After Long Last, Pictures from Training!

I have been promising pictures since October and I have finally found the opportunity to do so.  Below are pictures from my training which lasted two months.

This is Bearea, the village I stayed in until December.  In Lesotho most people ride donkeys instead of horses.  It's very rare to see a horse here.  Fun fact: Donkey bray about every 2 hours and apparently, before the dawn of cell phones, they were used to tell how much time had passed.  I timed the braying once and it's accurate to about 1/2 an hour.

Another view of the village.  It was surrounded by mountains which we climbed a few times.  Tough hikes but the views were worth it.

My host family's property from my door.  To the left is the main house where the kitchen and master bedroom are.

The family cat.  She was my daily visitor especially when I was cooking.

And her kittens, the best playmates I could ever find.  It was so much fun watching them grow up for the few weeks I was there.  There was a third one but I think it passed away.

The two dogs.  They're tougher than they look.  Every morning I would find them sleeping on my door step.

A herd of sheep by the tap right in front of my house.

Some may remember my facebook post about the new donkey.  This picture was taken right after he was born as you can see from his wobbly legs.  By the afternoon he was confident in his stride but he never made it through the night.

Sunsets in Lesotho are different every night.  This is a picture of one of the homes on the compound which has a thatched roof.  I also had a thatched roof so even on a hot summer day my room stayed very cool.  The downside is that they shed.

The kids in the village.  All of these kids go to Berea High School where I taught for a few weeks.  The high school has one of the best choirs in the nation and they sang at our swearing in.  Another fun fact: boys and girls going to school have to have their heads shaved so in the classroom the uniforms are very helpful for telling if someone is male of female.  One fun fact: the girl on the left, her Christian name is Constance, is an amazing singer and dancer.

Local flower.  I think it's the closest thing to a rose here (can you see those thorns)!

View from one of the mountains.  Once you climb up the mountains are completely flat.  I've seen villages on the mountains.  The school kids most likely climb down the mountain to go to school or don't go at all.

Thaba Bosiu, a historic mountain in Lesotho.  This isn't a picture of it but I had to climb it to get this picture.  This mountain looks exactly like a Basotho hat.

See the resemblance?

Cave paintings in a cave in the North.

A rainy day in Lesotho.  The funny thing about the weather here is that it is completely unpredictable.  One minute you have sunny skies (the right) and the next minute it's about to rain (the left)

Me wearing a seshoeshoe (say-shwe-shwe) for swearing in.  One of our language and culture facilitators (LCF) is a seamstress and made many of us dresses/skirts for swearing in.  Not only is the fabric the traditional seshoeshoe fabric but the style of the dress is too. It also has pockets!  This type of dress is considered formal in Lesotho and for certain occasions, such as funerals, you have to wear the scarf to cover your head.

All of us who lived in Berea village and our LCFs: (from left to right, top row: Sadie (Ausi Lerato), Me Masebkhoa, Teresa (Ausi Palesa), Ausi Reaboka, Janelle (Ausi limpho), Me Lisebo, Mary Jane (Ausi Retumetsi), Ed (Ntate Retabile), Nancy (Me Matebelo), Tishina (Ausi Mpho), Nick (Abuti Tsepo), and me (Ausi Neo))

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!  For more pictures check out the facebook album:

I will try to upload videos soon.

Merry (belated) Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Aparna

Lumela! Lebitso la ka ke Neo...

I have been told by many volunteers that training is as bad as it's going to get. No electricity, no running water, a 9 hour day, and absolutely no control of what you eat. Our lives are determined by Peace Corps and our host mothers.

As I mentioned in my previous post my host mother's name is 'Me Manapo. The word "'Me" is not actually part of her name; it's a title given to most married women and all mothers. It is also a professional title so I will be called "'Me" when I am teaching as a form of respect. My 'Me's name is derived from her son's name, Napo. A title is also used for my host father, Ntate Motawane. In other words every adult is referred to as 'Me or Ntate.

My host family doesn't speak very much english so I often rely on a mix of English and Sesotho to convey information. My 'Me is 69 years old and my Ntate is 70. You would never guess it if you looked at them. Not to mention that you don't see a lot of elders in the village. Most of the other volunteers have host families that have children still in school. But my host mother is very sweet and patient from accommodating my vegetarianism to giving me complete privacy. She thinks of me as her own child.

My host family's compound contains four small homes. The main house has a kitchen and a master bedroom. My abuti (brother) occupies one of the homes, I occupy the third, and the fourth seems to be a workshop for my Ntate. My place consists of one room which is supposed to contain clear distinctions between the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen parts. Let's just say my kitchen and bathroom tend to have flexible lines. It's small compared to some of the other volunteer's homes and it has been hard adjusting to it. But I keep telling myself that I only have 7 more weeks of training until I go to my real home.

My abuti is a herds boy so I do not see him very often. The family has about 5 cows and a donkey (donkeys are like horses here.). The family also has a pig, a few chickens, and a rooster. A fun fact: roosters crow when ever they feel like it even if it's two o'clock in the morning! Who ever said that they only crow when the sun rises never met a rooster.

In addition to the farm animals the family has two dogs and a cat. The cat has grown on me and it often stares at me as I eat (recently I saw my 'Me give it my leftovers.). The dogs on the other hand are there to guard the house against theives or unwanted strangers at night. They aren't big dogs but they have one hell of a snarl. In fact the concept of pets is not common in Lesotho. Even the cat has it's purpose; it keeps mice away. But with all these animals on the compound there is one that is my 'Me's pride and joy: she has two tortoises! The first thing I did when I came to her home was rub each one's shell. And a few days back I showed my 'Me some pictures I brought from home and she told me to take a picture of her, take a picture of Ntate, and to take a picture of the tortoises.

But other than the tortoises village life is not very exciting. It gets dark around 7pm and with no street lights it is impossible to find your way, never mind the dogs or the village drunks. And living in a small village means everyone knows what you're doing, especially since we stand out. So if I can't find a fellow volunteer I just have to ask the village children and they can tell me everything.

But village life definitely has it perks. We had one free Sunday afternoon before real training began so we decided to play cards in front of someone's home. Some kids were in the area and joined us for the game. As the game went on more kids came to watch and soon there was a group on 20 kids around us. As I said, the kids find out everything.

So village life isn't too bad but I still keep telling myself, 7 more weeks, 7 more weeks.

Welcome to Lesotho

I have been in Lesotho for two weeks and it feels like I have been here forever!

I left America with 23 education volunteers. Most of them are science and math teachers like myself but the group also has english and resource teachers. After over 15 hours of flying I finally saw my home for the next two years. I wish I could describe what I saw out of my window as the plane flew over Lesotho other than to say that I have never seen anything like it. The rolling hills and natural beauty of the country was apparent from the first moment.

We landed in a very small airport and were greeted by the local Peace Corps staff and a few volunteers. We soon boarded a car to take us to our host village. Mine is the village Berea in the district of Berea. We were greeted by the village women who sang and hugged us to welcome us to their village. The chief's mother then spoke telling the village people that we were now part of the village and everyone must play their part to keep us safe. We were then introduced to our host families. My host mother's name is 'Me Manapo and my host father is Ntate Motawane. I also have a host brother who is a herd boy. My host mother gave me the name Neo which means "gift."

In 12 hours I had to adjust to my new way of life from using an outhouse, lighting a lamp for light in the dark, taking a bucket bath, and using a bucket as a toilet in the night. While these changes seemed intimidating when I was reading about them in the U.S. I was surprised how easily I adjusted to this new life style. I love the simplicity of life and having a beautiful view where ever I go. I wish I could share the pictures I've taken but you will just have to wait until December when I will be able to get internet on my computer. And hopefully I'll be able to update this blog before then.

Aparna

It's Time to Get Serious

Those who know me well can say one thing about me: I do not procrastinate.  I am not the girl studying until 2 am in the morning for that physical chemistry midterm; I'd rather sleep.  I'm not the girl who you'll find cramming in the library 24 hours before a lab report is due; it's already done.  And I'm not the girl looking over her notes 10 minutes before the final; if I don't know it now I never will.  So now that I'm 7 days from leaving the state, 9 days from leaving the country, and 10 days from landing in Lesotho I feel the stress of procrastinating.

I have been waiting a long, long, time to join the Peace Corps.  I first became serious about the Peace Corps spring time of 2010.  I thought I knew what I wanted in my life but wasn't sure what I wanted for the next year.  Not school, that's for sure.  Maybe something abroad, volunteering or working, maybe for 6 months or a year.  So I attended a workshop in school dedicated to post graduation options.  UCSD had a Peace Corps recruiter and she made a presentation during the workshop.  I have often felt that when I am about to do something big (ie: buy an expensive purse or pair of shoes) the idea literally screams at me.  It's this obvious slap-in-the-face good feeling that I get when I just know that I have to do (or buy) something.  That's how I felt during the recruiter's presentation.  I felt my body shaking as it just clicked in my head; this is what I had to do.

Of course I wasn't quite convinced, not yet.  I was a little intimidated at first.  Me?  Leaving my comfortable life in California?  Taking a two year detour from my life plan?  There had to be an easier way!  But a slap in the face doesn't quite disappear and you're usually left with this burning feeling that just doesn't leave.  So I did my research, scoured through the Peace Corps website, and realized that the more I read, the more RPCVs (returned Peace Corps volunteers) I spoke to, the more I wanted to do it.  I could just see myself standing in front of a little hut, in the middle of the jungle, changing the world (just to clarify I was repeatedly told by RPCVs not to have such high expectations about the work I will do).

I started the application process in the fall of 2010.  Step one was an online application asking me for basic information (job history, volunteer experiences) with two essays and three references.  It also included a form that asked about my medical history so they could make sure you were fit enough to be an applicant.  I completed this application Thanksgiving 2010.

Step two was the interview.  This was two weeks after I turned in the application and the weekend before finals (good thing I'm not a procrastinator).  To my surprise, at the end of my interview the recruiter told me that she thought I'd be a good candidate and gave me my nomination.  The nomination didn't guarantee anything but says that you're a serious applicant.  My nomination was for a science teacher in Sub-Saharan Africa to leave in early October.

Step three was the medical review.  Based on the medical history I had given during the application process I was sent a medical application that had to be filled out at the doctors.  This included tests, shots, and other fun things everyone enjoys when going to the doctor.  But at the end I did feel a little sorry for the doctor who filled out those forms for me.  There were a lot of pages and I don't think I was the highlight of her day.

Step four was the waiting...and waiting...and waiting.  A nurse was going to look over my medical information and determine 1) whether the Peace Corps could accommodate any medical conditions I may have, and 2) make sure I went to a location that could accommodate any medical concerns.  But this process was done in the order applicants were leaving.  I turned in my medical information in February, I didn't hear back until May.

Step five was giving an update to the Peace Corps of my current activities since my interview.  At this point I was informed that there were some budget cuts in Peace Corps and this may push back when I may leave for my service.  Fortunately I was not affected by this and, soon after graduation, received a big package in the mail telling me I was heading to Lesotho.  This was in June 2011.

So, where am I now?  I am in the process of packing two years in to two suitcases and 100lbs of stuff.  Packing for a developing country is much like packing for a camping trip.  I bought a sleeping pad, a sleep sack, a head lamp (so that I won't have to hold a flashlight if I have to use the bathroom in the dark), a swiss army knife, and solar panels to charge small electronics.  Of course I'm not going camping so I am also packing toiletries, and lots of clothes.  The hard thing about packing clothes is that a part of me is screaming "Two years!  I have to pack enough clothes!" while the other part of me is wagging a finger and saying "You're not going to the moon!  People are not naked in Lesotho; just buy clothes there."  And then there's the part of me that's wondering every single "what if" that could come to mind.

And as I begin to pack I start to think of all the things I still have to do, hence the procrastinating.   At the same time I think about all the things I wanted to do before leaving.  As I write this post recalling my Peace Corps journey thus far I see that this year has gone by much faster than I expected; I can still remember sitting in that room and feeling my heart beat as I listened to the recruiter last spring.  And as I write these last few sentences I feel that same beat and know I am ready for this.  I may feel like a procrastinator but have been preparing for this for a long time.

Aparna

And So it Begins...

After a long and thorough application, a medical check-up, and months of waiting I am finally two weeks away from leaving the country, joining the Peace Corps, and living in Lesotho.

The past few months have been filled with updating people of my plan for the next two years and consistently receiving quizzical looks with the question, "Lesotho?"  So it seemed logical to start this blog with a brief introduction to the country.

CIA-The World Factbook

Lesotho, also known as the Kingdom of Lesotho, is in South Africa, literally.  It is a country landlocked by another country.  Which means that to get to Lesotho you have to go through South Africa.  It is a very small country, about the size of Maryland.  Lesotho is also a very mountainous country and is located at a very high altitude.  Its lowest point is 1,400 meters above sea level and its highest is around 3,400 meters.  This high elevation causes the country to have extreme temperature ranges.  Summers are very hot and winters are very cold.  Remember, Lesotho is also located on the other side of the equator so the hottest months are November, December, and January and the coldest are in June and July.
The people of Lesotho are called Basotho.  The local language is Sesotho.  Sesotho does not have a -th sound so Lesotho is actually pronounced Leh-sue-too.  Another tidbit:  The title of this blog Lumela! is actually pronounced Dumela.  It means "hello!"

CIA-The World Factbook

A few fun facts...

• Lesotho has an educated population where about 85% can read and write.  Education is available to everyone regardless of sex.
• The national moto is Khotso! Pula! Nala! which means "Peace! Rain! Prosperity!"  This is represented by the national flag which was created in 2006.  The stripes represent rain, peace, and prosperity accordingly with an indigenous hat in the middle.
• I was looking at Lucy Lui's Wikipedia the other day and I saw that she has visited Lesotho before.  Not really relevant but still a fun fact.

And a few not so fun facts...

• About 95% of Basotho are under 65 years of age with an average age of 23.  They have the 9th highest death rate in the world
• About 25% of the population has HIV/Aids attributing to the high death rate.  Lesotho is in the top 3 for HIV prevalence rate.

So where do I come in?

Peace Corps-Lesotho

Lesotho is still a developing country and education has been an important factor in their development.  In recent years the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has been creating initiatives to not only make education more accessible but also improve it.  In 2000 the Government of Lesotho implemented Free Primary Education to increase the number of students.  This has lead to the over crowding of classrooms and a lack of qualified teacher.  This is where I come in.
I'll be teaching high school level science in a local school.  Outside of school I will be working on HIV awareness and helping my local community learn more about the virus and what they can do about it.  It's going to be a tough two years but I am very excited and I can't wait to leave.  I'll be maintaining this blog through out my service and I hope to share pictures and any other interesting tidbits.

For now I have to start packing.

Aparna