Last week, the other education trainees and I got to visit our future sites. We met our supervisors, counterparts, and host families while staying in our future house. It was a very exciting week! I'm going to share a little bit about where I will live for the next two years of service.
The first view I had of my house is pictured below on the right. My house is on the left, slightly behind the trees. It's a beautiful area, and I live very close to the school I'll be working at. The walk, pictured below on the left, is uphill on the way there, but short!
This will be my house! It's very nice and spacious. It's similar to my current house, just with a bit more furniture. Another difference is the gas stove is lit using a match. I turn the dial and hold a match close to the burner, and it lights pretty quickly. I'll definitely be more comfortable using matches after this! In the photo on the left, the gas stove is on top of the lace tablecloth. Next to it, there is a green basin that I use to wash my dishes. The wardrobe and other storage space is also very nice. The tile pattern on the floor is pretty common here in Lesotho-it's just a covering for the floor and is sometimes used on countertops too.
Below, on the top left, is the view from my porch/my future host family's home. The other photos feature animals my family has; lots of roosters/chickens, cows, donkeys, pigs, and adorable piglets! Plus, a cat I've named Reese's. The roosters are huge, and crow throughout the day. There is a herd boy that works for the family who takes the cows and donkeys out to the fields every day. The rest of the family helps care for the other animals, feeding them and attending to other needs.
One morning, I walked out of my house and my 'm'e beckoned me over. A calf had been born earlier that morning! It was very cute, and after school I saw it already walking and shakily running around. Even the cow who had just given birth was taken out the same day. I'm excited to live with and learn more about these animals!
The first night I was there, I cooked with my host sister-in-law. We made pork, rice, beetroot, and carrot slaw. The rest of the week, I cooked my own meals but still ate with my family. During the days, I went to the school I will be teaching at, pictured left. I met my supervisor, who is the principal of the school, and my counterpart, who is a fourth-grade teacher. She will be my partner during my service. I spent time observing classes and getting to know the other teachers. There are 1,046 students total at my school. Since there are only 21 teachers (I will be the 22nd), the classes are quite large. For example, my counterpart is currently teaching a class of 75 students! She is a very engaging teacher, though, and the students were paying attention for the lessons I saw. I didn't teach, but I did help mark papers. Students here love to get their papers marked by the teachers, because it lets them know how they're doing. It's also very important to use a red pen, and students can't write in red pen themselves. The government provides paper and pencils/pens for students. It will be an interesting challenge to reach every student with such a large number, but my counterpart and I are more than ready to work together!
One day early in the week, there was a special lunch both to welcome me and for the transition of some incoming and outgoing school board members. Many of the teachers and I spent the morning cooking and preparing the room. The result is pictured below, including the board some students decorated! The food was delicious, and it was nice to meet some members of the board.
Overall, it was a week filled with getting to know the people I'll be living and working with for two years and enjoying the beautiful village at the same time. We will be moving out to our sites on December 15, so just one month away! We still have more to learn for training this next month. It'll be a lot of great preparation and looking forward to what's next!
Comments