Lesotho Hamonate

Ke tla lula mona ka lilema tse pedi! “I will stay here for two years.” Its real! It has officially set in that this will be my new African life! I spent the last week in the district of Mafeteng at my site that Peace Corps has matched me with. It is here in the small rural village of Ha Khoro where I will reside for two years come December 18^th! It’s a big deal and I am quite excited. I spent the weekend at a workshop where all the volunteers that are to be living in Southern Lesotho got to meet their counterparts (principal of the their school and their “introductory liaison”) and do work-shop things. It was quite helpful to both be on the same page as to what they know and expect from us as volunteers at their school. My principal, N’tate Romalula, thought I was from the UK...well at least it’s kinda close to the USA?? Ha! But nonetheless my principal rocks. Seriously, his energy and enthusiasm for shaping the youth of Lesotho is contagious. He has a big ol’ smile that radiates into everyone-not to mention he is quite handsome and alllll the BoM’e just giggle when they are around him. During the training workshop both my counterparts where very involved and opinionated; I liked and appreciated that a lot. I really enjoyed knowing they advocate for public schools and not church schools because they do not address the factuality of premarital sex and the spread of HIV.  I have a good group-it’s gonna work out guys!

 N’tate Paseka, myself, and N'tate Romalula

I was introduced to all the students at a surprise assembly and I feel very welcomed. The gospel and school choir sang. They can harmonize without an effort I swear. It’s beautiful. All the students are very excited to see me but don’t really know what to think yet, as I am the first volunteer at this school. Khoro high school is only two years old and has just Forms A and B (equivalent to Freshman and Sophmore) but has 223 students with only six teachers..yeah needless to say the classes are BIG with around 50 students in a class. Next year we are adding Form C and are expecting 100 to 150 more- not sure how its going to work out! I have bonded with the teachers already and they seem genuinely pumped that I am there, can speak Sesotho (although its minimal at the point they keep reiterating how well I can already speak so that makes happy inside), and that I am active and involved in life. I have already been training with our girls’ track team and got my but kicked in sprints. Damn they are fast! Apparently once of the girls has the second best time for the 200m in Lesotho. The connection I felt with the girls while we were stretching together after and huddleded with our arms around one another was honestly so touching I can’t find words. Wedesday and Friday are “sports day” at Khoro and classes end early to play organized volleybol, futbol, track and field, and netbol. N’tate Romalula says that participation in sports is just as important as classroom subjects because it teaches students how to learn new things and the concept of training to get better at something. I couldn’t agree more! Lots of effort, money, etc has been allotted to sports and areas such as a school kitchen, library, crops and livestock (as we have an agriculture class) are lacking so I find this all…interesting. We shall see what can be done as all the teachers and I have lots of ideas for secondary projects during my stay.

Ha Khoro High School 

The view from my front door. We have 2 doinkis and 9 sheep!

 

I felt very uplifted after speaking to our science teacher, N’tate Pati, about his gratitude that I will be teaching “life skills” to students as it has not been taught to them yet due to lack of teachers. He shared a story with me about how devastated he was when he heard of one his best Form A students drop out of school due to teen pregnancy and he wants his students to know sex is a choice. We spoke of the high rates of HIV infection and drug/alcohol abuse and how they are directly correlated with lack of self-confidence. I had another teacher, Albert, ask me about how he can loose weight and if I could run with him in the mornings and create and diet and exercise plan for him…I had to chuckle a little as I am not to confident in my personal trainer skills..but it just brings to my attention how certain things we learn in one life are not common knowledge to those living a different life. We discussed carbohydrates, sodium and salt intake, and exercise. However, Albert stated that he is aware that papa (the stable corn meal here) is all carbs and has little nutrients, but it is what Basotho eat to “fill their stomachs.” So it is hard in Lesotho; it is difficult to be educated because one can feel frustrated with the limited resources available to them. But with these resources we have here-we get and stay healthy by being conscious and creative.

For the record: I get to keep my name Mosa, have been nicknamed “Sasa,” changed my last name to Hlalele, and I am now a member of the Bataung clan- directly translated to “Place of the Lion People.” The chief herself has changed her name to Mamosa-“Mother of Mosa.” She is a female chief and the strongest-yet-so-kind looking woman I have seen..I swear she is in her 80’s and works in the fields every day. I feel very safe and loved in her presence. As for now I go back to more training in Ha Motobesuane where I will practice teach at Pukane high school and live with my Makheta family. So far we have learned a lot: how make keyhole gardens, teaching aids with local resources, everything there is know about AIDS and on and on. This next month I will gain the skills I need and want to teach effectively at Khoro High to live up to the expectations the teachers have of me. At the moment life is bitter sweet; I am elated that I like my new site but I will miss my Makheta host family dearly. We have grown quite close-especially my M’e and sister, Morakane. I guess I will have to visit them!

Making a keyhole garden for our community

Family plus M'pho all dolled up and ready for church +

Bana hanging out in our training village. All smiles.