WEEK ONE IN MY TRAINING VILLAGE

As I write this I am sitting cross-legged in front of my small gas powered space heater, trying not to catch my long underwear on fire. I am writing by candlelight (with the help of a headlamp) and I'm snacking on a few apricot cookies left over from the plane ride here two weeks ago.

Outside the weather is menacing -- hail and lightening. It's funny to think that just this morning I thought the light rain and pigeons on my tin roof were noisey...

This past week has been intense with training, family time and general adjustment to my village, but it's also been a lot of fun.

I feel so blessed to have the most amazing host family. They make me laugh constanntly and they make me feel like I belong with them.

I also live close to another trainee who has inspired me to start running again. So, this week, I have been able to watch the sun rise over my small mountain village every morning.

There is so much more I would love to tell you, but time on the internet is so limited. Please keep me in your thougts and prayers...especially about site placement which will happen in the next few weeks. This is when I will find out where I will be living for the next two years!

A Quick Update

Tomorrow my training group and I will leave the small compound we've been living in in Maseru. We will be divided into groups, with each person living with a different host family in a traditional rondavel. This is where I will stay for the remainder of training.

I've heard the village I will be living in is beautiful, though, I think it would be difficult to find a place in this country that isn't. I'm also looking forward to living without electricity and running water. 'M'e has already given us a lesson on how to take a bucket bath and I've bought a large pack of candles for the incredibly dark nights. It gets dark very early here and when the sun goes down, it is very cold. People keep reminding me that July is the coldest month here, but I think I'm still in denial. Despite the cold mornings and nights, the sun here is very intense and when it is clear, the days have gotten very warm.

I'm very excited to be out of the city, but this also means I'll have even less access to the internet...but please keep writing me!

In the future I plan to write these posts in advance so I am not pressured by the clock, but for right now, please bear with me as I give you little glimpses into life here. Please also check out the blogs I've linked on the right hand side. I am here with a talented group of people who run very informative blogs. I think some even have pictures. I'll try to post pictures sometime in the future...but it may take awhile.

**Thank you to everyone who left comments on my previous entry. I'm so thankful for your words of encouragement.

Greetings from Lesotho

Lumela!
I've been in Maseru a little over a day now. It feels wonderful to finally be in the place I've been dreaming about for what seems like a lifetime. As the plane flew over South Africa I could see huge snow covered mountains in the distance and I knew that beautiful sight must be my new home.

The trainers here have already been very busy introducing our group to the country. I have everything to learn, but, so far, I am only excited for the future.

Finally, a blog entry from Africa!

I'm in South Africa now and will soon fly to Maseru, Lesotho. I left New York Wednesday night and my plane touched down in Senegal to refuel early this morning. I was sure I wouldn't be able to see Senegal because we arrived before the sun came up. However, as I waited for people to board, daylight came and I was able to see Dakar. It was early morning and hundreds of fishing boats were just leaving the coast for the morning -- what a great sight for a reunion with Africa!

My family wanted to make sure we had at least one day to spend all together before I left. So yesterday we got up early and went to a benefit breakfast for a historic home in my community. Then, my family and I went hiking in Shenandoah River State Park. It was beautiful! It was nice to be able to spend the whole day with my family.

FAQs

These are just some of the most commonly asked questions. If you have questions I have not answered here, please feel free to ask, though, there is a lot I don't know yet.

Where is Lesotho located?
Lesotho, called the Kingdom in the Sky, is an enclave country (meaning it is completely surrounded by another country) in southern Africa. It is roughly the size of Maryland. It is also located in the mountains, giving it the highest low point of any country in the world.

Will it be hot?
Lesotho has a temperate climate and so its seasons change from cold in the winter to hot in the summer. Since Lesotho is located below the equator, winter in Lesotho is summer for those in the United States. So, I will be leaving home in the hot, humid summer and arriving in Lesotho in the cold, dry winter.

What will you be doing?
My assignment with the Peace Corps is as a Community Health and Economic Development Advisor. This encompasses a lot of different areas, including nutrition and agriculture. I have a general idea of the work I will be doing, but I will not know specifically until I am with my community.

What will be your accomodation?
I will spend most of the first 2.5 months in training living with a host family. After training I will most likely be living in a rondavel (round house) made of stone with a thatched roof. I probably won't have electricity or running water, but I will have access to what I need.

Will you learn another language?
Yes, I will be learning Sesotho, which is spoken throughout Lesotho.

Did you get to choose your placement?
The Peace Corps allowed me to state my regional preference, but in the end where a person is placed is determined by the needs of the host country. *If you are considering Peace Corps, please refer to the official website for more information on the process. http://www.peacecorps.gov/

How long is your committment?
Peace Corps volunteers are in country for a total of 27 months. The first 2-3 months are spent in training, followed by two years of service. Most volunteers seem to feel that two years is "...a long time to be away, but a short time to be here".

What are you bringing?
Because of airline restrictions, I am allowed 2 larger bags and 1 small carry on. I may post a packing list here at some point for future Lesotho volunteers.

Have you been to Africa before?
Yes, I spent a summer working with an after school program in Namibia. I lived with a host family (thank you, Kukuri family!) and took Herero language and cultural classes (thank you Naf!).

Are you excited?
YES!

I debated starting a blog for a long time. I even started one months ago and deleted it, thinking I probably wouldn't maintain it in Lesotho anyway. Though, after a year of reading about the beautiful moments my friend experienced as she taught in Sudan, I feel as though this form of communication can be personal.

I still have a little under a month left in the US and, yes, I've been busy packing, making phone calls, researching everything Lesotho related and making lists...about everything, but I know the most important thing I can do in this time is to be wholly present in the life I'm living now.

I've been trying to memorize everything -- the way the trees sway and the dirt smells. There have been a million little moments where I think "this small thing...this is what I'll miss".

Lately I've found myself staring at the sunset over the field across from my lane home on my evening runs. It has always been beautiful, but lately the way the land lies and the way the small random trees rise in the distance gives me a sense of Africa. Of course Lesotho will probably not look this way, but this image always brings me a sense of peace.

I keep thinking how wonderful it is to be able to love this place and leave it not because I have to, but because I know I'm supposed to.