Hi everyone.
Im in town for the quarterly VAC meeting. (volunteer advisory committee) Its been a really busy last few months, which is good.. to a point. Im getting really tired and after my nov 7th event next weekend (and all the reporting that goes with it) I plan to take a break. Im not sure what exactly. Maybe a day in bed reading, or hopping over to South Africa to Ladybrand for one slow afternoon to go to an awesome coffee shop called Living Life that has wonderful food and actual customer service. In December, I may go to Swaziland for a few days. There have been some extra challanges the last month and Im feeling a big pull to get out of the country for a bit. We'll see.
When I got off the Kombi this morning for the 30 minute walk to the Peace Corps training center this morning, I was noticing things and wondering about the fact that the things that just made me stop and start 17 months ago, I don't even notice any more (at least not too much) So I thought Id bore you and share the things that I thought I'd never get used to, but did:
-The sight of my family gathering cow poop to form into patties and dry them on the hill to use for fuel (and the smell that goes along with cooking with cow patties)
-Myself using cow patties to braii with (bar-b-que)
-27 people traveling together in a 15 seater Kombi
-toddlers naked from the waist down being put on my lap in Kombis
-live chickens on kombis
-toddlers running around naked and stopping anywhere to squat and poop
-Hauling water from 20 minutes away.
-Not bathing for ____ days because Im too lazy to haul water.
-Going to bed in the winter as soon as it gets dark in order to stay warm
-jumping up and down everytime I get a letter or package
-Being anxious and looking over my shoulder everytime I come into Maseru. (recently got mugged for the second time.. no fun)
-Maseru police not caring when someone mugs you and not even wanting to open a report. (unfortunately, I am getting used to that)
-Tab... (remember Tab?)
-Sitting outside my rondavel with my family in the winter, turning the chair to stay in the sun and keeping warm
-Having the cutest Basotho children in my rondavel to draw
-Marriage proposals from under 25 year old herd boys.
-Marriage proposals from over 25 year old herd boys.
-Papa and moroho (vegies)
-Papa and nama (meat)
-just papa... and more papa
-kids asking for candy and money
-people pointing and saying "lakhooa, lakhooa" (white person)
-hot russians from street vendors covered in vinegar
-really fun basotho youth who like to talk and dont even know what email is.
Just a few random thoughts. I hope all is well in America. Ill be back to email in a few weeks. Ill try and post pics from the event. Im also updating my wish list.. several people asked for me to do this.. but remember, letters, phone calls and emails rock!!!
Salang Hantle
Merrill
Sunday, November 1, 2009
NOVEMBER 7th
Next Saturday, after months of planning, my youth and I are hosting an HIV/AIDs outreach day in the village Ha Mohatlane. There are 9 primary and secondary schools who are attending. It 9-5 and will include a soccer tournament,free HIV/AIDs testing and counselling, dancing, (which my youth say I must participate in)art and drama competition all around the theme "How HIV affects me and my community." It is different planning a big event here. Here are a few of the things that have happened.. both good and not so good.
Not so good: The funding for this event is coming from an American grant. Because of the dollar dropping so much over the last 6 months, by the time the grant was approved we received 3000 rand less than was originally approved... and prices here are not going down. I have spent 13 hours in the band trying to work out getting the ATM card to work for the account the money was deposited in. No good as of today. And, since the account was on the same card as my personal account, I have not had ATM access to the grant or my own account for over a month... (and, everytime I have to come to the bank in Maseru to try to fix it costs me an entire day, between time waiting and public transport) We are giving every school participating 2 soccer balls and a pump. The business we gave the money to 6 weeks ago (we put half down) yesterday told me it would be 20 rand more per ball. 20 rand times 16 balls... with 3000 rand less budget.. and here there is no manager to talk to, no recourse... ah...
The good stuff: 4 peer promoters who are doing this for free and working harder than I've seen a volunteer work on a project. For example, walking to 8 villages, 3 times to deal with principals, teachers and students, and one day in the torrential rain that only seems to come to Lesotho to make sure that every kid has a chance to participate. Oak Hills Church in California sent us a ton of really good art supplies that you can't get here, so that kids can learn about HIV/AIDs through art. 16 people from my NGO, Lesotho Durham Link, all volunteering to come out to help. 20 peer educators from surrounding villages and 7 other peace corps volunteers coming to help and support. It's really an amazing thing.
So like everywhere else in the world, both good things and headaches for this event. But different good and bad stuff... its been quite a learning experience.
Hopefully, all will go well and the kids will learn alot. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. Lesotho has the highest rate of AIDs in Africa, and the third highest in the world. So hopefully, the kids will have fun,learn something and grow up to be adults who can help Lesotho.
Thanks for all your support!!! Pray for no rain.
Salang Hantle (stay well)
Merrill
Not so good: The funding for this event is coming from an American grant. Because of the dollar dropping so much over the last 6 months, by the time the grant was approved we received 3000 rand less than was originally approved... and prices here are not going down. I have spent 13 hours in the band trying to work out getting the ATM card to work for the account the money was deposited in. No good as of today. And, since the account was on the same card as my personal account, I have not had ATM access to the grant or my own account for over a month... (and, everytime I have to come to the bank in Maseru to try to fix it costs me an entire day, between time waiting and public transport) We are giving every school participating 2 soccer balls and a pump. The business we gave the money to 6 weeks ago (we put half down) yesterday told me it would be 20 rand more per ball. 20 rand times 16 balls... with 3000 rand less budget.. and here there is no manager to talk to, no recourse... ah...
The good stuff: 4 peer promoters who are doing this for free and working harder than I've seen a volunteer work on a project. For example, walking to 8 villages, 3 times to deal with principals, teachers and students, and one day in the torrential rain that only seems to come to Lesotho to make sure that every kid has a chance to participate. Oak Hills Church in California sent us a ton of really good art supplies that you can't get here, so that kids can learn about HIV/AIDs through art. 16 people from my NGO, Lesotho Durham Link, all volunteering to come out to help. 20 peer educators from surrounding villages and 7 other peace corps volunteers coming to help and support. It's really an amazing thing.
So like everywhere else in the world, both good things and headaches for this event. But different good and bad stuff... its been quite a learning experience.
Hopefully, all will go well and the kids will learn alot. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. Lesotho has the highest rate of AIDs in Africa, and the third highest in the world. So hopefully, the kids will have fun,learn something and grow up to be adults who can help Lesotho.
Thanks for all your support!!! Pray for no rain.
Salang Hantle (stay well)
Merrill
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Changes
Hi everyone.
Im in Maseru for my groups mid service training. ("reconnect") My last boss (apcd) left at the beginning of June. She was finally replaced by a new guy... transfered over from Guyana. Big move! Seems like a good guy. Our CD (country director) is leaving as of today to be the country director of Uganda. No replacement yet. So my new APCD is the acting country director until a replacement comes. Welcome to Lesotho.
Things are going well!!! We just had a "speak aloud" in my district of Berea. Speak alouds are focusing on gender issues and HIV/Aids. It went well. The youth had a good time and good discussion was generated. On Nov 7th, my youth group is hosting a big, 8 village targeted HIV/Aids outreach. There will be a soccer tournament, arts competition, free testing and counseling, teaching through drama and music... Thank you so much Oak HIlls church! They are sending us a bunch of art supplies, which are very difficult to get here. Kids in Lesotho love to do art. They don't normally get to do it. It should be fun!!!
Gotta go home today. Yea! The last thing... I got a couple of packages from home yesterday. Everything was great. In one of them was a beautiful quilt made by the kids at River Rock. It made me cry. You guys are wonderful. Thanks so much!!
Salang Hantle (stay well)
Merrill
Im in Maseru for my groups mid service training. ("reconnect") My last boss (apcd) left at the beginning of June. She was finally replaced by a new guy... transfered over from Guyana. Big move! Seems like a good guy. Our CD (country director) is leaving as of today to be the country director of Uganda. No replacement yet. So my new APCD is the acting country director until a replacement comes. Welcome to Lesotho.
Things are going well!!! We just had a "speak aloud" in my district of Berea. Speak alouds are focusing on gender issues and HIV/Aids. It went well. The youth had a good time and good discussion was generated. On Nov 7th, my youth group is hosting a big, 8 village targeted HIV/Aids outreach. There will be a soccer tournament, arts competition, free testing and counseling, teaching through drama and music... Thank you so much Oak HIlls church! They are sending us a bunch of art supplies, which are very difficult to get here. Kids in Lesotho love to do art. They don't normally get to do it. It should be fun!!!
Gotta go home today. Yea! The last thing... I got a couple of packages from home yesterday. Everything was great. In one of them was a beautiful quilt made by the kids at River Rock. It made me cry. You guys are wonderful. Thanks so much!!
Salang Hantle (stay well)
Merrill
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Bitso Lebe
KHOTSO
Recently I traveled to Emile’s site at Ha Makhoroana (an education Peace Corps Volunteer) to teach some life skills to some of her kids and teachers. It was a lot of fun, Emile was very hospitable and the area she lives in is remote and beautiful. For dinner one night, Emile decided to splurge and make us chicken. We cooked it on a braii (bar-b-que) There were very few briquettes and try as we might, we could not get a good fire started. Emile’s ausi (sister) came to the rescue. She went into the field next to us where the cattle graze during the day and got us some good, old fashioned cow patties. Yes that’s right. She scooped up the cow poop, put it in the braii and lit it and….. mmm, mmm good!!
Behind her house is a really beautiful mountain. She’s at the base of it. Its called “Mosono” hill. (Emily did say it could be Monoso, so for those Sesotho speakers out there, sorry. Its not a Sesotho word I use much) which means “clitoris hill.” Now this is a word that the local villagers do not like to use, so instead, they call it “bitso lebe,” which means: “ugly name.” So it’s “ugly name hill.” And, at the base of the hill, there’s a primary school with the name of “Bitso Lebe Primary School.” How would you like to go there? Thanks Emile for your hospitality and for letting me do a little work at your school. It was a lot of fun!
Things are going pretty well. My NGO, Lesotho Durham Link is doing some good work with my youth out in my catchment area around Ha Mohatlane. The youth rock!! I’m still teaching English a couple of mornings a week at the local secondary school. I subversively slip in life skills and other exercises which will encourage them to express opinions and initiate things. We have a speak aloud coming up in our district of Berea in a couple of weeks. It is geared towards youth and is all about gender issues here. Next week I’m traveling to the district of Mafeteng to help out with an HIV/Aids outreach day there. And, the youth with hopefully only minimal guidance (interference) by me are planning a big HIV/Aids, stigma, testing day, sports, arts competition on Nov 7th. The name of it is “Together We Can.” (they picked out the name, not me… really!) Its targeted towards 8 villages in the area. The youth are learning how to plan/organize/run a big event…
Life is good here. Only one minor blip recently. I got mugged here in Maseru when I was in town a couple of weeks ago. I was walking back to the training center where PCV’s stay and a man stopped me and told me to give him money or he would stab me. (he had a really large knife) I gave him the change in my pocket. He then said “give me notes or I will kill you.” I froze cause he looked pretty scary at this point. A side note: Here in Lesotho we are told (women) to keep valuables in “the mountains” (your bra) because men wont reach down there to rob you. Not true. He put his hand down my shirt, looking for money. I reacted, pushed him away and started screaming my head off. He came back at me, but stopped, turned around and ran. A couple of Bo-‘M’e were running up behind me. Yeah Bo-‘M’e!!! They walked me the rest of the way to the training center. I called Peace Corps and they were very supportive and wonderful. They took me to the police station the next day to file a report. The police didn’t want to do a report because the man didn’t get much robbery. They didn’t care about the knife or anything else. Very disappointing. They didn’t even want a description of the guy.
Other than that, things really are good here. Winter is letting good and spring is coming. Chilly mornings and warmer days. The peach trees are all blossoming. Things are going to turn green any second, I can feel it Work and home is good. I’m not missing America too much, but I’m missing all of you!! Someone please sit down at Starbucks, have a grande, extra hot, non-fat, sugar free vanilla latte for me, while reading the Sunday paper cover to cover and than sitting down to lunch with a person or two, just to talk and catch up. Ahhh…..
Have a great rest of the summer. I’m thinking about you all.
Salang Hantle!
Recently I traveled to Emile’s site at Ha Makhoroana (an education Peace Corps Volunteer) to teach some life skills to some of her kids and teachers. It was a lot of fun, Emile was very hospitable and the area she lives in is remote and beautiful. For dinner one night, Emile decided to splurge and make us chicken. We cooked it on a braii (bar-b-que) There were very few briquettes and try as we might, we could not get a good fire started. Emile’s ausi (sister) came to the rescue. She went into the field next to us where the cattle graze during the day and got us some good, old fashioned cow patties. Yes that’s right. She scooped up the cow poop, put it in the braii and lit it and….. mmm, mmm good!!
Behind her house is a really beautiful mountain. She’s at the base of it. Its called “Mosono” hill. (Emily did say it could be Monoso, so for those Sesotho speakers out there, sorry. Its not a Sesotho word I use much) which means “clitoris hill.” Now this is a word that the local villagers do not like to use, so instead, they call it “bitso lebe,” which means: “ugly name.” So it’s “ugly name hill.” And, at the base of the hill, there’s a primary school with the name of “Bitso Lebe Primary School.” How would you like to go there? Thanks Emile for your hospitality and for letting me do a little work at your school. It was a lot of fun!
Things are going pretty well. My NGO, Lesotho Durham Link is doing some good work with my youth out in my catchment area around Ha Mohatlane. The youth rock!! I’m still teaching English a couple of mornings a week at the local secondary school. I subversively slip in life skills and other exercises which will encourage them to express opinions and initiate things. We have a speak aloud coming up in our district of Berea in a couple of weeks. It is geared towards youth and is all about gender issues here. Next week I’m traveling to the district of Mafeteng to help out with an HIV/Aids outreach day there. And, the youth with hopefully only minimal guidance (interference) by me are planning a big HIV/Aids, stigma, testing day, sports, arts competition on Nov 7th. The name of it is “Together We Can.” (they picked out the name, not me… really!) Its targeted towards 8 villages in the area. The youth are learning how to plan/organize/run a big event…
Life is good here. Only one minor blip recently. I got mugged here in Maseru when I was in town a couple of weeks ago. I was walking back to the training center where PCV’s stay and a man stopped me and told me to give him money or he would stab me. (he had a really large knife) I gave him the change in my pocket. He then said “give me notes or I will kill you.” I froze cause he looked pretty scary at this point. A side note: Here in Lesotho we are told (women) to keep valuables in “the mountains” (your bra) because men wont reach down there to rob you. Not true. He put his hand down my shirt, looking for money. I reacted, pushed him away and started screaming my head off. He came back at me, but stopped, turned around and ran. A couple of Bo-‘M’e were running up behind me. Yeah Bo-‘M’e!!! They walked me the rest of the way to the training center. I called Peace Corps and they were very supportive and wonderful. They took me to the police station the next day to file a report. The police didn’t want to do a report because the man didn’t get much robbery. They didn’t care about the knife or anything else. Very disappointing. They didn’t even want a description of the guy.
Other than that, things really are good here. Winter is letting good and spring is coming. Chilly mornings and warmer days. The peach trees are all blossoming. Things are going to turn green any second, I can feel it Work and home is good. I’m not missing America too much, but I’m missing all of you!! Someone please sit down at Starbucks, have a grande, extra hot, non-fat, sugar free vanilla latte for me, while reading the Sunday paper cover to cover and than sitting down to lunch with a person or two, just to talk and catch up. Ahhh…..
Have a great rest of the summer. I’m thinking about you all.
Salang Hantle!
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