We are dancing!!

Guest Blogging from Oscar:

It was great to have Merrill and Karrin here for the weekend. My site at Bobete is, as the video says, very remote, and being able to show other volunteers where I live and what I do is a treat. Even more than that, Merrill was my neighbor during training, and one of the closest friends I have in Country. It's been a privledge getting to know her, and working with her this weekend were awesome.

Of course, regualr readers of this blog probably already know how awesome Merrill is, so I'll just go ahead and post the video. One last comment though-- Sex Ed is hillarious in this country. I've never turned so red in my life.

Huh... So Blogger doesn't appear to have a way to embed youtube videos, and directly uploading it is painfully slow. You can watch it either on my blog or youtube (though I would beat my own drum and suggest my blog has interesting Lesotho Peace Corps stuff).

All the best,
Oscar Sinclair,
Peace Corps Bobete



Khotso!!
Im in the village of Bobete near the camp town of Thaba Tseka. Another PCV (Karrin) and I took the long trip from Maseru to Bobete to visit another PCV (Oscar) We were able to go with Oscar and his NGO (Catholic Relief Services) on an outreach to the only secondary school around to help teach about HIV/Aids. It was a really good day. Catholic Relief Services is an international org, and has done some great work out in the really, really remote areas of Lesotho. And Bobete is remote. Its at about 10,000 feet and the only way to get to it is by plane or 4 wheel drive. But back to that in a minute.
It was great to work with the students (probably age range of about 14-20) They were so excited and asked so many great questions. Some seemed really interested in being a part of change for Lesotho. It was very encouraging and made me feel like there was hope for lasting, sustainable change. The outreach was friday. Yesterday, we hiked to a nearby mountain and sat on the top and just looked out over lesotho.... beautiful mountains, a few rondavels and basically nothing else. Bobete is a very humbling place to be.
Even though Catholic Relief Services is in the middle of nowhere, they have internet. I don't know how, but its good to be able to post. Karrin and I go home tomorrow. Either tomorrow or tuesday Oscar will post on this blog a little video of us that we will make tonight. So if you want to see how ratty Ive become....
The trip between Maseru and Thaba Tseka was crazy. You travel on one old bus that's made for about 50 people and had about 80 on it. People in the aisles, using your head as leaning posts, armpits in the face.... hot and everytime Id reach up and open a window, a Basotho would close it. They dont like open windows on transport here because of evil spirits coming in... The road is starting from 5000 ft going up to 10000. Little 2 way roads, with the huge bus going way to fast, being way too crowed... There's one pass thats called "God help me pass." Its acurately named, as I was pretty sure that we were going to die several times. We got off (finally and happily) in Thaba Tseka, where Oscar and Ntate Mphufi picked us up in a nice 4 wheel truck for the 1 1/2 hour trip to Bobete. I should tell you that Ive never been 4 wheeling before. Up and up this one lane mountain road with the biggest rocks Ive ever seen, cliffs on one side, lighting and thunder, mud and the back wheels slipping constantly... and Ntate Mphufi laughing and saying over and over... "we are dancing, we are dancing." Ah, Lesotho:) Ntate Mphufi is actually a wonderful Basotho man who works with PIH (Partners in health) and was in charge of the outreach. Good guy. The outreach was an hour away at an even more remote place... with scarier 4 wheeling which I got to do backwards... 9 people in a 5 seater. Scared the crap out of me. Almost literally. But, I do love it up here.
So, tomorrow I go home. Ive been told the trip will be shorter, but scarier... going down hill and all. Cant wait.
Hope you are all well. I miss all of you!
Salang Hantle
Merrill

Dennis, I hear Megan is doing some great stuff!!!