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.