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.