Disclaimer: There is a high chance I have gone crazy and the weird has become normal.
The only epiphany I have had the past two months is I am going to have to devote my whole life to saving the world, not just 27 months.
I have lived in Africa for the past eight months and unlike Sarah Palin's knowledge base Africa is a continent, not a country, and therefore extremely diverse with culture, climate and just about everything imaginable. Africa is a place people call home. There are definitely vast differences from our home, thank goodness or I would be out of a job. In order to keep from getting too down I like to pretend the corruption, culture, disease, and inefficiency in Lesotho contributes to the continents diversity. While as an American it is easy for us to realize these variations should impede daily life, they do not. These problems exist and they are not going anywhere in my remaining 19 months. Heavier Sigh. The Basotho will figure it out when they want too.
My original point: It wasn’t until I got a letter from 15 year old B.X.W. inquiring what Africa is like that it dawned on me. Africa is simply another place on the earth where people live. I can tell you Africa, at least Lesotho, is not like it is portrayed in our imaginations. I like to dream somewhere in Africa there are places I will visit and experience rhinos, giraffes, and other wild animals running free. Maybe even places where I can run into Simba's lost relative sitting in the shade of those cool African trees. There will be warm weather year round, huge markets, people dressed in native gear with painted faces. However, that is not where I live. I am surrounded by the sounds, smells, and sight of farm animals (cows, dogs, donkeys, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep) and cornfields as far up the mountain as one can see. There are pests too, plenty of them: gigantic spiders, lizards, mice/rats, and silverfish. This place is definitely not picturesque; nevertheless it is beautiful to me because it is my (temporary) home.
Lesotho is a place rich in culture. A place people raise families, attend school, and work. It’s a culture before education, live-in-the-moment, slow moving, small details are important, take time for one another lifestyle. Babies are toted around with their mothers. Toddlers and children play outside using their imaginations to entertain themselves for hours. The teenage crowd behaves as if they are too cool for school. Some work while attending school, some play sports, others get into trouble drinking and using drugs (the majority can’t afford to smoke!!!). They have their own slang and use cuss words. Adult men who can find work spend their days working while women typically care for the children and tend to the household chores. Just like in a perfect world, the elderly live with and are cared for by their children.
There is some electricity and absolutely no running water where I am located. Regardless, the people are just as materialistic as we Americans are. They love cars, cell phones, clothes, jewelry, make-up, and televisions. The wealthier families have televisions and enjoy South African soaps or American movies. For the most part the days are still controlled by the sun despite the electricity. The food varies by the seasons. Business as a concept is still a work in progress. Basotho are resourceful and sustain themselves, growing or making almost anything they need. For example, my host family (like most) relies on the shops for four things: paraffin, salt, sugar, and sunflower oil. As a result the shops are quite small and all sell the same things.
It is an exceptionally unique place that few will ever see. It is a mountain kingdom, a home to the Basotho (and me).
