Back from CBT

(written 12/23/09)
I just got back to Maseru from CBT. The goodbye was nice – my family gave me some gifts and cards, and made a nice dinner for me and a couple other trainees. It was kind of sad to leave but presently I’m happy to be relaxing on a couch watching TV shows off someone’s computer.

There was another story I meant to write about the other day, which took place about 1.5 weeks ago. I had just gotten home from a long day and the sun was about to set. We never go anywhere after dark (because that’s when bad things happen, I’m told), but that day some of the girls who live with me, as well as Ntate Spice and my tiny brother and sister, told me we were going for a walk. After walking for about 10 minutes we reached an open area where there were tons of local children (ages prob 7-15) lined up in rows, with a few guys in front. Ntate Spice joined the guys in front, and they began to play some makeshift drums and a pretty beat up accordian (accordian music is strangely popular here). The kids broke into a pretty nice step dance – as it turns out this is a nightly ritual they have this time of year in preparation for some X-mas dances.

I was very entertained by the show, but they were more entertained by my presence. When the song ended, with the sun setting, they called me over to the front group. Everyone immediately surrounded me in a circle 3-4 people deep. Ntate Spice started rapping in Sesotho, and everyone suddenly shouted at me to dance. I have no idea what Spice was rapping about but presumably it had something to do with me. I had no interest in dancing but I also had no excuse, so… I indulged them a bit and they were ecstatic. It’s a funny dynamic of being revered on one hand and seen as a clown on the other.

So, that was a fun time. Now, here are a couple pictures from CBT I’ll hopefully be able to upload:

- View from my house at CBT

- Me and Tota, one of the best students in my science class

- Wow, look, it’s a lekhooa (white foreigner), and he’s drinking water!

- A very famous mountain, viewed from the top of another historical mountain called Thaba Bosiu. The first and 2nd kings of Lesotho are buried on Thaba Bosiu, and the mountain seen here (whose name no one here can remember, oops) is the inspiration for Basotho hat (google search Basotho hat to see what I mean)

- One of my little brothers, Bataung, enjoying the camera

- My 4 year old sister, Refiloe (coolest 4 year old ever), and I

- Hordes of bana (kids) from my hood. Girl with facepaint is my nextdoor neighbor Relebohile (coolest 10 year old ever. Seems to do everything exceptionally well. For example can throw a rock farther/more accurately than any American here), carrying my 2 year old brother Morapeli.

OK I have all the pictures loaded on, I really hope they show up... here we go.