Mashai Land

Thaba Tseka taxi rank photos.
Seven and a half hours. Deafening music. People lining the isles of the bus, trying to steady themselves around curves and over bumps. I've complained about my transport to Ramabanta, but Pam wins outright because when we arrived at her village in Thaba Tseka district in the late afternoon she said, "That was a great trip!" Apparently break downs and delays are common - and certainly comical to hear about. But I survived the madness and when we broke down twice on the trip home (sans Pam) I remembered that my luck couldn't be expected to last for two trips.
Mashai village is actually several different villages clustered near to each other. It's beautiful and a perfect fit for Pam, who does all kinds of outreach work in her area. School visits to teach agriculture and lifeskills, outreach with an American NGO to do health/HIV/malnutrition for mothers and children, support group work, etc...

(Pam loves to collect rocks...)

Now I'm back in Maseru to do training sessions for the new group of PCT's (Peace Corps Trainees) that arrived in early June. It's strange to realize that just a year ago I was learning how to plant my own garden and less than that when I actually harvested veggies from my backyard but now I'm showing others how to do the same. Yesterday I sat on a panel of current PCV's to answer any questions the group had about volunteering in Lesotho. When asked, "What have been your challenges/successes?" I hesitated. My challenges have been numerous and intimidating and my successes feel minimal. How to avoid being the negative nancy of the group?

So my answer was something like this: I've had trouble finding people who seriously want to work with me and not just get money from me; it seems as though I've struggled to find a rhythm and a core group to work with. But... but I've grown a vegetable garden to feed myself. There's a group of individuals in Rapoleboea who now know how to build a keyhole garden. I've lived without electricity for over a year happily and managed water shortages for weeks at a time. We planted a garden for orphans. I exercise and garden in a skirt. Books for the first library in Ramabanta are due to arrive any day. I can convince any man that I am in fact married and not interested in having an affair. I've spoken to individuals about their HIV status and encouraged others to test. I've played with children (!) and shared American culture. In short, I've succeeded in recognizing small victories. Very simple reasons to keep truckin'. It's been rough and I've had my days when all I want is to be anywhere but Lesotho (and thanks for understanding that after less than upbeat emails, phone calls, and blogs), but after a year here I can honestly say it's been worth it for all the small things I've learned - and learned to appreciate.

The confluence of the Mashai and Senqu Rivers.