Well I'm home. I apologize for the lack of updates in the past months. As time passed and my internet time became consumed by flight itineraries and vacation planning, blogging left my mind. I continue to be amazing at how many people actually read this. Hello readers! I hope that this was at least mildly entertaining for the past two years.

The last months at site were filled with preparation. I prepared for my departure not only by packing up my belongings, but by ensuring sustainability in my projects. Working with my teachers, we held a workshop on using their library books, taking care of the books and teaching children to take care of books. We followed up a month later with questions and any problems. Some expressed concern over the books with too much English; how were they to use them when they couldn't read them? I taught them to use the pictures (as they are children's storybooks) to tell a story or teach colors or counting. Don't worry about the words, I told them, just make a story that goes along with the pictures. These libraries were my biggest accomplishment; the teachers said that they now "feel like real teachers." I hope they continue to utilize the books and appreciate them. Thanks again to the African Library Project for all they do!

Peace Corps hosted my group at the Maseru Sun Hotel for a few days for our close of service conference. Along with all the administrative information needed to close service, we discussed the reverse culture shock that can be expected upon arriving in the States. Surprisingly, it is easier to adjust to Africa than to the United States. We as PCVs changed; this experience is too massive not to change a person. America really hasn't changed too much (that I can see so far). Except for the economy. Any jobs out there for an RPCV? =)

For the short time I've been home, I've experienced a mild culture shock. It's difficult coming from living a simple, happy life in a hut in an African village to consumerist Americana. What would my Basotho neighbors think coming to see my home in America? How would they view all these strip malls and fast food joints? Would they be impressed? No doubt. But I'm sure they'd be heartbroken at the emptiness. Families who don't speak. The fact that you don't say hello to people walking down the street, rather you avoid eye contact by all means necessary. That people here are taking too much medicine and becoming resistant, medicine that could have stopped the illness that claimed their neighbor's life.

I'm not saying either country is perfect, no country is; in fact living abroad has made me love and appreciate America that much more. But I learned a lot from Lesotho. I couldn't even pronounce it's name when I received my invitation to serve there and now I can say it's a second home for me that I love. I learned compassion, understanding, patience, and appreciation for what I have and the opportunity that I have as an American, to go live in a village in Africa and learn. It certainly wasn't easy, but I can now say as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, that it was the toughest job I'll ever love.

So it's winter here in Lesotho, which means cold nights and mornings with no school to occupy the day. I managed to escape for three weeks and travelled almost ten degrees north (through the Tropic of Capricorn) to Botswana, a country rich with wildlife and plenty of cures for the Peace Corps blues. My party and I spent two nights camping at Khama Rhino Sanctuary where we went for nature walks and wildlife drives. We spotted many animals: rhinos, kudu, impala, wildebeest, zebras, and giraffes to name a few. I admit after spotting the rhinos I was concerned about having an open fire in the same sanctuary as them after viewing "The Gods Must Be Crazy." Which by the way is a great visual representation of some of the landscape we encountered. Nothing happened coincidentally but I remained weary.

We travelled north over possibly one of the worst roads ever to get to the Chobe region in northern Botswana. Fate led us into the hands of avid campers who directed us to Senyati, a new campground that was wonderfully furnished, offering an open bar overlooking a watering hole frequented by elephants. We had hot showers (a luxury indeed) provided we set a fire in a heating device called a "donkey." Chobe National Park - and Senyati - have no fences, so after excellent viewing during a cruise on the Chobe River, and a self-game drive, we could continue the "African bush" experience, hearing hyenas hunting and who knows what strolling by our tents at night. Thrilling, scary, exciting and cool. Chobe has a "Disney-like" amount of wildlife; we were no longer excited about spotting elephants as they meant danger crossing the roads in front of us.

While in this region, we stepped into Zimbabwe for the day to marvel at Victoria Falls. The Zim side of the Falls presents many spots for viewing. Some offered spectacular sights, others just a drenching mist. It was stunning: the deafening roar of the pounding water, the beautiful force of the rivers. However due to the severe economic problems facing the country, we encountered people crossing into Botswana to buy something as simple as bread, as it wasn't assessable in Zim. Just one of those sights in Africa to put things into perspective.

Following, we crossed the Caprivi Strip of Namibia and overnighted at Ngepi Camp. After sleeping on the ground for a week, we upgraded to the "treehouse," an open room situated on a wooden deck overlooking the Okavango River. I relaxed on a hammock, watching hippos in the water and wishing everyday in Peace Corps was just as blissful (but then it wouldn't be PC).

An unfortunate early rise followed to make it back into Botswana for a ferry across the Okavango Delta. We set out on a mokoro (traditional, dugout canoe) trip into the Delta. I sat smiling as our polers navigated us through channels and reedy marshes, marvelling at the beauty around me. We camped overnight on an island where I'm certain hippos were ten feet away from our tents at one point. They are quite noisy. After a walk through the island the next day, we "set sail" back to our launch point in the village of Seronga.

Our next stop was south to Maun, a tourist town where we ate well and finally shopped for crafts. We stayed one night at a backpackers on the river with ceiling-free showers, a system which should be applied far more often. Moving on east... to our disappointment, the Salt Pans were flooded which destroyed our quad bike trip plans and consequently changed the rest of our itinerary. But we upgraded and stayed in rondavels which were about a billion times cooler than mine.

The next few days were spent making our way south - to Francistown then Gaborone, enjoying the restaurants and shopping the cities had to offer. Our stop in South Africa was in Clarens, an adorable artsy town situated in the Maluti Mountains close to Lesotho. I was able to ingest a delicious locally brewed wheat beer and a filet mignon, so obviously the town got my enthusiastic vote.

Upon returning to the Mountain Kingdom, we went to my friend Ben's site in Mokhotlong, which might be the coldest house in Lesotho. But we had the opportunity to travel to Sani Top Chalet (the highest pub in Africa) to partake in hot chocolate and the magnificent views of the Drakensberg Range.

After three weeks away from site, I was back as somewhat of a hermit, leaving our compound only when necessary; after a year and half, the word boredom has a new meaning. I've developed plenty of ways to pass the time and appreciate the quiet. While at times I curse the days of boring nothingness, I'm sure I'll miss these days when I'm in the United States in FOUR MONTHS! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is brilliant. I've got books to organize and distribute and our close of service conference next month to keep me busy and focused. But it is difficult to contain my excitement for my homecoming!

My dear sister-in-law commented that I sound like Maria Von Trapp. And sometimes, I feel like her. Swinging my guitar case around, thinking about how confident I am to face what the world has to offer. The sun is shining, things are swell and rainbows and puppies abound. And then with the slightest annoyance (another person asking me for money, no water at the pump, people laughing at me), I suddenly turn into Michael Douglas's character in "Falling Down."

If you are easily offended by talk of the existence of sex, you will surely stop reading this post now.

This week I'm helping a fellow volunteer conduct a workshop for her area teachers. Through a grant, she received funding to print books for preschools that address HIV and AIDS. Again, roughly 25% of Lesotho's population is HIV positive. So to prepare for these books, we are teaching the teachers about HIV and literacy. The first few days were only about HIV: what it is, how it's transmitted, ARVs, etc. Now in order to talk about HIV, you must talk about sex. Now imagine you're talking to a group of older women of a different culture. Not only do you have to respect the cultural hierarchy of age, you have to think of simple ways to explain things like masturbation and oral sex. That was me and my friend Clare. Luckily, the women were very receptive and open to discussing these topics. And thankfully, we were able to translate certain words which, when spoken by my friend and I, produced a roar of laughter amongst the women. But now I know what to say to men who harass me here!

Obviously preschool students do not need to discuss these things; it was for the women's sake that we covered as much about HIV as we could as women are more susceptible to HIV infection. With the teachers, we developed lesson ideas for preschool children. Topics included information about roughly what HIV was, what we should do to avoid it (not touch others blood, etc.) and that we should love and care for those who are infected, as stigma against those who are positive can be very harsh. The hope being that if we start with the basics early and ingrain an understanding, we can help these children live wisely as they grow.

Also, we have two new songs about HIV! We modified my previous safety song to include lines about not touching blood and loving friends and family who are HIV positive. The teachers then translated it into Sesotho, we changed the tune of "This Little Light of Mine"and a new song was created! Again, awesome.

The next few days, we're training the teachers on how to use books (reading to children, telling stories, etc.) and how to develop and maintain a small scale library. Should be interesting! The teachers have already sung a Sesotho song about "Nora, the star of love"to me; why can't everyday in Peace Corps be like these days?

I'll be doing the same literacy portion with my teachers soon as we have received our books from the African Library Project! We are very excited and of course incredibly thankful for those who contributed!

Look out for a post on my trip to Botswana next month! Highlights: a mokoro (canoe) trip through the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Victoria Falls, and the Caprivi Strip in Namibia.

A country who's biggest export is water yet the people of the country have none is like......

Someone please explain to me how a country's (Lesotho) largest export is water to the country that completely surrounds it (South Africa), yet villages in Lesotho don't have reliable access to water; the pumps are turned off and water must come from either the sky or ground - w're coming into dry season - or outside resources. I ask this has a concerned village resident lacking water and therefore suffering from a lack of personal hygiene and to prompt a global discussion of exports and basic human needs in Africa.

Discuss.

I'm glad I desperately commented on my last blog post as I got such a response! So hello readers; I hope not to disappoint with future musings from Africa. I just never thought they were so interesting. Why would anyone care to read about my life? Sometimes it feels like I'm posting a personal journal which I honestly find strange. "Hello world, here's what's going on in my life." The best journal I ever kept was in first grade with entries that followed as such: I went to soccer practice today and got a new pencil! It had a lock and key; I felt so cool. And for whatever reason, everyday was April 13, 1991. It's nice to know I've evolved into tackling such issues as poverty and HIV in my adult life, unlike my first journal entries about which Sweet Valley Twins book to read.

Life at site has been great. After a troubling March, April has been better, possibly attributed to my vacation in Cape Town. My introduction back into Lesotho however was not very sweet; a taxi driver refused to take me in his car because I was only going a short distance. I stormed off, swearing in English under my breath. I assume no one understands and will continue to believe so even if told otherwise. I ended up getting a lovely lift and laughing the whole way home. Granted going back to bucket baths and pit latrines is not enjoyable, but returning to simple village life felt amazing. Honestly, it's like travelling back in time, to go from Cape Town to Matukeng. Except I don't need a Delorean.

Very soon I will start to be very busy with the upcoming African Library Project books coming! Which means walking/hiking to schools miles away and making sure there is a shelf/space for books. Luckily the temperature is quickly cooling down so the walks will be more tolerable. Lately I've been walking a lot, listening to podcasts clutching a rock in my hand in case I come across nasty dogs or drunk men. I look forward to walking anonymously with nice, leashed dogs. December!!

Again thanks for the responses! It's wonderful to hear that this is read and appreciated.

This picture was taken on one of the few occasions the local chieftanship decide to buy a water coupon so me and my neighobors can have water from the tap.

Does anyone still read this thing? I realize the novelty of my Peace Corps and African experience has certainly worn off but I'm still here. Living in my mud-dung house, although this year I have a little refrigerator! The past couple months have been hard, vocationally and personally. I faced my first case of serious homesickness, missing everyone back home and all the States has to offer. Like many development volunteers, I questioned my purpose here and whether I am accomplishing anything at all. I'm still not sure of the answers but perhaps they will come in time. For now, I'm trying to appreciate the personal growth these challenges are creating.

So after a long academic quarter, I packed my bags and headed back to visit Cape Town for the Easter holidays. It was wonderful riding the bus down, knowing exactly what I had to look forward to. The beauty, the atmosphere, the food... I was ready for it all. Due to weather during my last visit in October, I still had quite a list of activities to do and I've succeeded in completing them all! Yea accomplishment!

One of those activities was visiting Robben Island, where political prisoners like Nelson Mandela were held during apartheid in South Africa. After a beautiful boat ride across the bay with gorgeous views of Table Mountain, we took a tour around the island via bus before touring the prison on foot. An ex-prisoner was our guide, providing us with personal stories during his sentence on Robben Island. The highlight was seeing the cell where Mandela spent 18 years which was very moving.

I also made my way down the peninsula via train to Simon's Town, a small coastal community on False Bay. It was wonderful being near the ocean, walking across the rocks and running sand through my fingers. But it also made me desperately miss Maine and my family there! I visited tide pools where I spotted some African penguins who waddled there way ashore!

But it will be back to Lesotho later this week. I'll be busy preparing my local preschools for a large shipment of books from the African Library Project and I look forward to the increased workload. Also looking forward to a drop in the temperature - bring on winter!

My first 16 months of posts were pretty positive. You might be thinking Peace Corps doesn't sound so bad or "I could live in Africa no problem." Truth is, Peace Corps isn't so bad, but some days ain't so great*. Don't worry when reading about my bad days or times. I left the US strong and I'm only getting stronger. And wiser. And totally cooler.

I recently travelled to the beautiful mountains of Mokhotlong to teach teachers educational activities addressing health and safety. It was great! We gathered in my friend's tiny rondavel; we had nine people in a rondavel with an eight foot diameter. Quite impressive and cozy. I taught I safety song I wrote to the tune of "Turn the World Around" which goes a little bit like this:

"Children are the future,

Future of Lesotho.

Let us help the children

Be healthy as can be!

Stay away from sharp things,

Broken glass and tin cans.

Needles are a no-no.

Be healthy as can be.

Free from hurt, free from harm,

Keep the children safe and sound.

Feed them well, keep them strong,

Teach them to know right from wrong."

It was a big hit. I'm planning on changing the lyrics to have a HIV/AIDS message and spreading it around Lesotho. Maybe while riding a donkey.

While in Mokhotlong, my friends and I visited a local orphanage for HIV positive children. For those who haven't been paying attention, about a quarter of the Lesotho population is HIV infected. Now, one can watch the Bono charity specials or by (RED) shirts from the Gap, but until you've held a child dying of AIDS in your arms.... I just can't describe that feeling. I held a four year old boy against my chest who was the size of a child half his age. His fingers were like an infant's as they reached for my affection. I cautiously adjusted him to feed him, afraid or harming his matchstick arms and legs while making room for his bulging, malnourished stomach. My heart literally broke watching him labor to blink.

Unfortunately, that's part of life here. Why you can buy coffins are sold at roadside tin-shack shops. This orphanage (http://www.touchingtinylives.org/) has Basotho nursing these kids back to life - if they can. There's hope. Across the country, women are being empowered, youth educated, and men sensitized relating to HIV and AIDS. Slowly, on the grassroots level. But there is hope for change(it's not just a campaign slogan). Call me an optimist; I've always been a dreamer.

*I hate using poor grammar but it just sounds so right.

An old friend recently asked me what Peace Corps was like. While each volunteer's unique is different, most are likely to experience some of the following.

Peace Corps can be incredibly challenging. You are thousands of miles away from a comforting home and those you love, living in a far-off village alone while speaking a foreign language. People may laugh at you and you aren't sure why. They might not understand you or what you are doing there and you might have problems communicating with them; people questioning you then makes you wonder why you're there. Work is slow and sometimes you have to fight to find it. Your body and mind might change. You will miss the important people in your life and important events: weddings, holidays, births - and it will hurt.

But all the while Peace Corps can be immensely rewarding. Your independence will be strengthened beyond what you can comprehend. You will surprise yourself with your resourcefulness. The strange village will become your home as people greet you by name and interact with you. Things that seemed odd at first will make you laugh, like riding with goats on a taxi. You will meet people you never would have met, see things you never would have seen and do things you never would have done. You might travel to discover more. You will make amazing friends. You will learn to appreciate what you have and the experience that is changing you.

I've still got ten months to go before I finish this life-changing service, but I can already see why they say Peace Corps is the toughest job you'll ever love.

Enough sentiments.... I've been "busy" preparing for the shipment of books coming to my area schools! Over a thousand books are on a ship heading to South Africa full of reading books for my local preschools. We've got to prepare for them: making shelves, organizing the books, training teachers how to use them, etc. I've also got a workshop of teaching safety in the preschools coming up in the mountains.

After a lovely visit the United States full of family, friends and dog time, I happily boarded the plane back to Lesotho. The flights were long, the days were tiring and my internal clock is still recovering from the time and season change. No worries though. I immediately arrived at the all volunteer conference held annually in Maseru to be enthusiastically greeted by close friends. Such a treat to see my all my friends and fellow PCVs so soon after arriving.

The conference included sessions about policies, grant opportunities along with volunteer-driven topics. The most moving session was the brave and inspiring story told by the first ever HIV positive Peace Corps volunteer who is currently serving here in Lesotho; we are bursting with pride.

The US Embassy staff was kind enough to bring some softball equipment for an entertaining game in the African summer. PC staff was kind enough to provide a projector and a large sheet for an evening movie under the stars. Not to mention the volunteer talent show which included interpretive dance and a Rubix cube genius.

Because my group is at mid-service, we had a reconnect conference to share the past, appreciate the present and plan for the future. It was wonderful seeing my groupmates and hearing about the wonderful things they have done and plan to do. The second year of service apparently flies by and is much more productive. I'm hoping to complete some of the following things:

- Training teachers in several districts about teaching health to preschool age children

- Bringing in a seasoned preschool teacher to train my teachers in full circle learning

- Applying for a PEPFAR grant to re-publish books about HIV/AIDS

- Establishing small libraries in each of my local preschools and possibly primary schools

- Travelling around Southern Africa

So bring it on year #2. I'm ready.

My Home in Africa

Originally uploaded by nora.jens
That's my rondavel on the right! It's got electricity, no water, and a thatch roof. The roof keeps me warm in the winter, cool in the summer and constantly alert of the bugs entering through it.

Matukeng

Originally uploaded by nora.jens
A view of the distant mountains and homes in my village.

Just wanted to share this article about AIDS in Lesotho.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7697831.stm

I've just been thinking about things I've learned in the past year in Africa. Or maybe these are things that still puzzle me...

- Always give yourself two extra hours to arrive anywhere when travelling. Regardless of how far/close it is or how assured you are that it will only take 15 minutes to get there.

- Hitching is faster, cheaper, and more comfortable than taking public transportation. When you give up on hitching and climb in a slow, crowded taxi is when beautiful, air conditioned cars willing to give you a lift will drive by.

- Events (meetings, celebrations, etc.) will only start on time if you are late; if you are on time, be prepared to wait up to three hours after the scheduled start time for activities to commence.

- Short stories or essays are the best books to have while travelling or waiting for taxis to depart.

- Carrying your groceries for a mile is nothing.

- Lesotho is not a lake in South Africa.

- Personal space exists only on the internet.

- If you think you have it bad, lots of people have it lots worse. Lots.

- Picking your nose in public not only feels good, but is totally acceptable.

- Breasts are great for carrying money, cell phones and anything you might deem valuable.

- Villagers may not be able to speak English, but you can usually communicate with them.

- "I am coming" is often said as someone is leaving.

- Bluntness, while offensive at times, is at the very least honest.

- Clocks can be purely decoration.

That's all I've got for now. I'm sure there will be more to come.

I changed the blog template. Figure it was a new year so it was time for a new look. However if it makes your eyes cringe, let me know.

Monday, I attended my area's preschool graduations, which interestingly are a bigger deal than high school. About a hundred five year olds wearing caps and gowns performed dramas, sang and danced before receiving official certificates from the Ministry of Education. Adorable.

The new education group has arrived! This week, I'm helping with training them. Our aim is to introduce them to the Lesotho educational system as well as giving the trainees a description of their job for the next two years. I'm looking forward to working with them all! They're great and enthusiastic. Very inquisitive about questions ranging from schools to pit latrines. Apparently there's some confusion: latrines here have a seat and are pretty deep pits.

I've applied for libraries for my area schools through the African Library Project. Books (for preschools in my case) are collected though local book drives along with money to ship the books to New Orleans. Then, a ship is loaded with books from around the country on its way to us in Lesotho. Check out http://www.africanlibraryproject.org/ for more information (especially the how to help section!).

By the way, let's go PSU! Wish I could be around to see my alma mater rocking.

Animals. I've had a few experiences of note with liphoofolo. First, my family's cat decided my rondavel was the perfect place to give birth to kittens. The new feline family has since moved, but I check in on them from time to time and occasionally provide milk to mom. Secondly, a cow indignantly nudged me twice out of the way while I was walking home on a narrow path. Apparently, they like the high road. I was a smidge worse for the wear from the encounter. If a cow had the chance, he would eat you and everyone you love...

Lastly, the rain has arrived. Great. However, on the first night with a strong storm, I was awoken by something on my bedside table. Sleepily, I fumbled for my flashlight, turned it on, and discovered my hand was inches from a scorpion that had fallen from my thatch roof. I managed to kill and remove it through my terror, but suffered insomnia as the next few nights also brought storms. I laid awake, convinced scorpions would pour out of my thatch roof at any second. Thankfully, none did.

At least Lesotho doesn't have mambas or cobras.

Life at site has been splendid with a nice, steady routine. I love walking through my village and hearing my Sesotho name (Thabelo) called in greeting. I'm getting so used to it in fact that hearing "Nora" catches me off guard. The weather is warming quickly which brings back green leaves and fields as well as obnoxious donkey brays. Also the heat makes things, well, smell. And that includes me, which is incredibly unfortunate considering we're in a drought which means water shortages. Along with family, friends and dogs, I look forward to seeing faucets at home. That work.

The local Canadian community invited me to their Thanksgiving celebration. Similar to the States, we ate some birds, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. All were fantastic except for the turkey; now I know why Basotho don't eat them. I had a fabulous time with great people and as always appreciated the delicious spread. I'll be missing the upcoming festivities of October and November. I tried explaining Halloween to Basotho but it doesn't quite translate well. Plus I get really annoyed when people ask me for sweets, so I don't want to share that American kids do it in costumes once a year.

My one year anniversary is quickly approaching and I can't believe it. It's gone by so fast, even though some days painfully crawl. The new education group is coming soon. sigh... I'm just second hand news. To prepare, I'm in Maseru for the week to help with the training of trainers. We need to plan the training schedule as well as prepare the trainers for a group of boisterous trainees. If you're reading this future PCV, WELCOME TO THE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM!! We can't wait to meet you and share this amazing experience.

(See previous post on packing [May?])

Now I can sit here and try to describe how beautiful and amazing Cape Town is, but I'll leave it to the professional writers. But simply said it truly is beautiful. Table Mountain, the waterfront, the colorful buildings, the architecture - spectacular. I'm staying with several other PCVs on Long Street, a thriving avenue with lots of cool shops, eclectic restaurants and opportunities for night life. Which is pretty exciting considering we usually become pumpkins at dark. So far, we've been spending our days walking around town, stumbling upon charming spots like a famous bakery, the District Six museum and the botanical gardens.

For as wonderful as Cape Town is, the karaoke leaves much to be desired. My friends and I ventured to a local bar to partake in the festivities; it's been 11 months since I last took to the stage so I was quite excited. But it's different here. Same equipment, most of the same songs. However, instead of the usual getting a mike in your hand and just having fun, probably making an idiot of yourself, the singers here in South Africa take it very seriously, choosing ballads to display their vocal prowess. We got up for a heartfelt rendition of "Since U Been Gone" and they did not choose us again. I was offended. But apparently gay bars have pretty high standards as opposed to the basement of the Travelodge. Who knew?

Yesterday, my friends and I took a wine tour through Stellenbosch, a nearby wine region. South Africa has some ambrosial wine, especially the reds as the warmer climate produces an excellent red grape. I didn't know much about wine before, but I got to taste a wide variety from several wineries in the region. Delicious wines, along with beautiful scenery: vineyards in the valley cupped by stunning mountains. We stayed in the town of Stellenbosch which is very quaint, comfortable and stunning. An incredibly pleasant stay.

Back in Cape Town. Went to the aquarium today on the waterfront. Honestly a little underwhelming. But anything that wasn't a great white leaping out the water to crunch a seal was bound to be. The ships in the marina were massive and the shopping quite posh.

It's amazing the disparity between the city center/waterfront and the outskirts of town. By the marina, one can shop at Gucci and a ten minute drive down the highway, one can see the townships of tight, tin shacks lining the road. I suppose that occurs all around the world, but for whatever reason it struck me here.

One more day here then back to village life in Lesotho. I'm pretty confident in saying this has been one of my best vacations ever.

This weekend, preschool teachers from around Lesotho gathered in the capital of Maseru to compete in sports. We all met at the Lesotho Convention Center and paraded our way through the streets to the field of play. All were dressed in their districts' colors (mine being green and white) singing spirit songs and dancing through the metropolis. We couldn't afford a proper escort, so we just took up part of the road and prayed not to get hit by the approaching cars. In the States, a large crowd obstructing the flow of traffic would make me irate; the drivers and passersby joined in the songs and cheered our wave of color, becoming especially enthusiastic when their home district passed. Our field was next to the taxi rank, a place I avoid unless absolutely necessary. Crowded, smelly, (relatively) dangerous. The field was mostly dirt, rocks, and maybe some broken glass so here's hoping I didn't contract some kind of communicable disease. I competed with my district teachers in events like a zig-zag race, cross hopping (similar to hopscotch), a traditional relay, and the main event: soccer. It reminded me of larger five year olds playing with a crowd of people around the ball and a goal transpiring after a pin ball like game between the clutter of players in front of the posts. There were great passes and plays too though. And handballs and whiffs. We played three games (1-1-1). Regardless I had a fabulous time and did well; my teachers carried me off the field and two men gave me 7 rand ($1) for the good show. Didn't know how I felt about that, but I'm a poor PCV so appreciated the funds. My district, Leribe, claimed the trophy for this year. Very proud.

To celebrate, I attended a PCV party at the beautiful Irish Ambassador's residence; thanks to them for hosting! It was a blast. Quality drinks, exquisite company, a swing from a big tree, good food. The education group before mine is preparing to leave and I am quite sad about that. They trained us and equipped us with the skills we use daily. Including dish washing technique and the best way to prepare rice and beans, and along with the technical education skills. I wish them all the best in the future and will miss them terribly. You guys are amazing.

Things at site are great. I'm adjusted, integrated into my community, creating a busy but do-able schedule. The weather's getting warmer although it hasn't rained in months. The dry weather is invading my respiratory system causing lots of coughing and sinus problems. It could be a tropical disease like giardia though so I'm thankful Lesotho is immune to those conditions.

On a personal note, my heart goes out to the Frerichs family. I'm thinking of you all and hoping you find comfort in this difficult time. Marsha was an amazing, warm and strong, vibrant woman and will be missed by all who knew her. Take care all.

Got lots to share if you feel like reading on...

One of my teachers asked me to attend what I can best describe as a grandmother appreciation/awareness event where her students would perform. The queen of Lesotho would be in attendance, so I just couldn't pass it up. I arrived early and sat waiting amongst the local senior citizens as they were trucked in from surrounding villages. The queen arrived escorted my guards and took her place front and center of the event tent. Local schools sang and danced; my teacher's students performed a drama which made everyone laugh. I was so proud. While sitting in the crowd, the chief of my village came to ask me to sit in the back of the tent behind the queen. Normally when something like this happens I think "it's because I'm white isn't it?" I jumped at the opportunity and enjoyed the rest of the celebration in the shade and comfort of the tent. Like royalty. I'd like to take this moment to express my appreciation for my wonderful grandmothers!!

Soccer's coming back into my life with a vengeance. Preschool teachers from around the country will gather to compete at an ECCD Sports Day. My district has started practicing and I'm on the soccer team. Everyone is amazed when I lift the ball; a corner kick sends them into hysterics. The crowd, instead of cheering or chanting, sings and dances for the players. So awesome. I'm looking forward to playing more. And learning some sidelines dances.

As the world gathers around their TVs to watch the Olympic games, I realize I forgot to report on Peace Corps Lesotho's Olympics. Held on America's birthday, eight of the ten districts in Lesotho were represented, ready to face off in the day's events. The first event was a text messaging competition; the first team to correctly text the Pledge of Allegiance to the judges won. Showing great speed and punctuation, I and the Leribe team took the gold. A scavenger hunt was next requiring teams to find common village items like a used condom or a gnarly piece of glass. Relay races involving flip cup and bag stuffing followed. Mafetang took the hunt and races, but not surprisingly, I (with the support from Leribe) tied for the gold in the makoenya eating contest (makoenya is a delicious ball of fried dough). And let me tell you, eating contests are tough. Those competitors deserve serious respect. We attempted donkey basketball, but the baby donkey just followed the mom wherever she went. I did get to ride one though which was fairly difficult. The closing ceremonies (party) including beer pong and a BBQ. A triumphant day all in all.

In Maseru for Peer Support Network -PSN- training. Because Peace Corps can be challenging in just about any way you can think of (even if you're in Peace Corps 90210), we've got a group of trained PCVs to provide an extra support for volunteers in the field. I was chosen to be a part of it and am quite excited to partake in its splendor. Learning all about the volunteer life cycle, listening skills, common issues volunteers face, etc. While every volunteer's experience is different, in the two years abroad volunteers go through ups and downs, peaks and valleys that generally correspond with times of their service. If I had to say where I am right now approaching my ten month in country, I'd say I'm cruising on a hill. Which is pretty good. Of course who knows where that road might go. Being in the capital also means showers, movies, and laundry. Yeah. That's what is exciting to me now. Sad right?

School starts again on Monday and I'm ready to be back at site after bouncing around for the past month and a half; I'm looking forward to the quiet peace of my village. Last weekend I helped with a soccer tournament that helped raise AIDS awareness and provided HIV testing. I reffed (which I hated) and actually got to play a little. It was a good time indeed and I'm hoping to organize something similar in the northern part of Lesotho. In September I'll be assisting with an HIV/AIDS workshop for early childhood teachers and then bringing that information north to the teachers in my area.

Nothing much else to report. I just got a bike so I'm looking forward to exploring Lesotho on two wheels. It's starting to warm up again and I must say winter was not as bad as I thought it would be. Thankfully. Hope all is well stateside.

Just got back from my first real African vacation. Many adventures that I'll try to wrap up in blog-form. Hopefully without causing too much concern for my past well-being.

SOUTH AFRICA

We began (and ended) our travel in Bloemfontain, a small city in the Free State where I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone version of America. There's malls, shopping centers, franchise foods, movie theaters, and affordable hotels. We rented a car at the airport, saw a movie, and packed up for our journey to Swaziland. It felt great, but strange. No butter on the popcorn? What?

SWAZILAND

No offense Lesotho, but I LOVE SWAZILAND. Beautiful landscape, friendly, chill people, well developed capital (with a Super SPAR). We stayed at a backpackers in Mliwane Nature Reserve which hosts many animals including zebras, hippos, crocs, and monkeys. We took a game drive up to Execution Rock and hiked up to watch the sunset over the mountains with beer in hand. A first sure to be repeated. Riding on the Land Rover back through the reserve, we got the low down on the Zimbabwe crisis from NGO volunteers forced to flee; incredibly interesting and concerning. Craft shopping was another major highlight. Beautiful crafts and easy bargaining in the off-season. However, while driving to the craft center, we discovered we had a flat tire. No worries though. I climbed a tree and sat in the shade waiting while warthogs and impalas strolled by. On our way out of Swazi, we stopped at Hlane National Park and took another game drive; come on, I'm in Africa. We spotted lions (complete with adorable cubs), elephants, white rhinos, hippos and impala. Take that San Diego Zoo visitors!!

MOZAMBIQUE

I like to compare my time in Mozambique to a bad first date, but eventually romance. The chill Swazi atmosphere immediately changed upon crossing the border. The Portuguese influence and coastal breezes gives the country a Latin vibe but the civil war not so long ago left parts wrecked. Like the roads... which we unfortunately discovered when we drove over a huge pothole and dented the rim. Note to anyone travelling abroad: don't let anyone help you unless you're prepared to give them money. We managed to get the spare on and four-wayed our way through the capital with only a slight scuffle handled by our male counterpart. We arrived at our hostel in major need of drinks and showers. The next day we started anew and explored the capital. I was determined to find the ocean and get my fill of the Indian waters. We spotted some beaches and decided we should hang near other people. Shortly after unloading, we discovered the people we decided to sit near were some kind of religious group that bounced in ocean waves, spoke in tongues, and sacrificed live chickens. Luckily I got a quick dip in before the carcass floated by. It was around the time when a wet, tongue speaking man washed up in front of us that we decided it was time to explore the fish market. Here we were bombarded with waiters requesting our presence (money) at their table. We gave up and found a table in the shade. Our waitress took us into the fish market where fishermen bring their catches of the day and the fish are stacked on tables for perusing. We picked out some fish and prawns which the restaurant cleaned and cooked for us. Delicious. The next day we explored the municipal market full of fresh fruit, vegetables, and crafts. We bought the biggest avocado I've ever seen and enjoyed it back at the hostel with Mozambique beer.

A long drive across South Africa ended the journey. I drove through Joburg where I aged about 15 years. But it goes on my "I can't believe I did that in Africa" list. But I'm back. Safe. Happy. Tired. Going to enjoy our Peace Corps Olympics on the fourth. Look forward to the wrap up of events like donkey basketball. Enjoy the holiday. Happy birthday America - you're awesome. I miss you're deliciousness.

I had the most spectacular getaway in South Africa; some friends and I went to the incredibly charming Franshoek Lodge in the Free State. The main lodge has high thatch vaulted celings with stone walls and a huge fireplace. Here guests come and go, sharing a drink by the warm fire or to dine together (absolutely delicious Thai food) at a long communal table. I met some fantastic people and had great conversations. One of those conversations took place during my steam in their home-made thatch steam hut. Quite wonderful. Not to mention the comfortable room with a view of the valley and a nice heated blanket.

School is coming to a close soon (until it starts back up in August). We had a workshop in my area that went well; my teachers put the "work" in workshop. Lots of participation, singing, laughing and dedication to becoming better educators. It's amazing working with such great women. This summer (our winter) we'll be having workshops for the reception class teachers. Similar to kindergarten, reception class is new to Lesotho and requires some specific training.

What shall I do when school's out you might be wondering? After a trip up north to the mountains of Lesotho, I'll be heading to Swaziland and Mozambique with some fellow PCVs. Very excited! I can't wait to see some wildlife, buy some locally made beautiful art and crafts, party in the "Latin" capital of Mozambique, and relax on the beaches of the Indian ocean.

Hope all is well and y'all stateside are enjoying the nice warm weather! Still cool here and the days are short. No worries though. Except the transportation system here is a little shaken up at the moment. Here's hoping everything calms down. Living in a developing country certainly keeps you on your toes. Kind of like the fire swamp.

Lumelang! We’re all quite excited to meet you and welcome you to Lesotho. It’s a pretty sweet country to serve in. We’ve got PCVs living rurally in the mountains and PCVs living more “urbanlly” in the lowlands. Some of us having running water and/or electricity, some of us don’t. You have no idea what you’re going to get, so be open and prepared. To each its own; this is your experience to make what you will of it.

Now, you might be packing for the next two years. Overwhelming right? You might be looking at the packing list with a puzzled look thinking “do I really need that? “ The answer is probably no. Here are some items me and other PCVs agree should be deleted or altered.

· Tapes and blank cassettes: it’s not 1992. Unless you’re into that kind of thing. Bring music: ipod, CD player, etc. But be sure to bring what’s necessary to keep the juice going: rechargeable batteries, solar charger, etc.

· Sheets/Bedding: you can buy them here in Lesotho. If you’ve got amazing sheets you can’t live without, then pack ‘em. If not, save the space.

· Professional clothes: a definite, BUT make sure they’re durable, not easily wrinkled and non dry-clean. DON’T FORGET CASUAL CLOTHES! You’ll have lots of chill time.

· Towels: same as sheets. You can get them here. Bring a face/small towel for the beginning. Pack a CAMP TOWEL! They’re thinner and you can bring ‘em anywhere.

· Shoes: Obviously, but know you might be walking 2+ miles in them. Bring a pair you can slip on on your way to the latrine (if you’ll have one)

· Card reader/USB attachment for you digital camera: again if you’re into that kinda thing

· Books: bring some good ones, but know we’ve got lots in the PCV library.

· Sleeping bag: make sure it’s very compressable. Mummies are nice and warm to cuddle up in; rectangular can double as a comforter. You’re call.

Here are some additions. Most are not entirely necessary but still wonderful to have.

- Dr. Bronner’s: a soap you can use for ANYTHING

- Pedometer: you might be walking a lot, and it’s nice to know just how much

- Yoga mat/book: if you’re into it, bring it

- Camp towel: I’ll say it again, pack one.

- Stationary/address book: you might be writing a lot of letters.

- Hand sanitizer: a lot of it

- Musical instrument: if you have one or want to learn, you’ll have lots of time to practice. Lots.

NOTE: You can buy most things in South Africa, but know you won’t be going there until 5 – 6 months after you arrive. Sucks, I know.

If you have any questions, you can email me at nora.jens@gmail.com. I check about once a week or two. No guarantees on quick replies.

Literally. My host family hooked up my rondavel with a light (complete with switch) as well as an electricity socket. It's AWESOME. Granted it makes me less hard core, but I still have a pee bucket and a latrine, which have to count for something right? Also, the electricity doesn't work all the time. Lesotho and South Africa are having load sharing due to electricity issues so for 2-3 hours a day, it's off. Electricity is prepaid here (along with services like dry cleaning and cell phones) so that's another obstacle.

Been visiting preschools and seeing teachers. It's been fun and fulfilling. I love to see my teachers use one of my suggestions while teaching. One class recited a rhyme I taught the teacher and it made my day. I (as well as many PCVs) set small goals and celebrate small accomplishments. It's that or go insane, for me anyway. In the future, I plan on having open house at my rondavel for teachers to come and make materials out of cardboard and other recycled materials. We welcome any contributions: markers, crayons, glue, scissors, stickers, stencils,etc. Just throwing it out there .... =)

With electricity and electronic devices, my critics will be glad to know my bedtime has been pushed back a 'lil later. But technically I probably could apply for senior citizen discounts. Here there's "old age payment" that's given out at the post office. I usually have a crowd of Basotho blanket covered seniors to walk through on my way to check the post. Don't worry - there are armed guards in case they get rowdy.

All is well in Lesotho. Hasn't gotten too cold at my site yet. Hope all is wonderful wherever you may be.

Last week, we celebrated ECCD Child's Day which is meant to bring awareness of the early childhood program in Lesotho and just celebrate kids. It was really more of the races I watched on Moshoeshoe's Day. Again winners of the races move on to the national rally in September. Three to five year olds! I mostly sat in the main tent in my Leribe track suit and watched; I enjoyed the singing most. Some people came and wanted to take pictures with me. Weird. I miss being anonymous.

Visited with two different groupmates two different weekends. Fantastic both times. I love seeing everyone of course, and seeing our different living conditions. I get ideas from them, appreciate what I have, and covet what I don't (love your faucet). Travelling in itself is always an adventure, whether it be hitching with Ugandan pastors or being squished between Basotho and our collective luggage. It's great to be off the lockdown leash and able to explore.

Winter is coming! While visiting my friend in the north, I saw snow on the Maluti mountains as I took my chilly walk to the pit latrine. So far in my village, the only sign of winter is cold nights with frost in the morning; the sun warms it up to the 60s during the day. The days are also shorter and I find myself going to bed early, usually around 6:30.

I want to take this time to talk about music here. Notes for starting a successful Basotho band: 1) Purchase acordian, bass guitar, keyboard/electric synthesizer, and bells 2) Have typical African choir/singing group led by a guy half screaming. Voila! You'll soon be blared on the taxis and stores all over Lesotho.

Last night, my 17 year old host brother and the twin teen girls came by my place to do homework. I served tea and offered help when needed. It was awesome watching them work and help each other. But they kept me up way past my bedtime.

Once again, my group was lucky enough to be invited for a fun afternoon at the Ambassador's. We swam, played yard games (I totally won at bocce), ate delicious treats made by Nancy, and enjoyed the time together. Thanks once again to all who helped make that day so great! It was a nice treat after two days of more Sesotho. We then decided to continue the celebration at our training site. More good times.

We invited community counterparts to Maseru to attend a two day workshop on secondary projects. My CP and I discussed several ideas including providing clean water to schools or creating a village committee to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and more importantly understanding. Lesotho has the third highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, yet many Basotho refuse to believe it. For example, on a death certificate, people die of "the common cold" or "madness" or "broken finger." If you want to get technical, you don't die of AIDS; you die of an opportunistic disease. But there's such a stigma here. One of my goals is to help bring more of an understanding to help those affected by HIV live positively in the community. Since this is a strongly Christian country, I'm thinking along the lines of "Love Every Neighbor." We'll see.

In villages, community support is key, especially support from the chief. Who's awesome by the way. But don't think he's sits around in a smoking hut with animal hides draped over him and wearing a big, funky hat; he usually is in his office wearing a button down shirt and khakis.

Going back to site tomorrow. Bittersweet for me. I don't know when I'm going to see my wonderful groupmates again which makes me quite sad. But it's time to go back to work. And to South Africa to check out the scene there. Take care everyone!

This link may or may not link you to some photos I spent lots of time uploading.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25272167@N02/

In Maseru for Phase Three training. Basically, getting together with the groupmates to share experiences and "talk about our feelings." But also working through what we've gone through so far, processing it, and figuring out how to use what we know now to achieve some goals. I'm enjoying seeing everyone and hearing I'm not the only one who had mice and bedbugs. Also enjoying the "big city" and showering everyday. Spent the days prior to training in the southern Nek of the country. Absolutely beautiful mountain peaks, winding rivers, and quaint mountain villages. Good hikes, good times. Now I just need to make it to the northern mountains of the country to complete my Lesotho travel. For being a small country, the peaks make travel long and uncomfortable. Especially on a crowded bus with a 'm'e smothering you from the aisle. Ain't no such thing as "sold out" in Lesotho or "no standing in front of the yellow line." Just as long as the door can close. Even then...

It's a little overwhelming coming from living alone in my rondavel to being in close quarters in the capital. But I love my groupmates and appreciate the ability to walk downtown and grab some peanunt M&Ms if I wish. Looking forward to visiting South Africa soon to purchase some Philadelphia cream cheese and bagels. I'm also hoping to get a guitar to strum.

ADDITION: We went and visited the Baylor Pediactric Clinic for children HIV infected or exposed. It was amazing! Didn't want to leave. Beautiful building, nice equipment, educated staff, and just a positive environment. I would love to go back and lend a hand or two whenever I can, be it reading to waiting patients or helping with paperwork. When I get back to site, I have a contact for helping with an HIV clinic in Leribe so I'm very excited about that! Also, in May I might be helping with a Children's Health Day in Thaba Tseka district. In the future, I'd like to conduct workshops for teachers on child's health, safety, and first aid. We'll see.

Missing everyone from home. Hoping Easter went well and April is better. It's finally starting to get cool. It rained for two days straight and the temperature dropped into the 60s. The Basotho began dressing like winter, wrapping themselves in Basotho blankets. But I'm enjoying the cool and trying to prepare myself for the cold winter coming. Take care y'all.

This week Lesotho celebrated Moshoeshoe's Day, the great king of Lesotho - google it. I met some other volunteers at the Leribe Hotel for pizza and beer to mark the day. The rest of the week, I attended celebrations held by the preschools in my area. It was more like a track and field day, which is referred to as athletics. Lots of relays and races; quite adorable to watch the little ones zig and zag and try to grasp the concept of passing a baton. We ate traditionally (see last post) and enjoyed the days together.

However, yesterday one of my teachers fell into an epileptic seizure. Instead of removing obstacles and letting her have it out (as I would have recommended), the bo-'me around treated it like she was possessed. Holding her sitting up and praying in JC's name. It was insane to watch. Then we sat around eating in an open field while a storm approached quickly. Oh, culture. You never cease to amaze me.

Oh and I forgot to say in my last post I had mice. Which was actually more unnerving than the bedbugs. But thanks to the family cat and the food chain, that problem was solved pretty quickly.

... because they rule.

Living in lockdown - 13 more days! Looking forward to a long vacation weekend in the more mountainous region of the country in Qacha's Nek (the "Q" is pronounced with a click). Been exploring Leribe and all it has to offer. Visited Tarsha in Mamohau and enjoyed her quaint village by the lake. And making pumpkin in dirty water.

Helped with a workshop this week which was both frustrating and rewarding. Frustrating because of the lack of resources for the teachers but rewarding because of the response of the teachers to my help. They are so hardworking which makes my job that much better. The last day they sang and danced traditionally for me before presenting me with gifts. I love bo-'m'e. I also had an area teacher meeting this week where I taught my teacher's how to create rhymes and use a planning sheet. They loved it, so I was smiling widely on my walk home from school.

At the workshop (and many times I visit schools), I'm given a huge plate of food. Here's a glimpse into that part of my diet. Papa is the staple food here; the best way to describe it is compact grits. That you can scoop like ice cream. Though not nearly as tasty. Meroho is greens diced (every single part) and cooked with lots of salt. Chicken (cooked or fried) on the bone; I've eaten parts of the chicken I never knew existed - and I was an anatomy TA. Before I leave, I must try the fried chicken feet they sell on the street. Peaches are aplenty now, but resemple apricots and have less fuss than those at home. Which I'm totally cool with. Corn is sold grilled on the cob and is interesting to eat. I cherish any cold drink I can get. Having no fridge sucks.

So taxi fares have increased because of the higher gas prices. There's no escaping it.... anyway I've taken to hitching. I know, I know "that's so unsafe Nora!" If I wanted to play it safe and conventional, I wouldn't be sitting here in Africa. Plus Dad used to hitch all the time. Every hitch has been awesome. The first with the wife to the Irish Amassador, Dee. A lovely woman, and a lovely ride (air conditioning and leather seats). Most who give a lift (as it's referred to here) are well educated and always ask me about the elections coming up and whether I want Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Obama to win. I've had some great, political conversations! I've met lots of interesting, sweet people; the Basotho are very kind. Except for a lot of the teenagers. MEAN GIRLS Africa. When they say hello, they speak very high and nasally because that's what they think Lakhooa sounds like. I tell them I think something's wrong with their noses.

Anyway all is good. Ups and downs. But I'm living well. Hope all is excellent at home.

In Maseru. I'm the alternate (and eventual) safety and security representative in Leribe. So in case anything hits the fan or comes close, I'm making sure us Leribeans are safe and secure. Which means I get to break lockdown (again) and spend the weekend with fellow PCVs at the training site -yesssss. The fact that I now have bed bugs at my site makes this stay that much more wonderful. And don't tell me to tell them not to bite. I've tried. My hairy, bitten legs are proof it doesn't work.

Work has been good. Slow, but that is probably going to be the pace for the next two years. Visited some schools which were very nice, but lots and lots of kids. Have a workshop the beginning of March I can prepare for and more teacher meetings. At those meetings, I mostly sit there thinking about lunch (rice or papa with the chicken...) as they are spoken in complete Sesotho. But I'm usually put on the spot to teach something at some point during the meeting, so I'm developing mini-workshops for those situations. Awesome.

Been visiting Hlotse with fellow PCVs in town. It's so nice meeting with fellow Americans to speak complete English, drink cold beer, and gripe/celebrate about life. I love getting to know people that I would have otherwise wouldn't have known. They're fantastic.

I've started running the morning (slow and short). I found I had trouble falling to sleep, so I had to do something. I wake up wicked early (5:20) and hit the road. That way, there's less people to stare at the Lahooa running and less people to greet. I also have an amazing view across the green valley to the misty Maluti mountain range as the sun rises over the peaks. A great way to start the day. I also do yoga in my rondavel. I don't have a mat, but I discovered the linoleum is covering a pure dirt floor, so it's not that bad.

I hope all is well stateside. I hope everyone enjoyed Valentine's day. I know I did, listening to the love songs chosen by the South African DJ's: "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "Bed of Roses" stick out in my mind. Classics.

I know, I know: "No pictures!?" I have had little time and resources for the task. LAY OFF ME. My apologies. Plus if you're resourceful, you might be able to find pictures of me in Africa somewhere on this world wide web.

After a week or two of integrating into my community beginning immersion, I spent one week at Thaba Bosiu for an ECCD conference. Good company with my fellow PCVs and bo-'me; we had a dance party one night. Luckily dancing here involves walking around in a circle which works out really well for an awful dancer like me. Good electricity and running water. It's quite interesting working at such a relatively high position in the Ministry of Education - and awesome because we get to attend sweet conferences and workshops. I'm looking forward to helping in the office as well as in the field.

All else is well. Enjoying my site and exploring my surroundings. Took a steep hike up to the top of the rock structure (similar to a mesa) by my house and had a sweet view of the fields, villages, and mountains. A brief taxi ride into town has me visiting there often, mostly to eat makwenya (fried dough) which I happen to be munching on right now. I met some other Leribean volunteers who gave me the low down on PC life in Lesotho and Leribe. Plus I discovered some delicious pizza.

Whenever we're (PCVs) on taxis, it's a fight for window dominance. Basotho think that windows should be closed (one reason is fear of getting TB) so the crowded taxis are hot. We open the window. They close it. Open. Close. Quite frustrating.

My fellow villagers have been great and welcoming. Some still have looks on their faces like "what is this white girl doing here?" In fact, some kids scream "Lahooa" at me, meaning white person. It's not meant as offensive, kind of funny to hear. I say "Masotho" back at them, meaning person of Lesotho. At least some are considerate enough to say "Madam Lahooa."

I hope all is well stateside. If you didn't notice, I have a new address. Again. But this is just for PCVs in my district so I can check it whenever I want. So don't make me sad and disappointed when I visit the post office... take care. Khotso (Peace)

A wonderful swearing in ceremony indeed. A beautiful day, excellent speakers (especially Violeta, Victoria, and Chris) and yet another fantastic feast. We're officially Peace Corps Volunteers. Thanks to everyone who attended, including of course our Ambassador and his lovely wife Nancy. I shipped out very shortly after finishing my meal and said "see you in three months" to my pals. You see, policy is we're not allowed to leave our district the first three months at site. So we have to wait until the end of March to party again. Unfortunately. No worries though. The ECCD volunteers have a conference at the end of January so we get to break "immersion." FYI: Immersion used to be called lockdown.

My site has been great. The teachers and Ministry workers have been great, very welcoming and supportive. Some of my teachers through me a welcome BBQ. Also my new name is "Thabelo Khobotlo." It sounds like "Tabelo" and the last name has a lot of hacking/coughing sounds in it; Basotho are always either impressed or amused everytime I tell them my name. Been trying to make my rondavel my home with personal touches like a map of Lesotho I colored and labeled with volunteer locations (I miss my fellow group members tremendously - so guys if you're reading this, I think you're really great and hope site is awesome). I sweep constantly. The thatch roof is fantastic, but produces a fair amount of dust and fallen twigs. And spiders that sit on the wall slightly below it. But they leave me alone so I leave them alone. While I am a Peace Corps volunteer, I have gotten deadly with a flyswatter.

By the by, you want pictures? You know what? Me too. Guess what else I would like? A shower. A nice cold, beer. Maybe a cheesesteak. High speed internet would be preferable to the slow, expensive dial-up I'm on now. But I promise to post some pictures somewhere sometime soon. Please be patient. Like me, everytime I'm in a crowded, hot taxi waiting until it's impossible to breathe because it's so crowded, but we can't leave until it's packed. Hopefully next time I post, I'll post pictures. Maybe... take care dudes.

Sorry to my avid readers (Mom) for it has been quite awhile since my last post. We spent Christmas in the village which was quite reminiscent of Whoville. We made more delicious food than we could ever eat and enjoyed the time spent together. We said goodbye to our villages a few days later after five weeks of living and learning. Our bo 'm'e cooked a farewell feast; we ate delicious lijo, drank (Coke) and danced to some local African stylings, as well as some Justin Timberlake. P.S. Celine Dion has an unusually large following of 15-25 year olds here.

Then it was back to the training site! Wonderful seeing my group as always and I must say my first real shower in five weeks was fantastic. We enjoyed the wonder of electricity by watching some Simpson's DVDs magically left there. New Year's Eve we had our language (Sesotho) assessment and we all passed - woo hoo! I unfortunately got sick so could not welcome in 2008 properly. Luckily I felt better the next day because our AMAZING Ambassador invited us over for a New Year's pool party. I don't know how we got so lucky; he rules! We spent the afternoon relaxing in/by the pool and sipping on suds of several varieties. So thanks once again to our Ambassador!

The next day we all shipped out to visit our actual sites. My site in Leribe is wonderful! My village is huge, but my rondavel is tucked high on the mountainside, hidden behind peach and apricot trees. My family is wonderful, very friendly, welcoming and fun (not to mention excellent English speakers). As for my one-room rondavel, what it lacks in modern amenities (electricity, running water) it makes up for in charm. My walls are painted sky-blue and my thatch roof/ceiling constantly reminds me that I'm in Africa. And for all those concerned, I have the Cadillac of pit latrines; my bowels are eternally grateful. So I must say that I lucked out.

Back in Maseru for the final days of training. My trip back from my site was interesting; taxi/combi rides in Africa are certainly something to experience. Walking through the taxi rink with my hiking pack I felt both vulnerable and brave; The Onion article really was right. So wise. We swear in on Thursday then immediately begin our service! I plan on spending as much time as I can with my fellow trainees and enjoying myself immensely.