I Live in the Village of Maqaka

So far I have been in Lesotho for 3 weeks. It's not at all what I expected and neither is the Peace Corps. Lesotho is less-exotic, more dirty, and smaller than I expected. The Peace Corps is much easier than I expected. They basically baby you for the first three months.

Anyways, I lived in a training center with the fellow peace corps hopefuls for 2 weeks. We had intense language and cultural training, as well as 10 shots. Now I live in a village with 10 other peace corps volunteers and I teach English at a local high school. I like it a lot suprisingly.

I live in a small room with no electricity or running water. I have yet to see a house that has either in Lesotho so far. Some people live in rondavels which are small round huts with thatched roofs.

I cook with a small gas stove top. I am learning how to make meals without a refigerator. this is the most challenging thing.

I live with a Basotho family who have adopted me and given me a new name-Ausi Mpota. Living with them is suprisingly easy and I never feel awkward or out-of-place even when they are speaking in Sesotho at the dinner table and I have no idea what they are saying.

Everyday, I wake up at 5 a.m. I head the the latrine. Then I boil some water on my stovetop and take a bath in a bucket. Then I get dressed. Clean and sweep my room (this is mandatory). Then I head to the kitchen to help my M'e (mother) cook Lesheleshele (sorgum porridge). Then we pray and eat breakfast. Then I grab all my teaching gear and head to the road. Then a peace corps van picks me up and takes me to the high school where I teach English (10th and 12th grade). THen we drive back to the village and i go to Lesotho language lessons. Then I head home and help cook more meals. THen I usually go to the orchard and pick peaches, plums, and apricots. Then I go running or hike up a mountian if I have time. Then I go home and eat dinner with my family and then play cards with my siblings. THen I retire to my little room and spend about 3-4 hours doing homework and writting lesson plans by candle light. I do this everyday.

This is my African life. Its not so different from America except for no water or electricity and i pee in a hole. plus there are wild dogs that chase you here. but other than that its pretty much the same. also Lesotho looks like colorado. ive never been to colorado but thats what ive heard.
there are no exotic animals here or anything. but if i go over the border into south africa i will supposedly see a zebra and a baboon in about an hours drive.