October 28, 2000
Hello,
I'm happy to report that Lesotho is once again very green. Spring arrived in mid-August when peach blossoms opened all over Lesotho. The clusters of pink flowering trees provided an incredible contrast to the brown dryness of everything else. Students began replanting the school vegetable garden and villagers were busy ploughing the fields with oxen.
As the season progressed, spring rains turned the mountains into mud slides. On rainy mornings students arrived wrapped in soggy blankets and our first task was to mop up the flooded classrooms. Sudden, powerful thunderstorms hit nearly every afternoon, drenching the day scholars again as they walked home.
But in between the morning drizzle and the afternoon storms, the sun came out. By mid-morning the staff room was usually empty as most teachers preferred to work outside where a low stone wall often doubles as a communal staff desk.
This second semester at school was complicated by some unanticipated staff departures. Over the course of the semester, two teachers left and one took a temporary leave. A new teacher was hired mid-semester, but she did not teach any of the open subjects. Everyone has worked hard to fill in the gaps, but unfortunately, some classes are not being taught and some teachers are uncomfortable with their subjects. It is a tricky situation which demands that we all find a balance between flexibility and knowing our limits.
In spite of the teacher shortage, there was lots of enthusiasm at school this semester thanks to a variety of special events. One highlight of the third quarter was a debate between the Form Ds and Form Es over the question, "Should boys attend St. Rodrigue?" Another lively event was the annual English Day celebration which featured everything from the Hokey Pokey to Celine Dion song imitations. School celebrations are great opportunities for cultural exchange as students are eager both to share their songs and games, and to learn new ones.
The biggest surprise of the semester has been the introduction of t.v. soaps to the after-school routine. After performing at the grand opening of an electronics store in Maseru, the cadets were awarded a new t.v. and satellite dish. It is solar powered and Sr. Florina has agreed to allow students and staff to watch two evening programs: "Days of Our Lives" and "The Bold and the Beautiful." It's a little too soon to tell how t.v. is affecting the students, but if the nightly soaps continue, I suspect that the Grinnell Fellows will be fielding lots of student questions about Rick and Amber and their complicated lives...
As days continue and grow warmer, our fellow teachers like to teasingly remind us that we will soon be leaving these sunny mountains for snowy American cities. With about one month to go in Lesotho, I've been reflecting a lot on which aspects of BaSotho culture still challenge me and on which aspects still move and strike me. Certainly, I still struggle with new (to me) attitudes about time and personal space. As I write this, I wish I knew precisely when final exams would be and on what day school will close, but those dates have yet to be determined. And I'm still a little grumpy after sharing a "two person" seat with four other passengers during this afternoon's hot, slow bus ride back from Maseru.
At the same time, however, I feel incredibly lucky to have lived within a culture where there is no inappropriate time to sing, where men walk down the streets holding hands, and where children build elaborate toy cars from discarded tin cans and wire.
And I feel very grateful to the St. Rodrigue community for sharing this year with us. It will not be easy to leave this special place, but I'm excited that more Grinnellians will have the opportunity to know it.
