February 17, 2011
Hello again from Tabola, Lesotho. We are still in the midst of a very hot summer! . All the fruit trees are in full bloom, and it’s wonderful to see the young ones with smiles on their faces because of tummies filled with fresh peaches!
I hear that the weather in the U.S.A. has been exceptionally “wintery” this year Our winters are brutal here…not because of the cold, but because of the lack of warm places for shelter; one is not able to warm up, usually, until crawling into bed at night. Luckily, however, our winters are much shorter than the ones I know of in the U.S.A. Our coldest months are May, June and July; by August, things are beginning to warm up.
So, schools are back in full swing; we are all getting ready for the country’s biggest holiday, Meshoeshoe’s Day on March 11th. It’s the day we celebrate to honor King Meshoeshoe I, the first king of Lesotho. It’s a day filled with sports events and traditional songs, dances and food. I shall spend the day with Lepholisa L.E.C. (Lesotho Evangelical Church) School, since I spent last Moshoeshoe’s day with the two government schools.
I am told that the books for Renekeng Government Primary School have left the U.S.A., and should arrive on the South African coast some time in April!! All of us at Renekeng are busy preparing for this event…the room has to be prepared, shelves put in place, cataloging techniques decided upon, schedules made, library rules established, etc.
I am holding my first library workshop tomorrow after school for the teachers of the three schools to which I have been assigned. I’ll have to start from “scratch” since most of the teachers have not seen a library before; some of the qualified teachers have had access to their college libraries, but not for pleasure reading…only for research, so there is A LOT TO DO and explain about libraries. I intend to hold two workshops; if I can get the idea across that libraries are for pleasure and reading is fun, then my workshops will have been successful. My biggest concern about the new library is that the teachers will think it’s such a precious gift that they won’t allow their children the freedom to truly explore its treasures. In many schools in Lesotho, the doors to the library are always locked; the books just gather dust, but they are considered a “school asset”…ugh. I’ll do my best to not let this happen to the Renekeng library.
At Mopeli Government Primary School we are working on two major projects: the first is the bringing of electricity into the school, and the second is the reparing of the road leading to the school. If we can get these projects started…even maybe almost completed before winter sets in, I’ll be one happy volunteer!! I intend to direct a play, “The Great Flood”, to be presented as a fund-raiser for the electricity project. It’ll be nice to dip my hands into some theatre again!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Thank You for all your gifts!
January 30, 2011
January was quite the month in Lesotho! Today is actually the first day since the girls’ visit that I’ve been able to stay home, clean house, read mail and just “chill”. It’s another rainy day, so staying in and catching up on correspondence is the perfect activity. I’d like to begin with a heartfelt thank you to all of you for the incredible Christmas gifts, wishes, pictures, messages. I spent the day reading and looking at everything for the second time… (the first was VERY RUSHED)! I am very lucky to have such dear friends and family.
June, thank you for the popcorn, the crystal light and the nail polish!
Margie, thanks for the awesome teas and the toothpaste.
Golfo, I LOVE the crazy stickers!
Kaye, Rich, Cat and Mouse, the backpacks, the pictures and everything else, were wonderful. (I especially love the picture of you in the American flag jacket.) Aren’t you getting tired of that answering machine message yet?
Anne and Renita…lovely Christmas letter; thanks. I use my mosquito shirt all the time!
Sherri and Mark, please give a special thanks to that friend of yours who helped with the Christmas list….and yes, we are teaching the Basotho about keyhole gardens. Most families have subsistence gardens here. We are trying to help people run them more efficiently, but it’s sometimes tough to drop old habits.
Rona, thanks for the knitting stuff and the great picture of the Wenonah staff.
Marsha, thanks for the help with the Christmas list. How are you, Chris and the girls doing?
Ann, I love my new shoes…and I like the picture of Sam even better! Do you know if anyone in school wants to pen-pal this year? I did it last year with Lara’s class.
Joanne, Audry tells me that you coordinated everything from the Steamboat end. Thank you so much. I love the soaps and the pictures!
Michael, I love everything you sent…especially all the notes attached to each item!! I was sorry, however, that the directions on one of the packages specifically said NOT to use arsenic in the shaker…ugh.
Speaking very selfishly, I have to say that my favorite gift came from Lauren de Lucia; it was a calendar for 2011…FILLED WITH WONDERFUL PICTURES OF MY FAMILY. Thanks, Lauren.
Please, please, please, if I’ve left somebody out, know that your gift WAS received; Audry and Fran did a miraculous job of toting everything all the way here!!!
Audry, Fran and I went on a whirlwind tour of Lesotho and South Africa during their stay. We visited just about every game reserve on the east coast of South Africa…saw rhinos, zebras, monkeys, elephants, baboons, snakes, lovely birds, incredible scenery, etc., etc., etc. Of all we saw, we seemed to be most impressed with the warmth and friendliness of the Basotho people!! I have REALLY condensed our “FAR-odyssey” to a shameful few words. Please forgive me; someday I shall write a book about my travels in Africa to make up for my lack of descriptions now. Hopefully, Audry will have time to enhance this blog session with some of our pictures.
When I think of all I want to share with you, I become overwhelmed.
It’s good to be back to school. My Sesotho is a bit stronger and I am pleased with the fact that I am understanding more in casual conversations! I wish that I could capture and send to all of you the joy on the children’s and teachers’ faces as they received their new backpacks and their knitting tools. At each school the teachers broke into song and dance when they saw all the new equipment…even at Renekeng…the school where our car got so stuck in the mud that it had to be towed out! It does rain a lot here…and the dirt roads are getting worse every day. Roads are not a priority here, since so few have autos. Most of the teachers walk or take the taxi-vans to work…and when we get stuck in the mud, we just get out and do whatever until we’re back on the road…of course that doesn’t work for a small two-wheel drive vehicle, but maybe Audry will write more about that!
I want to thank all of you again and again for your incredible generosity, your messages and your pictures. I miss you all…but I am happy where I am, doing what I am doing. Until next time, Rusty
January was quite the month in Lesotho! Today is actually the first day since the girls’ visit that I’ve been able to stay home, clean house, read mail and just “chill”. It’s another rainy day, so staying in and catching up on correspondence is the perfect activity. I’d like to begin with a heartfelt thank you to all of you for the incredible Christmas gifts, wishes, pictures, messages. I spent the day reading and looking at everything for the second time… (the first was VERY RUSHED)! I am very lucky to have such dear friends and family.
June, thank you for the popcorn, the crystal light and the nail polish!
Margie, thanks for the awesome teas and the toothpaste.
Golfo, I LOVE the crazy stickers!
Kaye, Rich, Cat and Mouse, the backpacks, the pictures and everything else, were wonderful. (I especially love the picture of you in the American flag jacket.) Aren’t you getting tired of that answering machine message yet?
Anne and Renita…lovely Christmas letter; thanks. I use my mosquito shirt all the time!
Sherri and Mark, please give a special thanks to that friend of yours who helped with the Christmas list….and yes, we are teaching the Basotho about keyhole gardens. Most families have subsistence gardens here. We are trying to help people run them more efficiently, but it’s sometimes tough to drop old habits.
Rona, thanks for the knitting stuff and the great picture of the Wenonah staff.
Marsha, thanks for the help with the Christmas list. How are you, Chris and the girls doing?
Ann, I love my new shoes…and I like the picture of Sam even better! Do you know if anyone in school wants to pen-pal this year? I did it last year with Lara’s class.
Joanne, Audry tells me that you coordinated everything from the Steamboat end. Thank you so much. I love the soaps and the pictures!
Michael, I love everything you sent…especially all the notes attached to each item!! I was sorry, however, that the directions on one of the packages specifically said NOT to use arsenic in the shaker…ugh.
Speaking very selfishly, I have to say that my favorite gift came from Lauren de Lucia; it was a calendar for 2011…FILLED WITH WONDERFUL PICTURES OF MY FAMILY. Thanks, Lauren.
Please, please, please, if I’ve left somebody out, know that your gift WAS received; Audry and Fran did a miraculous job of toting everything all the way here!!!
Audry, Fran and I went on a whirlwind tour of Lesotho and South Africa during their stay. We visited just about every game reserve on the east coast of South Africa…saw rhinos, zebras, monkeys, elephants, baboons, snakes, lovely birds, incredible scenery, etc., etc., etc. Of all we saw, we seemed to be most impressed with the warmth and friendliness of the Basotho people!! I have REALLY condensed our “FAR-odyssey” to a shameful few words. Please forgive me; someday I shall write a book about my travels in Africa to make up for my lack of descriptions now. Hopefully, Audry will have time to enhance this blog session with some of our pictures.
When I think of all I want to share with you, I become overwhelmed.
It’s good to be back to school. My Sesotho is a bit stronger and I am pleased with the fact that I am understanding more in casual conversations! I wish that I could capture and send to all of you the joy on the children’s and teachers’ faces as they received their new backpacks and their knitting tools. At each school the teachers broke into song and dance when they saw all the new equipment…even at Renekeng…the school where our car got so stuck in the mud that it had to be towed out! It does rain a lot here…and the dirt roads are getting worse every day. Roads are not a priority here, since so few have autos. Most of the teachers walk or take the taxi-vans to work…and when we get stuck in the mud, we just get out and do whatever until we’re back on the road…of course that doesn’t work for a small two-wheel drive vehicle, but maybe Audry will write more about that!
I want to thank all of you again and again for your incredible generosity, your messages and your pictures. I miss you all…but I am happy where I am, doing what I am doing. Until next time, Rusty
Saturday, December 25, 2010
December 26, 2010
Good morning everyone; happy day-after-Christmas! Wow...talk about culture shock...okay, here's what happened in Tabola yesterday...the day started off normally. Kimiko and I slept in until almost eight, a nice change in routine for me. We had a lovely breakfast of French toast and then began the day. Children came to visit all morning; that was fun. We were invited to have a Christmas meal with the Ramoabis...traditional Basotho food. So, at 2:00 P.M. we joined them for lunch; we brought all our baked goods to share. The food was wonderful, and M'e served us on her best china...here's where we began to see the diversity of cultures...we were served in the dining room. We ate with Ntate and 'M'e, while everyone else waited on us. The only time we saw a child was if he or she was asked to serve or do some other errand. There was no family Christmas meal. That was kind of okay because Kimiko and I got to ask many questions that we probably wouldn't have asked at a family meal. We talked about politics, culture, traditions, etc. Kimiko had brought her violin to Tabola, so she played Christmas songs after lunch, and the children began to trickle back into the dining room; the girls seemed to know all the words to the Christmas songs.
the Christmas sweets Kimiko and I made
Ntate and 'M'e sitting with their wedding picture
Kimiko playing the violin
the Christmas plate...egg salad, beets, rice, chakalaka (kind of an onion-tomato sauce on the rice0, moroho (chopped greens...usually cabbage), beet root and. carrot salad
Me, 'M'e Mamoabi and 'M'e Mansthohle
Me and Kopanu
The rest of the day became very strange. We were a bit disappointed that our friend Katie couldn't make it to Tabola; she encountered transportation problems and ended up sitting in a Volunteer Resource room in Mokhotlong all by herself for the entire day...in fact, she had to lock herself in and sleep there.
As the day wore on, the sleepy little village of Tabola became louder and louder. People were beginning to celebrate Chirstmas with joala (homemade brew). In the late afternoon we went to say hello to my supervisor and bring her a Christmas gift. She was so surprised and overwhelmed with being given a gift that we had to explain that it's an American Christmas custom...she didn't even know what to do about untying the ribbon on the gift...back to the day: on the walk to my supervisor's house, we noticed so many people out on the roads...filled with "Christmas Cheer." Children as young as two and three were just wandering around together...people were dancing and singing all over the town, in streets,m the fronts and backs of houses and huts...and cars were driving with reckless abandon. It seemed as though even the little children were filled with joala. By the time we left 'M'e Mathabo's house, the outside gatherings had more than doubled. Everyone seemed to be outside...dinking or drunk. It was then that we realized that Christmas is a simple family gathering for a quick meal, maybe church in the morning, and then drinking, dancing, singing for the rest of the day and all night. When my son called, Tabola sounded like Times Square on New Years' Eve. It's before eight A.M., and the music has already begun again. I think we're in for another day of heavy 'celebrating". Have a peaceful and quiet day-after-
the Christmas sweets Kimiko and I made
Ntate and 'M'e sitting with their wedding picture
Kimiko playing the violin
the Christmas plate...egg salad, beets, rice, chakalaka (kind of an onion-tomato sauce on the rice0, moroho (chopped greens...usually cabbage), beet root and. carrot salad
Me, 'M'e Mamoabi and 'M'e Mansthohle
Me and Kopanu
The rest of the day became very strange. We were a bit disappointed that our friend Katie couldn't make it to Tabola; she encountered transportation problems and ended up sitting in a Volunteer Resource room in Mokhotlong all by herself for the entire day...in fact, she had to lock herself in and sleep there.
As the day wore on, the sleepy little village of Tabola became louder and louder. People were beginning to celebrate Chirstmas with joala (homemade brew). In the late afternoon we went to say hello to my supervisor and bring her a Christmas gift. She was so surprised and overwhelmed with being given a gift that we had to explain that it's an American Christmas custom...she didn't even know what to do about untying the ribbon on the gift...back to the day: on the walk to my supervisor's house, we noticed so many people out on the roads...filled with "Christmas Cheer." Children as young as two and three were just wandering around together...people were dancing and singing all over the town, in streets,m the fronts and backs of houses and huts...and cars were driving with reckless abandon. It seemed as though even the little children were filled with joala. By the time we left 'M'e Mathabo's house, the outside gatherings had more than doubled. Everyone seemed to be outside...dinking or drunk. It was then that we realized that Christmas is a simple family gathering for a quick meal, maybe church in the morning, and then drinking, dancing, singing for the rest of the day and all night. When my son called, Tabola sounded like Times Square on New Years' Eve. It's before eight A.M., and the music has already begun again. I think we're in for another day of heavy 'celebrating". Have a peaceful and quiet day-after-
Merry Christmas
December 25, 2010
Christmas morning in Lesotho is not unlike any other Lesotho morning. I suppose that later today, people will start heading off to church…no stockings, Christmas trees, wrapped presents. The children do speak, however, about Father Christmas; one of Ntate’s grandchildren even calls him Santa Claus. Most of Ntate’s extended family are doing well in life…therefore televisions and radios are part of their daily routines. Western influence is strong with the media, so they’ve heard all the traditional stories, and seen all the advertisements for gift giving… and, of course, gift receiving from Santa.
Yesterday Kimiko, a fellow volunteer, came to visit for the holiday. She played her violin for our littlest one, Teko. We also made Rusty’s version of S’mores with the grandchildren. (My version is simply Marie biscuits…a round kind of shortbread… with roasted flavored marshmallows…on top of a chocolate cooking wafer and sandwiched with another biscuit…no graham crackers here!) We used kiwi-flavored marshmallows! All had a fun and messy time.
Another fellow volunteer, Katie, will be visiting later today; I’ve planned a huge Italian feast for us; my friends are vegetarians so it will be a plain marinara sauce…Yum. Tomatoes are in season now…inexpensive and delicious, so it will be a true homemade sauce. Soon Ntate’s garden will be ready and I won’t have to buy any more tomatoes. For dessert we’ll have fruit, fruit and more fruit…it’s summertime here! I’ve also made lemon bars and apple scones in my makeshift oven, and Kimiko has brought some homemade Christmas cookies…she’s got a REAL oven at her place.
I am thinking of all of you today, hoping that everyone at home is happy and healthy. It’s good to remember Christmas the way it is in America…a time for family reuniting…and good to see it as it is in Lesotho…a time for desperately poor, but happy people to turn to their churches as their places of hope for the future. The Basotho never lose hope or their smiles, and that is what makes this Christmas wonderful.
Christmas morning in Lesotho is not unlike any other Lesotho morning. I suppose that later today, people will start heading off to church…no stockings, Christmas trees, wrapped presents. The children do speak, however, about Father Christmas; one of Ntate’s grandchildren even calls him Santa Claus. Most of Ntate’s extended family are doing well in life…therefore televisions and radios are part of their daily routines. Western influence is strong with the media, so they’ve heard all the traditional stories, and seen all the advertisements for gift giving… and, of course, gift receiving from Santa.
Yesterday Kimiko, a fellow volunteer, came to visit for the holiday. She played her violin for our littlest one, Teko. We also made Rusty’s version of S’mores with the grandchildren. (My version is simply Marie biscuits…a round kind of shortbread… with roasted flavored marshmallows…on top of a chocolate cooking wafer and sandwiched with another biscuit…no graham crackers here!) We used kiwi-flavored marshmallows! All had a fun and messy time.
Another fellow volunteer, Katie, will be visiting later today; I’ve planned a huge Italian feast for us; my friends are vegetarians so it will be a plain marinara sauce…Yum. Tomatoes are in season now…inexpensive and delicious, so it will be a true homemade sauce. Soon Ntate’s garden will be ready and I won’t have to buy any more tomatoes. For dessert we’ll have fruit, fruit and more fruit…it’s summertime here! I’ve also made lemon bars and apple scones in my makeshift oven, and Kimiko has brought some homemade Christmas cookies…she’s got a REAL oven at her place.
I am thinking of all of you today, hoping that everyone at home is happy and healthy. It’s good to remember Christmas the way it is in America…a time for family reuniting…and good to see it as it is in Lesotho…a time for desperately poor, but happy people to turn to their churches as their places of hope for the future. The Basotho never lose hope or their smiles, and that is what makes this Christmas wonderful.
Friday, December 24, 2010
December 23, 2010
My Christmas Tree
Good morning family and friends. It is the day before Christmas Eve and the sun is shining in Lesotho…we are in shirtsleeves as we prepare for the holiday. The Ramoabi house is filled with grandchildren (Moms and Dads have left them off here for the summer break/Christmas holiday). Most likely, the parents will show up tomorrow. I miss everyone in the U.S.A., but feel very much a part of this family and my Peace Corps family. If fact, I’m off to the village in a few moments to do some last minute food shopping; two volunteers will come to spend the holiday with me.
I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and a very happy and healthy New Year.
My wish for Lesotho is that this awful A.I.D.s pandemic will disappear and people will learn the importance of practicing safe sex. Okay, enough preaching…here are some holiday pictures.
Ntate Ramoabi with his great grandson, Kopanu.
Kopanu and his mom.
A great shot of the spectrum of the family...'M'e, her oldest grandchild and her great grandson.
One of the grandchildren, Thuto with her hair all done up for the holidays.
December 12, 2010…it’s really spring!
I know it’s hard to fathom spring in December for you Northern “Hemishperers”, but it’s truly spring in Lesotho…and a magnificent one at that. We’ve had enough rain to make up for its late coming…thank goodness, and the Basotho will have enough maize to harvest for the winter. It’s really not too difficult to get used to a hot Christmas!
There have been three additions to the Ramoabi “family”; two wonderfully pink piglets and a brown calf…the first girl the Ramoabis have had in a long time! (The piglets are both males.)
the calf and mom...just hrs after birth
The Basotho and S.A. children (in fact, most African children) are out of school for summer break and many of the Ramoabi likloholo (grandchildren) are coming to spend the holidays here in Tabola. Five have already arrived, and more are coming this week. The children get dropped off by the parents and spend most of December with Ntate and ‘M’e. All of the parents will come back for the Christmas/New Year holiday; meanwhile, it’s total chaos here at the Ramoabis.
Neo six years old and Thuto, ten years old, helping me decorate the rondavel
My Christmas Tree
By the time they all arrive, the grand children and great grandchildren will range in ages from a few months to early thirties!!! They’re a wonderful family, and I am really enjoying the company of the likloholo.
Tsoene thinking he's the King of the Ramoabi clan
Although it’s summer break, the principal of one of my schools has called her sixth graders in for summer school; their teacher was out most of the year with T.B., and there’s no such thing as substitute teachers here. She’s been given permission to give them the end-of-the-year exams right after Christmas (other sixth graders took theirs in November.) So…. here I am still working! She and I are trying to get the children caught up and ready for the exams. I’m handling the English teaching; the children may not go on to grade seven if they fail their English exam. Anyway, you know me…I’m happy to be back in the classroom teaching, rather than watching and evaluating other teachers…and the children are helping me with Sesotho! I must get some sleep…they’re writing friendly letters tomorrow!
Friday, November 26, 2010
November 25, 2010…Thanksgiving Day in Lesotho
There is no Thanksgiving Day in Lesotho…at least not as we know it in the United States. Today was a regular work day for me…but…some people came from America to see what a “good working library” is like in this country. They chose to visit my primary school, Mopeli because I’m always bragging about how fine it is! This is why I am so thankful today: After showing off Mopeli (very successfully, I must say,) I asked the visiters if they would like to visit another one of my schools…one without a library. After they said yes, I explained why it is still impossible for me to get a library for this school…(extremely poor facilities…roof caving in, other roofs leaking, no space, etc.). Then I brought them to Lepholisa Primary School. It was a trip worth taking because someone finally saw why these children are without a library. Maybe…if we’re really lucky…someone will donate large plastic bins so I can at least make small libraries in each classroom. I am thankful to have been able to share this problem with some people who might make a difference.
I thought of all of you today; I am so thankful to have you as family and friends. I am thankful to have been brought up in a country that has so much to offer us as Americans. I am thankful for such a wonderful family…thankful to be blessed with two of the most incredible grandchildren an nkhono could ever want!!! I am thankful for my good health and the good health of all those I love.
Most of all, I am thankful that I have been chosen to show others how beautiful our world is…every flower, leaf, stream, creature. Life is good; it’s especially good for us in the U.S.A. I shall never stop being thankful for every living creature that shares this planet with us. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Rusty
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