the roads though.
I expected a more simple, traditional huts made out of stone with thatched roofs, there are some, but only the poorest people in my village live in them, and they are often not well maintained. The main building materials here for anyone who can afford it are concrete blocks and a corrugated metal roof. Even without electricity and running water the people live a pretty modern life. While many people herd animals or farm for a living, they have cell phones and maybe even a tv run my a generator or solar panels for a couple of hours a day. Their lives my be more modern, but almost everybody is very poor. The poorest people I have ever seen.
I am really lucky that I got Lesotho for my Peace Corps assignment, not only is it beautiful but the people here are amazing. They are the most friendly people I've ever met, everyone's always smiling and greeting you. They're also very into hugs and seem like a very loving people. They do so much with the very very little they have, but are still positive and kind. Another plus is that they are an extremely clean people. Not only do they bathe (or bucket shower) once or twice a day they all wear deodorant and smell good! Not at all what I expected in the Peace Corps. The houses are meticulously clean (although not well built and really drafty) , even the dirt paths in their gardens seem perfectly swept. There is a lot of trash and dung on the roads though.
I expected a more simple, traditional huts made out of stone with thatched roofs, there are some, but only the poorest people in my village live in them, and they are often not well maintained. The main building materials here for anyone who can afford it are concrete blocks and a corrugated metal roof. Even without electricity and running water the people live a pretty modern life. While many people herd animals or farm for a living, they have cell phones and maybe even a tv run my a generator or solar panels for a couple of hours a day. Their lives my be more modern, but almost everybody is very poor. The poorest people I have ever seen.
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