I was also able to get to Andrea’s house in Butha Buthe and celebrate Thanksgiving with her. We both are so thankful to live in America and be independent Americans!!! After spending two years in Lesotho, observing the vast cultural differences…especially with family interactions…we are proud to be part of a culture that speaks out freely!
I am in the process of packing my things and getting ready to move into a different rondavel. My present family needs to have this rondavel for their growing family, especially during the holidays. There’s always a new adventure just around the corner here! I shall be on the west coast, [of the United States], for the month of January; I am SO looking forward to coming home!!! If I don’t get a chance to write again before the new year, I wish all of you a wonderful, healthy and happy 2012!
Here are the pictures, finally:
Picture of Ausi Mathabo in her new birtrhday seshoeshoe.
Pictures of the Renekeng teachers wearing their hats.
Picture of the Mopeli teachers wearing their hats.
Picture of the Lepholisa teachers wearing their hats.December 5th 2011:
Today a couple of the local abuti started to tear the old thatch off the roof of my new rondavel (it's actually not a rondavel...nor is the one I am living in now a rondavel. A rondavel doesn't have a porch; since these both have porches, they are actually limakharo.) Once the thatch is down, it will take about a week to re-roof it...and, of course the rains began today!!! When the roof is finished, they'll cover the dirt floor with cement and then I'll probably tile it. I hope to have the tiling done so I can move in before December 20th.
Two of the photos are not of the makharo; one is of Tsoene, who conveniently decided to fall asleep right on the back of Andrea's legs. The other is of a lovely black and white rooster who lives with the Monyanes ('M'e Mathabo's last name). It's really wonderful to see how the young ones just pitch in and help when asked...and they're working in the rain!
December 12, 2011:
Here I am in my seshoeshoe skirt...the traditional dress of the Basotho. Most of them wear dresses, but I didn't want a dress made because all the dresses have puffy sleeves....oh, and that's Tsoene...the sunscreen bothers his eyes so he's decided to use the alternate method of sun protection.
I wore my seshoeshoe (pronounced seshwayshway) to a recent graduation party. I had a brown seshoeshoe skirt made when I first arrived but I've gotten too fat for it, so had to have another made!!!
