Keeping it all in Perspective

Back to school blues. One would think all that lying in bed on Monday and Tuesday would have me energized for today despite all of yesterdays travels. It didn’t. Five minutes into my walk to school my host mother’s driver picked me up and drove me 30 minutes of the walk. Sweet. I was extra early to school, in time for the morning beatings. Welcome back. I bonded with the night watchman until assembly, where I found out there was no formal school today. That is exactly what I wanted to hear! I love that about this country. It requires you to be incredibly flexible. You might be reading this and thinking to yourself you haven’t exactly been present at school that much this week. You might have been prepared for this had you shown up. Nope, you’re wrong. I promise you nothing is announced until it’s time for them happen, unless they require money and even then you get about a days notice. I am so fond of spontaneity. There is a list of 453 things that are going to annoy me when I get home, people trying to plan things is number three on the list.

Today, we would be going on a “fun walk” instead. That idea of a “fun walk” makes me laugh. The Basotho hate walking, probably because they walk so much. We walked five kilometers to the starting point where all the camptown schools gathered for a six kilometer walk to the playground (no swings, no slides, just a dirt track). Side note: thank goodness I got a ride to school today. My heart goes out to all those students that walked a minimum of two kilometers to school. When we finally arrived at the playground at half past 10 the “Education for All” program started, only two hours behind schedule. I missed the first part of the program because my school sent me home to gather my camera, another four kilometers logged. There were speeches, singing, dancing, and dramas galore when I returned. At one I called it a day, a spectacular day. I spent the majority of the time with middle sister and her best friend. Side note two: she has known her best friend for three years and today was the first time she has been to her house. At their age (well their school age, juniors) my best friend had practically moved into my parent’s house. We spent every waking moment together. It’s no wonder most of my students are suffering from a stress disease called hysteria (more on this later).

Following the “Education for All” program I met up with a closest girl volunteer and we enjoyed an American afternoon. We got a plate (French fries, spinach, and beets—lunch of champions) at the expensive store and went “shopping” in all the stores we have yet to explore. I managed to gather the remaining supplies for the shelves I am building while she picked up some things to prepare her for the winter (tights and blankets). We decided it would have been awesome if there were a book store where we could sip on coffee and browse through books. As an alternative we settled on a game of snooker and wine. I am back on top (assuming I make it through my first real four hour washing session tomorrow morning).