Moving Along like an AAR song

Allah'u'abha

Heard you all got lots of snow in the US. We have had lots of rain here but besides that the weather is perfect. I hope you got some needed rest. I love naps!

I want to give u a little more idea of what it is like here
Things Lesotho has that are in the US
-Coca-cola and Fanta
-Pop/Hip Hop music
-KFC though there are no biscuits (imagine my disappointment). Thank goodness no Mcdonalds though
-Computers/TV for some people who can afford it
-Dancing and singing
-Beautiful people
-Taylor, yes she is enjoying the warm Basotho blankets

Things unique to Lesotho
-Seeing the clouds beneath me from on top of a mountain
-Families washing clothes in the river on Saturday
-People riding donkeys
-Seeing people pee on the side of the road
-I don't wear my head phones in town because no one does
-Riding in packed 16 passenger vans to go to other districts
-Places blasting house music (very similar to techno)
-Herdboy as a common occupation
-One of only 2 restaurants that takes an hour to get food
-Lots of fresh fruit and street vendors
-Interesting flavored chips like Fruit Chutney, Fried Chicken and Chili Pepper
-Seeing a baby cattle hanging out with two toddlers, it was adorable

Things I miss
-Hearing Lily call me a strawberry nose, Jaidyn say 'why Drea why?" and Jasmine say "shh you have to be very quite because Mommy is sleeping okay Dre Mommy is sleeping" lol
-My family and freakin awesome friends
-Gummi bears
-Open mic and poetry nights
-Comedy central presents friday night standup

Word has def gotten around that I am not Basotho so I have plenty of people to talk to, in good and uncomfortable settings. lol I like being able to just walk around town and visit a lot of different people. I love the calm there is in Lesotho and I think US could really benefit from having shorter work hours.

Busy weekend. I went to Maseru to get my passport reauthorized. While there I had dinner with Kal, a poet/graphic artist, Mawetu, and Swedish businessman. There was some deep conversation about letting go of borders, creating foundations in character development, and creating jobs and systems that help people make use of their own land and capacities. For instance, one man was hoping to start hot air balloon tours in Lesotho. Instead of just outsourcing all of the plans, he wanted to create it so that when people came to take tours, the local farmers and workers could provide food and lodging for them so that the people taking tours were giving directly to the community. It really needs to be supported by the locals though. One of the difficulties here is that if aid orgs give too much to people then they don't go out on their own to sustain it, they just ask for more. Its the whole give a man a fish or teach a man to fish lesson and the Africans have to want to learn

I also went to Sani Pass with friends for a birthday. It’s one of the highest points in Africa so we were above the clouds. It was a wonderful place for prayer and just to be in awe of creation. It poured rain like crazy there but it was nighttime and I loved the sound. Put some fun personalities with random dance parties, card games, an awesome dog (I called Bear Claw) and a cool South African guy named Sebastian and it made for a legit time. Sara especially has the ability to randomly break into song and dance which I love and join in regularly. Parker has the same spastic mind as me so I wonder how we ever know what we are talking about. It’s a very good thing. Makes me miss my mom and sisters and endless Adam Sandler/comedian references

The other highlight was horse riding with a guide. I did much better and even had my horse galloping. It was just delightful. The place was almost too chill. No one checked us in our rooms or checked to see if we paid. It was a weird feeling to be on the honor code system but I liked it in a way. (yes, we all payed!)

Another volunteer with Kirsten, Kevin from Maryland, showed up and it was cool meeting him Friday night. He broke out with some hilarious voices and I’m glad she has someone to share the work load at Touching Tiny Lives. She’s a busy girl.

Kamachee made me a chocolate cake and banana bread. Umm, they don't sell pastries here so it was a super highlight!

Was a little frustrated this week with learning Sesotho, because most people here expect me to know it and I am the only independent volunteer here (Peace Corps members get trained in Sesotho) so I am really trying to listen and read books and work on the language. Even though I’ve only been here a month, I guess I am just used to being “in the know” so I am trying to just take it easy and learn at my own pace. Talked to my mom who helped me to appreciate that the customs are different here and that people are welcoming me in their way. The other difficult experience was that a lady I met at a store asked me to take her child. Things like that, and having adults believe that I have greater means because I come from a rich land is difficult. At the same time, ways I can help, like proofreading donor letters in English, helping with English classes at local schools, teaching games that don't take many supplies and providing supplies when I can are things I am more than happy to do. Along these lines I also learned an incredible lesson. Last saturday I was really tired from staying up too late and went to teach in Mapholaneng. The translators who usually help me were unavailable (the kids do not speak enough english) and I was just in a down mood. Still 15-20 kids showed up (this is the site I teach at every Saturday afternoon) and Lihlehleng said just go and at least show a prayer or game. We started off slow with the game Leader (or indian chief) and picked up momentum with What Can You Do Ngoana Ngoana (a dance game I edited for Lesotho kids), Hey Posse, and O God Guide Me in sign language, which I had taught before. A high school student in her first year helped me to work with the kids and it turned out to be a wonderful and uplifting time. Many of the kids said prayers they had memorized when we squatted in a circle at the end of the day. It was just a great lesson in humility and trusting God to take my capacities and spread His intentions. I just am so happy that I didn't miss out, or make the children miss out on a wonderful experience because of my own anticipated limitiations. It reminds me a quote Fredda (Baha'i in US) told me: "God can't steer a ship that isn't moving." Well I'm moving along like an All American Rejects song

I don’t know if I wrote but I met a cool soldier here named Molontoa (I know me hanging out with a soldier is way weird). Anyway he has helped me with Sesotho and it is nice to share life experiences with him and his friends and hanging out just made me realize how much easier it is to get to know someone here when you have hours a day to just talk and reflect on life. He moved back to Maseru on Mon but I think he is a good friend to have. One the old fashioned ideas here is that husbands are above wives, hence only men are in bars playing pool and drinking. I think it is getting much better with the new generation. There are female police and many occupations so I hope that there will be more equality. Just a note: I think its important for us to realize that saying men and women are equal doesn't mean they have to do the same things. It is just genetics that men are stronger physically and women are more emotionally based. Equality simply means that you value the contributions of each gender (or race, ethnicity) at the same level. I was telling the men here, God made it so that people could not be born without women. They are of great importance. People could also not be born without men, so I have to believe we were meant as complementary beings. It also made me think how some atheists and scientists think we are crazy to believe that there is this higher being that watches over everything. But I mean have you seen how many stars there are? That are billions of miles away and how many other galaxies exist. I think it is just as crazy to believe that all the interacting systems of sustainable life were somehow spontaneously created by a big bang than to believe that as we are discovering more and more about the world around us, it seems that there is some greater plan amid our progress

I have to be honest, I can’t imagine going back to busy DC after living here, but who knows what the next step is; it's still early. (Don't worry, still have a plane ticket for July). The biggest issue I’m realizing is that if I decided to return to Africa in order to work longer, with the exchange rate I would not make enough money to buy plane tickets to visit the United States

We shall see where God takes me.

Thanks for reading my long updates and for all those who are keeping in contact, I miss you and value our long distance relationships lol

"Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in the spirit of utmost kindliness and love" Baha'u'llah

With open arms and open heart
Shine your light,
Andrea Hope