Week One

Day One: two words.

Mind. Blown.

Wow. I wish I could honestly say that those 2 words sum it up, but there is no way to tell you about my first 24 hours in Lesotho. Frankly it was the most overwhelming experience of my life.

It started at the Jo’burg airport and a very tiny plane. Yes, smaller than the one in GSP. As soon as we got up in the sky, we were on our way back down to land in Maseru. The airport looked like a parking lot. Once thru security/customs (no line there), we were greeted by PC staff and PCVs. Kathy the country director was there too. I was given fruit and unique Basotho gifts. I forced my luggage onto a land rover and drove about an hour to my would be training village.

As we pulled up, the driver was honking the horn. This signaled the entire to run down the hill to greet me. I was like a celebrity with African paparazzi. I hardly made it out of the rover. Children were reaching for my hand and the women of the village were singing and dancing ecstatically and with joy. The children were beautiful. I was fighting back tears. Talk about overwhelming.

There is a small “ceremony” where I am introduced to my host mother, sister, and given my Sasotho name: Hlompho. I have since learned it means respect and dignity.

The whole ceremony is in Sasotho and I am seriously blind sighted by everything.

After said ceremony, my 120lbs of America is thrown into wheelbarrows and pushed up hill to my new home. Damn overweight luggage.

Then, we go on a village tour. I can honestly say I remember nothing but cattle and a few trees. Well, it nears 6pm and we are forced to our homes (can’t be outside after dark). I am shocked by the degree of darkness. No electricity is apparent, and I fade into the dark night.

My family can only smile at me and offer me food I have never eaten before. I can hardly eat. I make little conversation with my host sister, and then she shows me my room. The tour is quick yet thorough. She tells me which bucket is for the midnight bathroom break and then demonstrates how to bathe in the others.

She leaves.

I start unpacking, by candlelight, not an easy task. Once I feel a little better after emptying my bags, I fall onto my bed and cry. I couldn’t tell you why-just flooded with every emotion and the only reaction was tears.

Day two:

5:30am “Hlompho!!! Hlompho!!!”

I wake and let my ‘me’ in my room. She pours my warm water into my bath bucket. I take a bird bath. Will I ever feel clean again?

I put on my make-up, an attempt at normalcy, and get dressed as close to my heater as possible. Life without central air and heating is cold.

‘Me’ Mampho, one of our trainers, has a friendly smile and we begin our first ever Sasotho lesson. I barely take in the lesson and we are off to training. I'm dressed in a skirt, hose, hiking boots, and my trusty Northface for our first hike. We go up and down the rugged terrain- even over and through a river and also tons of mud. I was secretly hoping to end up at grandmother’s house lol.

Seeing my fellow PCTs almost brings me to tears. My fellow divas undercover are there, and instantly I know I am not alone.

All day is paperwork. I get my one phone call (kinda like jail, eh?) my family doesn’t answer. Devastated and in tears, I pack up and start my hike back home. Oh, did I mention my daypack has 20lbs in it. Oh goodness.

 Once home its fairly dark, so I am confined to the front porch. I sit with 5 Basotho children and smoke. They are simply thrilled to teach me Sasotho and throw back their heads and laugh when I mispronounce the words incorrectly.

I eat dinner with my host family (smaller portions thank goodness) and then proceed to sit with my host mom and sister to go over my Sasotho. I actually learned something today! Go me!!

Now off to bed with my handy dandy headlamp to write more letters.

Day three:

Still a basket case of emotions. I am thrilled to be here, then crying from homesickness. Oh Peace Corps.

I keep chanting that this is my goal, my dream. Not to be overwhelmed because this is the goal.

5:30am-bath. I actually wash my hair. I feel like a duck splashing around in my basin.

I didn’t lay out my clothes the day before in the daylight, so I scramble to find a suitable outfit. A tie-dye wrap skirt, purple shirt, chucks, hose, and my ninja turtle hoodie an my Northface. Good call Mom for making me pack that! J

Sasotho lessons for 1 hour. I am trying so hard. I am so slow at language learning. I try to stay optimistic.

We actually drive to the training village today. Amazing how and hour hike turns into  a 15 minute drive lol.

We walk in and get ready for some more learning. I hug my besties and sit. 10 weeks is gonna be a loooong time.

The night before, using my colored pencils, I made a colorful list of reason to be in Lesotho for two of my friends to serve as reminders when it gets tough. This was also for me too.

We learn about Lesotho, the CHED project, and diarrhea-Awesome day Peace Corps style.

Training is over-where is my rover?! It forgot us. So, armed with our PC manuals, a huge binder, and even heavier medical kit we hit the road-or shall I say trail?

We greet everyone we see with the Sasotho words we know. We take the long way home. We bond on these hikes (that doesn’t mean I like them tho…*wink*)

I get home. I’m too tired to even smoke (get excited Ma). I got to bed and take a quick nap. I cry. I’m still fighting homesickness. I am taking it one day at a time, and even then it’s difficult. *sigh*

I then wake up and force myself to be social. It’s pitch-black dark, and I am back by a lone candle with dinner and people who know little English.

Attitude is everything. I need to get mine on track. I do well at dinner and even help with the dishes.

I go to my room and unpack a little more and pick out my clothes for the next day.

Lineo (my host sister) and I talk for awhile, and then I journal.

The rain is loud on my tin roof-let’s hope I can get some sleep.

Day four:

Whew! Same ole same ole. Bathe in a bucket, Sasotho lessons, off to all day training. Shots with lunch (yippee) then cookies J 

Today we met the ambassador of Lesotho. She is a beautiful and incredibly genuine woman-I was so touched by her words. She was inspirational.

She reminded us that we were here because Lesotho needed us. The HIV rate is 23%, unemployment is 54%, and 4 million Basotho people live in South Africa because Lesotho has no work. It’s tragic.

Her stay in Lesotho is 3-4 years, so she will actually see our entire service J oh and guess what?! She will be swearing us in as PCVs in front of the king on September 15^th at the 50^th anniversary for the Peace Corps. How rad is that?!

I am starting to feel better. I bonded with another PCT today after our hike back to village. We made it back in 46 minutes. Go us! We were booking it AND no one fell despite all the mud.

Anywho, I had a much better day today. Then, before dinner I mad shadow puppets on the walls with my ‘me’ and Lineo. They laughed because when I made the bunny ears I sang “little bunny foo foo”.

I have decided my attitude affects this adventure, and as long as I kept mine in check I would survive this journey.

Also, a ton of kids stopped by to teach me Sasotho and to check out the new American with yellow hair. Oh fishbowl effect.

After dinner Lineo and I washed, rinsed, dried, and out away dishes while listening to Ludacris! I know right?!

*Globalization* sang in a sing songy voice-Cannot wait to tell  my soc professors all about this.

After that we drink coffee to get warm. Lineo makes mine Starbucks style-tons of sugar and creamer. And goodness knows I like a little bit of coffee with my cream and sugar. The coffee warms me up in a house with no heat in the middle of winter.

I am trying to fall in love with Lesotho.

Today was the first day I was excited to be a PCT-go me!!!

I love all of you. Miss you much!