So first entry, sorry its such an essay and a tad rushed, so
much has happened in one week!
We arrived in Johannesburg early Friday morning after a 10
hour flight and delay of course, we were told it was because of a baggage
issue, we were panicking as we all had 3 cases each, that were very heavy! The
flight wasn’t too bad the food was alright, and some good films were on.
Met Kim, Kath and Thato in arrivals (they had a welcome flag
from my request obviously) they had been in Maseru a week already. We were
picked up by van with trailer on the back, thankfully as we had so much stuff
to take.
The drive to
Maseru (Lesotho’s capital) was pretty long, but a lot better than I expected,
there were actually real roads! We did get stopped by the police twice, but
apparently this is the norm! Dosed in and out of sleep most of the way, managed
to get a glimpse of the views what I did see was amazing!!
Got to
passport control (between South Africa and Lesotho/Maseru), and they made us
walk across in the baking heat, we weren’t overly impressed!
Couldn’t
believe how Western Maseru is, with so many Wimpys and KFCs!
Stayed in a
place called the Anglican centre, which was extremely basic , couldn’t have
showers so had to wash ourselves using jugs of water, really never did get the
hang of getting all the shampoo out, but couldn’t believe how few jugs it would
take to wash!
We had to
get most of our shopping done in Maseru as there are two big malls, and we knew
we wouldn’t be able to get all the things we would want in Quthing.
Made the
most of nice meals out while we were in Maseru as we knew we wouldn’t be having
actual restaurants in Quthing, left a restaurant a bit late one night and mummy
Kath was freaking out ‘its getting dark’ as we were pacing up a monster hill
back to the Anglican centre ‘we can’t be out after dark!’
Met a lovely
couple from Africa who were teaching in the international school close by, who
invited us all over one evening for some drinks so we could meet a few of their
teaching friends, they had an amazing dog, so managed to have some dog
attention for a bit!
Had some
HIV/AIDs training in the Dolen office, was actually so interesting (we sort of
had the attitude that we knew all there was to know) the lady taking the
training was brilliant!
Also had training
day on the curriculum, the Besotho culture, and learning some Sesotho.
Made sure we
did last minute shopping for the essentials, got a few bottles of wine, and a
crate of cidre (Hunters gold is the firm fav at the moment) we weren’t sure how
easy it would be to get in Quthing.
On the
Wednesday set off for Quthing, with a massive trailer on the back of a mini
bus, had so much stuff with all of our cases (about 3 each) and all the
resources and food we’d purchased to take down with us.
The drive in
theory should only take about 2 and a half hours, but TIA (This Is Africa)
Had to stop
in Mafateng to fasten the tarpaulin over the trailer, but obviously this took
about three quarters of an hour.
We only got
stopped once this time by the police, and no paying off was needed!
The views
down to Quthing were absolutely breath taking, and we just felt like we were
going up and up and up into the mountain, essentially we were!
About 5
minutes out of Quthing, the tow bar dropped off the back of the mini bus, with
the trailer still attached, as we were going round a pretty tight bend going up
the hill LWA (Lesotho Wins Again).
We had to
wait to be rescued by another mini bus in mid-day heat, must have been about
38, and had to offload all of the things from the bus (all of the food etc)
onto the new bus. Thank god it didn’t take too long though!
Finally got
to our new home, for the next 5 months, it’s amazing, right behind the main
store in Lower Moyenni, its nice and big and pretty safe. We have two big gates
which get pad locked at night and are covered in razor wire, with a night
watchman, there are also 3 big Dobermans, a flock of geese, and a sausage dog
called Bingo looking after us (Bingo thinks hes one of the Dobermans).
The Boys are
living in Upper Moyenni in a lovely place, right outside their schools, so they
can just roll out of bed and fall straight into work! The views are amazing up
there, and it’s so quiet, we’re going up there at the weekend to sunbathe, as
we can’t do it here, its frowned upon apparently for us to show too much skin!
Went to get
our visas sorted (we have to get them extended to stay out here), and was so bizarre,
we went to one office and were told no you must go somewhere else, went to
another and were told no you need to go somewhere else, and another no you need
to go somewhere else, then no you need to get a document printed, then you need
to get this stamped by the police, this was followed by come back tomorrow!
We tried
again the following day, but had to get some things printed first, tried
getting it done at the only place in town that did printing, only to be told
that they didn’t have any ink LWA! Luckily we went to our lovely neighbours who
are South African and own the store and they managed to sort it for us!
On Friday we
went to visit all the schools, we were picked up in Moyeni high schools car, felt
like absolute luxury because we actually had air con! Went to Kims first,
Phahameng, they were all so excited to see us, it is very up in the hills, but
the views were spectacular!
We were
taken outside to their assembly area, where we sat up on what felt like a
podium with all the children lined up in front of us, and they sang amazingly
for us, Kim introduced herself and they all clapped and got so excited, Kath
and me sat and got very overwhelmed and a bit choked.
Then went onto
Villa Maria one of Kaths schools, its enormous for a primary, has over 800
children but hasn’t stopped enrolling yet, schools are told here that they can’t
have capacity, they have to accept any child which wants to come, but this can
mean massive classes. Every year in this school had at least 2 classes, and
each class had about 60 in it. They were also extremely proud of their ramp for
‘wheel chair access classroom’ it would no way pass any health and safety test
in the UK, steep was an understatement!
We went onto
Ffions schools, Moyeni Primary which was also very big, in terms of pupils they
have up to 100 in each class!
We were
taking by the headmistress up into the trees and all the school children
followed so they could sing to us in the shade (this in hind sight wasn’t a
great idea as we later realised we had been eaten alive!) But the singing was
again amazing, hey sang beautiful songs, and performed some wonderful
traditional dancing! We all had to introduce ourselves and when Ffion did they
were all pushing to get closer to the front!
Then onto my
school (Ellie) Holy Trinity, its again a fairly big school with about 60 in
each class! We went in and met the head teacher, who was in the office having
chicken feet for lunch (this is completely normal over here, we can’t work out what
you could possibly eat off of a chickened foot, which bit would be tasty?!) my
head teacher isn’t particularly mobile and she had to have a leg amputated, and
the school isn’t very wheel chair friendly, so my mentor came to meet get us,
and take us out to meet all the children. Again we were put up on an area which
was similar to a podium and watched at the children all gathered. The school
choir sang a lovely song, they seem to harmonise so naturally and easily! When I
told my the school I was going to be working with them they all jumped up and
down, and shouted and clapped, so overwhelming, I got so choked, my mentor just
kept saying how excited she was.
We needed
some food before we went onto the next schools, stopped at this road side
place, a man met us and asked what we wanted, so we asked for something light,
but out came this massive meal, a slab of meat and chips, we guessed the meat
was pork as I had what looked like part of a trotter still attached!
Went onto
Kaths other school Katleho, but this wasn’t open. We think because it isn’t yet
a registered school it isn’t as strict yet with when it has to stay open till.
We then went
to Scotts school, Holy infant, the head teacher wasn’t there as she had to take
a child to the clinic, but we were met by his mentor, who was so pleased to see
us, and took us to meet all the staff, there was another teacher who had met Sharon
before, and kept saying ‘bore da’ to us, but was very confused when we said ‘hwyl
fawr’. In this school they had 3 trainee teachers who were going to be there
for the next year! The school was a lot smaller, and very quiet.
Finally we got
to Will’s school, Moyeni High School. The Head teacher is so enthusiastic and
so excited to have Will there, she had asked for us to come to them first. They
had prepared some amazing songs and the teachers got up and danced to! We then
had a welcome from the head teacher, and again when Will introduced himself the
children got so excited and shouted and clapped! The school also then sang the
national anthem for us, was so humbling!
Such a busy
day completely wiped us out, think we were in bed by about 9.30, we have been
told that the Besotho people go to bed early and get up early. We’ve got the
going to bed early right, just haven’t mastered the getting up early yet, will
have to get used to it from Monday onwards though, as the schools start at
7.15!!!
Brilliant you are there and it's all going well. It sounds so familiar from when Lyss first arrived there!! Huge hug
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ReplyDeleteHey matey! Sounds like you having a ball! Glad you enjoying yourself. Look forward to a good catch up when you eventually get back! Take it easy! Xx
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