Archives for 2015

Maliba: Christmas At The Best Resort in Lesotho, Africa

December 26, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 17 Comments

The brilliant Chef at Maliba Lodge, Nico Vorster

This Christmas, I decided to give myself a gift of love, luxury and to be completely responsible for my own happiness.

I admit, I felt sorry for myself, especially without a home to go back to, and I missed my three sons during the holidays. I’ve been on the go all year, starting with my divorce after a 28-year-marriage, studying for the TESOL certificate in London, volunteering in Spain, Thailand and a school in California, applying for the Peace Corps and then moving to Lesotho, Africa, in October 2015, I can say this has truly been the “Gutsiest” year of my life.

2015 is Chapter One of my new life, and I look forward to making the next two years of my Peace Corps life meaningful. I want to learn about the Basotho culture, to speak Sesotho and to start working on my secondary project which I want to benefit the people in my rural village. I’m drawn towards helping girls and women start a business that can offer them an income, so let me know if you have any suggestions. I have some ideas, but I’m curious what you think. It has to be sustainable.

This Christmas, I wanted to pamper myself, after ten weeks of intense Peace Corps training, and living without electricity and running water.

Why Maliba Lodge?

Because it is located in the beautiful mountains of northern Lesotho, and I needed to relax and get showers, baths, and meat and fish, which I haven’t had in my rural village since I don’t have a fridge.

So I ordered a private taxi to take me there, which happened to be a joke, because private, means 4 of us inside the taxi, 4 in the truck bed, and then stopping to pick up a dead pig to deliver at the next village.

Pig loaded onto my "Private" taxi which I paid for. — Pig loaded onto my “Private” taxi which I paid for.

I finally got my private taxi in Maseru, and the drive took three hours. We listened to Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey, all the way to Maliba, and I think Whitney sang “I Will Always Love You” fifteen times.

Maliba is like being on another planet. My room is so beautiful, that I keep taking photos from every angle, saying this is how I want my shower to look when I move back to the U.S. Who needs a shower door when the open concept works?

Can I get a thatched roof in the U.S.? This is how I shall get an architect to design my bedroom and I love these doors made of solid wood, and the light coming in from the patio. This room could be my entire house, and I’d be so happy when I move back, to design it just like this. I fall in love with the room and forget how expensive it would be to have a custom designed small home.

Video of my morning at Maliba. So quiet and peaceful.

When I walk outside the main lodge overlooking the mountains, I find a group from Australia, South Africa and Europe. They are all related and I ask them if I can join them as I’m alone. They say “Yes,” and I end up looking at Eland through binoculars on the mountain slopes.

The food is outstanding.

Breakfast is a buffet with cheese, smoked salmon, yoghurt, cereals, flaky pastries, nuts, meats, bread and butter.

Then a cooked breakfast of your choice.

Lunch consists of salads, gourmet burgers, and a dessert.

Dinner is filet mignon, rack of lamb, fish with asparagus, and tarte tatin, all beautifully prepared and presented.

I interviewed the chef, Nico Vorster, who is only 28, the age of my oldest son.

He is South African, from Cape Town, and at such a young age, he’s worked in Orlando, for Disneyworld, at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. He also worked on Disney cruise ships as a chef, and was hired by the Ruperts in South Africa, (one of the wealthiest South African families.) Nico was also a chef at Terra del Capo, and a private chef for two wealthy South African families.

Nico has been the chef at Maliba lodge for 5 months, and I asked him if he is bored being isolated in the mountains of northern Lesotho. He says, he loves nature and, “You must adapt to your location.” He also loves hiking with friends, and eating lunch at the top of the mountain. He has many creative ideas for his restaurant and says it’s important to “Bring the warmth into the place from the outside.”

I am now back at my rural village and shall blog about my new home next weekend. Please come back to see photos of where I live, and how I’ve started decorating my rondavel.

Swearing in Ceremony with the U.S. Ambassador of Lesotho

December 18, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 9 Comments

I was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer, by the U.S. Ambassador of Lesotho, Matthew Harrington, on December 16^th, 2015.

Our pre-service training lasted ten weeks, and I found it far more intense, and stressful, than I had anticipated.

Our schedules were jam-packed with workshops on all sorts of topics related to health, security, culture, and learning Sesotho, the language of Lesotho.

My final two weeks flew by with practice teaching grades 4 and 5, at a Catholic school, as well as our final language test, setting up our banking with Peace Corps ATM cards, shopping for pots, pans, mops, buckets, and all the necessities for moving to our new sites. Peace Corps vans dropped all 36 of us trainees off at a mall, and gave us two hours to shop and eat lunch. All of us ended up in the same store, looking for the same items.

What a hectic experience, especially as the mall had “no water,” so the restrooms were closed, and I could not get a coffee to perk me up, so my lack of caffeine migraine set in. We did not get home until dark, and I ended up packing with candlelight as my solar lights quit working.

The following morning was swearing in, and all the women in our group wore traditional Seshoeshoe dresses.

Bo-M'e dancing and singing — Bo-M’e dancing and singing

We were driven to the U.S. Ambassador’s house in our Peace Corps vans, while our host mothers, (Bo-‘M’e), and language teachers, boarded a private chartered bus. They wore their best dresses and the singing, dancing and whistling sounds were loud and festive already at 7:30 a.m.

We entered the tall black gate with security guards at the Ambassador’s house, and white tents offered shade during the ceremony, and lunch. The American flag, and the red, white and blue draped chairs, created an official setting.

Local Lesotho TV crew was there to film the Ambassador, as well as our Peace Corps Country Director, Wendy Van Damme, and the Honorary Deputy Minister, Thabang Kholumo.

The ceremony lasted two hours, and our host mothers danced and sang for us between speeches. I was so proud of one of our PCVs, Katie DuBose, who made a speech in Sesotho. She mastered the language during our ten-week course, and if only I could speak Sesotho, half as well as her, I would be able to communicate well with the Basotho.

Ambassador Harrington did the swearing-in, and we each received our official Peace Corps certificate.

A catered buffet was offered to all, and it’s amusing to see how much we PCVs appreciate a real meal, with meat and fish, after eating eggs, lentils, peanut butter and bread for weeks.

After lunch, the Ambassador allowed us to swim in his pool. I decided to chat with Wendy Van Damme, in the Ambassador’s back yard.

It was a special day for all of us, and now I’m as happy as can be at my new site where I shall be teaching English for the next two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

I shall post about my new rondavel (round) house and how I have made it cosy in my next blog post.

Peace Corps Trainees Finally Get One Day to Relax

December 6, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 8 Comments

Peace Corps Trainees finally get one day to relax, after a week of teaching 3-4 lessons a day, followed by learning Sesotho and practicing for our final language exam.

We have been observed and critiqued daily, and working hard to get all our lesson plans done according to the Lesotho structure.

Even though it’s a day of relaxation, we never get to sleep in. The bus leaves at 7:30 a.m., supposedly but by the time everyone is on board, it’s more like 8:30 a.m.

We’re visiting the Tsehlanyane National Park, in the northern part of Lesotho, where there’s a beautiful waterfall.

23 Peace Corps trainees are crammed into a bus, and I make sure I’m in the front, next to the window. Music is blaring from someone’s iPod, and everyone starts singing. It’s a long journey.

We stop at Shoprite to buy snacks, however, some of us were (mis)informed, that we were supposed to shop for the week; this would be our only chance. As usual, I take my grocery shopping seriously, as there’s hardly anything to buy except eggs, onions, cooking oil, laundry detergent, candy and beef bouillon cubes at my tiny “Macufe” village store. This Shoprite is amazing! It’s almost like a U.S. grocery store with mushrooms and green beans—yes I haven’t had mushrooms since October 4^th— and as I searched for butter, I only found butter spread, but at least that’s better than nothing.

Once we reach the National Park, which does have an entrance fee of 30 rand, (approximately $2.00,) we are in a giant picnic area with BBQs and a lawn; something else I haven’t seen in a while.

My Peace Corps trainee friends enjoying the afternoon

My training village landscape is more like a desert with sand blowing through the cracks under my door and windows.

I see Thomas, the only other “older” Peace Corps volunteer, I haven’t yet met, in our crowd. It’s always comforting to meet someone over 50, when you’re with young volunteers all the time. I decide to follow Thomas and a couple of other volunteers towards a beautiful water hole, where we can swim.

Thomas a fellow European/American PCV teacher in Lesotho

I stick my foot in the water and am so tempted to jump in, but decide that I’m in the mood for a glass of wine, and a bit of pampering at the 5 star Maliba lodge on top of the mountain. This is the lodge that I booked for myself for a mini-vacation. I was eager to see it. We hike up a steep hill, and by the time I reach the top, I’m all sweaty, and ready for my ice-cold glass of wine.

Thomas and I enjoying lunch and some wine.

I finally get to sit on a comfortable couch, instead of my white plastic chair at home, or the narrow bench at school. I’m in heaven, and I can finally relax, and think about how I’m going to take care of myself, and stay at this lodge as a special treat.

I look forward to relaxing with wifi, TV, a comfortable bed, electricity, and let’s not forget a nice shower and toilet. I won’t need my pee bucket, nor a bucket to bathe in. I might even get a massage. I deserve to pamper myself, and that’s what I’m going to do.

This is Where I Shall be Teaching and Living in Lesotho

November 25, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 16 Comments

I’m so excited to know where I shall be teaching and living for the next two years in Lesotho. Our Peace Corps training is almost over, and I’m tired of living out of my suitcase. Starting on December 17th, after our swearing in, I can move into my own rondavel.

Our training lasts ten weeks, and I’m ready for the next move. Fortunately Peace Corps arranged for a much needed break with “showers and lots of protein” (most of us lack meat and fish as we don’t have fridges to keep our food cold.)

We stayed at Mount Maluti hotel in Mohale’s Hoek, where we attended workshops with our Principals and ILs (Introductory Liaisons.) I left the hotel with my Principal, Sister Bernadette, and my new IL, and it took us eight hours by bus, to reach my new site.

As soon as I saw my new m’e’ (host mother) Mary, I felt at home. She is 62, and has the most beautiful smile. She walked me to my rondavel, next to her house. I stepped inside my new home with sunshine-colored walls, and Mary said, “I shall do everything for you. I am so happy and blessed to have you here.” The rondavel was furnished, with a glass cabinet full of plates, bowls and glasses that Mary said I could use. She gave me new pots to cook with, and brand new bedsheets. I noticed a TV set, and was confused as there is no electricity in my rondavel. Mary said she has solar panels on her roof, and when I move in on December 17^th, she would show me how to use the TV.

M’e’ Maria is letting me use her glass cabinet and TV

Mary is a widow, and a 2^nd grade teacher at my new school. She is retiring in December, and wants to help me learn Sesotho. “The children have prepared a day of dancing and songs for you all day tomorrow. Everyone is so excited to meet you,” Mary said.

The 6^th grade teacher couldn’t wait to meet me so she stopped by my rondavel, just as I was getting ready for bed, and said, “We are so excited to meet you. You have been sent by God, and we are so blessed.”

My new 6th grade teacher whom I shall be working with.

I feel like a celebrity here. Everyone’s excitement to meet me is not what I had expected, and I’m trying to learn about the Basotho culture which values relationships and “togetherness,” while many westerners like their “alone” time. Apparently the Basotho think that we’re depressed when we’re alone in our homes.

I slept well, and Mary’s rooster woke me up at 3:48 a.m. At 7:30 am, Mary and I walked to school. I greeted the village chief along the way. As soon as we reached the school, all the children came running down the hill to take a look at me, but were shy when I started asking them their names. High fives, seem to be the way to get them to come closer.

Mary took me to the staff room where I met the other teacher took photos of everyone. I’ve discovered that taking photos is one of the best ways to be on good terms with everyone. They love having their photo taken, plus I can place their names with their faces.

Mary drew flowers on the board, and my “Welcome ‘m’e Palesa” greeting. That’s my name in Sesotho, which means flower.

Sonia pointingto board — This is what my ‘m’e wrote to welcome me in the staff room

So the children danced and sang for me, and this is something the Basotho love to do. I hope to learn to flick my hips backwards, the way they do it.

OlderGirls in dancecostume — Another dance by the 6th graders

Reception closeupdance — Adorable Kindergarten children danced to welcome me as their new teacher

Watch them dance for me.

So now you can see the teachers and children that I look forward to working with starting in January 2016.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. More about how we are celebrating our Peace Corps Thanksgiving.

Cultural Differences Between Americans and the Basotho

November 16, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 7 Comments

With my new Principal, Sister Bernadette and teacher at a workshop in Mohale'sHoek,Lesotho — With my new Principal, Sister Bernadette and teacher at a workshop in Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho

There are major cultural differences between the Americans and the Basotho, and I shall share a few that our Sesotho language teachers gave as examples when comparing life in the U.S. and life and expectations in Lesotho.

Relationships come first in Lesotho.

The # 1 difference is that people always come first in Lesotho, which is why it is so important to greet everyone you meet. I make a point of saying, “Dumela ‘m’e, u phela joang?” (Hello, “mother” how are you?”) to every woman I meet along the dusty, dirt road towards school.

Time is Money in the U.S.

In America, “time is money,” and people are always in a hurry to get things done, and accomplish their goals. Money is more important than relationships, whereas in Lesotho, it’s all about taking time to greet everyone, including the kids you meet; asking them, “How are you? Did you sleep well? How did you wake up today?” followed by, “Be well,” and “Go in Peace.”

Why Dogs Are Not Considered Pets in Lesotho

Our language and cultural Basotho (people of Lesotho) teachers are outspoken, and one of them explained that the reason the Basotho don’t treat dogs as pets is because of what happened during apartheid. The Boers (South African of Dutch, German, or Huguenot descent, ) would only let the blacks sit in the truck bed, whereas they let their dogs sit in the front seat. She said, that people now understand that we (Americans) truly love our dogs and cats, and after explaining the reasoning behind the treatment of dogs, all of us Peace Corps Trainees, gained a new understanding of why dogs are not allowed in their houses as they are not considered pets in Lesotho.

Delivering babies

Here’s another cultural difference which I found interesting. When a woman delivers her baby, the husband finds out the sex of his child according to whether he gets 20 liters of water poured on top of him (a girl) or whether he gets beaten with a stick; (a boy.) Apparently fathers do not attend the delivery of the child, and if he’s sitting in his office, this is what his colleagues would do to alert him of the birth of his child.

Dress Code and Cleanliness is Very Important to the Basotho

Finally, the Basotho are very clean, and take great pride in dressing appropriately. Teachers always dress well, and are supposed to wear long skirts that hide their knees. I have not seen any women wear long pants, only skirts and dresses; however, young girls and women do wear jeans in the camp towns and Maseru, the capital.

The bo-‘m’e (mothers) seem to love to clean their houses and are busy sweeping, feeding the animals, doing laundry by hand, washing windows, and all of this using water which they have to transport from the community faucet by donkey, or by foot, if they are close enough. My ‘m’e gets her grandson, ten-years-old, to collect the water from town strapped to the donkey.

Gender Differences

There are many gender differences, such as the specific roles of men and women. Men are still the head of households, and are regarded as the authority figures in schools. Female teachers and even the Principal agree that the men eat and leave their plates for the women to clean.

Corporal Punishment in Schools

We had a rough time during our Peace Corps training workshops where we discussed the status of corporal punishment with our Principles and IL’s (Introductory Liaisons.) The 2010 government Bill states that it’s illegal for a teacher to beat a child, however we learned that this is common practice in schools today, and that there are very few repercussions. Many Principals and teachers state that this is the only thing that works with kids and that since their parents do it at home, they are used to this form of punishment.

Empowering Girls

It seems strange to hear about teachers agreeing to empowering young girls at the same time as they claim that women like to cook, clean and take care of their men, and that in their culture, the women often tell their friends to keep their mouths shut if they get abused by their husband.

I’m writing about what the Basotho have told me. These are not my personal opinions.