Typical Day

Some might wonder what a typical day in Lesotho is like. Other might not, stop reading. I wake up at 6:00 AM every day thanks to the fluttering flies, the barking dogs, or the mooing cows. I begin the day by sprinting to the latrine. We are not allowed out past dark, not even to use the latrine (safety first), thus leaving my bladder quite full in the morning. After relieving myself, I brush my teeth and make my bed. Not a big deal, I do both those chores every morning in America too… except I have a sink to brush my teeth in and a fitted sheet for my bed. Not here, oh well, after about a day you adjust. Then I put away last nights dinner dishes and continue by making my lunch for school. I get dressed (in one of my three outfits). All that freaking out over packing, what a waste! I have used all of about 8 articles of clothing since arriving here. Once everything is in order I eat breakfast (home-made granola and an apple).

I hit the road at 7:00 AM, arriving at school just in time for the 7:45 AM daily assembly. School begins at 7:00 AM (I refuse to arrive that early) and runs till 4:00 PM. During school, I teach (imagine that) about three and a half hours, I write tons of letters, read about a book a day, listen to the teachers babble in Sesotho, and usually take a couple of short walks. I walk home feeling quite satisfied about my productivity for the day. On the walk home townies are out and about eager for conversation so it takes a tad longer to make it to my final destination.

If a typical day includes bathing (which is does not…but I want to look busy so I am going to proceed) I walk in the door and grab the rug. The rug gets hung on the line and beat with my broom (a great stress reducer). I head in doors, sweep the hut free of all (I wish) dust and hair (which is falling out at an alarming rate). Then I bathe in 2 liters of freezing cold water. After drying and clothing I take the water to the waste water hole usually spilling about half of it on my clean self. When I do not bathe and sweep, I play 44 games of Solitaire or read another book.

Now, it is time to cook dinner. Dinner consists of zucchini and onions cooked in a pan (at least for the past 21 straight days). If there is an art to cutting zucchini and onions, I have mastered it! Then I clean all the utensils I have used for the day, brush my teeth, and use the latrine for the last time of the day. I am still learning the “pee on command technique.” For those who can’t quite get it down, the pee bucket sits empty anxiously waiting to be filled.

At 8:00 PM I join my host family in the house for a family viewing of Generations, a South African soap. The show last all of 30 minutes if things are running on time, yes even the TV can not stick to a schedule. I usually bond with my “sisters” over broken Sesotho for a short while before hitting the sack at 9:00 PM. Sleep, repeat.