Site Assignment Excitment!

Lumela Friends and Family!

We're spending our second weekend in Maseru, enjoying the shopping and KFC (which is the only recognizable/American food chain that has globalized to Lesotho, as far as I can tell)! The training portion of my Pre-Service Training is officially finished (yay for no more sitting under a steaming tin roof for 10 hours a day), and we'll start our "Practice Teaching" rotations just after Thanksgiving weekend! Yay! I have loved the short time I've spent teaching so far, and can't wait to establish my own classroom culture and routines!

But in the meantime, we'll be spending next week on our first visits to our new sites (ie. home and workplace/schools for the next two years!) Thursday was a GREAT day for all us trainees as we FINALLY received our site assignments!!! It was much anticipated around the Peace Corps family, and in the few days leading up to the announcements even my 'Me' constantly asked "U tla lula kae selemo se tlang, ausi Limpho? U tla lula kae?!" (You will live where next year, daughter? You will live where?!) I could do nothing more than laugh and say, "Ha ke tsebe, 'Me'" (I don't know.) The anticipation was killing us.

AND so the long awaited news... I will be moving to Botha Bothe, one of the northern most provinces in Lesotho, on December 12th! YAY! Botha Bothe is located in the foothills of Lesoth (not quite mountains, but definitely not lowlands-And apparently with gorgeous views of the neighboring mountains). I will visit my site and know more next week, but what I do know is... I will be a Science and Math teacher at Linokong (pronounced din-o-kong) High School, near the village of Linekeng. The school has about 400 students ranging from Form A - Form E (the equivalent of 8th grade - 12th grade). I will most likely teach a combination of math and general sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics) to Form B (9th Grade), and upper level Physics and/or Biology to Form D (11th grade). I am SO excited! I am actually one of two in my training class that is replacing a current volunteer, which definitely has it's perks. A PCV, Andrea, has spent 3 years at Linokong HS and will live 3 days before I move there- So my host family and village are clearly big fans of Peace Corps and it's a well-established site.

My house is a thatch roofed rondaval! YAY! Although, not so "YAY!" for the inevitable spiders that also apparently enjoy living under and in a thatch roof. :) But I've become fast friends with the massive tree spider, Leonard, (literally- massive is an understatement in describing Leonard's general size and hairiness) that shares my latrine in Makola. We've amicably divided custody hours of the latrine- I get it during the day, and he gets it at night (and I get my lovely pee-bucket). And so far it works... So I have high hopes that all my future living buddies will take as kindly to my "separate but equal" living spaces arrangement. :)

Despite my request to be placed in a remote location in the mountains, I will actually be a short 15 minutes from one of the largest camptowns in northern Lesotho (complete with another KFC!). It's definitely not a perk I'm complaining about, as it means cell service and access to modern amenities will be much easier for me than some other volunteers... But I think the my favorite characteristic (and the reason I was placed there, that overrode all my other preferences) is the presence (PC Staff have told me, but we'll see next week) of a brand new Millenium Challenge Clinic in/near my village!!! Early on I had a conversation with the CD (country director) about my desire to do my Secondary Project in Maternal Healthcare... So THANK YOU Peace Corps! I'm incredibly excited! Fingers crossed I find some wonderful opportunities to help the local women and children in my village/area. :)

So other than that, things are going fantastic! As always, I'm still in love with Lesotho and having the time of my life... My upcoming move will be exciting and at the same time sad... My 'Me' can only be pacified with promises that I will visit often (and bring my mom to visit, too when she comes to Lesotho- She is SO excited to meet "Me oa hau America" (my American mother)). I will miss Makola and my family a lot when I leave, but I know that training is just the very beginning of the adventure!

I know I have received consistent requests for pictures... And I JUST set up my blackberry 30 minutes ago, so hopefully now I will be able to oblige via Facebook. Pictures of my family, Makola, and my now wonderfully shaved head to come! :)

Have a VERY Happy Thanksgiving! I will be spending mine with the Peace Corps Trainees and Staff at the U.S. Ambassador to Lesotho's house! And she even has a pool- talk about heaven! FUN!

Hugs to all! Khotso! Mary Elizabeth

While Shopping in TY!

Lumela, Friends and Family!

Today finds me sitting in an internet cafe in Teyateyaneng! Peace Corps has graciously granted us trainees a much needed day of shopping, relaxation, and civilization! YAY for chicken fingers and chips for lunch! I'm happy to report that things are as wonderful as ever in LEsotho- I must still be in the inevitable honey-moon period because I truly love it here. My Sesotho skills are blossoming, and I can hold full conversations about my family, my work, and what I love about Lesotho in Sesotho... THANK YOU to my 'M'e for endlessly talking to me and putting up with my confused looks as I try to figure out what in the world is going on. The woman has the patience of Job. :)

Next week we finally find out our sites- So everyone here is sitting on pins and needles until next Thursday! I can't wait to find out where I'll be living and working for the next few years. Prays that they'll send me to the mountains are appreciated... I just fell in love with the mountains when I was out visiting Mokhotlong a few weeks ago. SO gorgeous! It makes living in the middle of nowhere seem absolutely worth it!

And at the end of next week (starting next Sunday) we'll be visiting our new sites- So next week I'll be out of contact, but finally getting to meet my new family and colleagues! I can't wait!

I'll keep this short, because a Coca-Cola and hot chips (fries) are calling to me from the hotel down the road (ie. the secret hot spot for "as close to American food as it gets in Lesotho").

Sending everyone lots of love! Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures in a few weeks!

Khotso! (Peace!) -Mary Beth