Here are the latest updates on my daily life as a Peace Corps trainee.
Do you remember how upset I was about my laptop screen not working and my camera SD card having a virus? Well here’s the great news first.
I found a wonderful young tech guy named, Tobias, in our closest camp town to fix my laptop screen and remove the virus from my camera SD card.
Now the method he used might be considered a little “strange,” but it worked. He unscrewed the screen and showed me a wire that needed to be replaced. When I asked him if he could replace it, he said he didn’t have the part for my Lenovo laptop.
I refused to give up, so I told him about a YouTube video I found on how to fix a flickering screen. Tobias asked me to leave my laptop with him for an hour, and he’d try to fix it.
One hour later, I discovered a piece of folded paper at the bottom of my screen. The screen no longer flickered; it worked perfectly. No need for Best Buy’s $199/year service, when a piece of paper can do the trick.
“How much do I owe you?” I asked.
He shrugged and said, “I don’t know, 50 rand.”
That’s about $3.50 for one hour of his time. I told him I would send all my Peace Corps friends to his store to get their computers fixed and to purchase solar panels.
Tobias then ran a virus scan and fixed my SD card for $2.00. Now I can take better quality photos with my Kodak camera again.
I bought a radio for $10.00 in town and my life since then has changed.
Not only can I get South African radio, but I found a French radio station which makes me feel close to my dad in Paris and my French relatives. I enjoy listening to the argumentative debates when the sun sets at 7 p.m., as this creates a lively atmosphere in my candle-lit room, during dinner.
Listening to South African radio is quite eye opening when you come from the U.S. You get a completely different perspective on the world. I hear topics that don’t appear in mainstream news in the U.S. For example, South Africa wants to start teaching Mandarin in schools as the Chinese invest more money than the U.S. and Europe in Africa.
There are two billion people who speak Mandarin; more than any other language in the world. Spanish is the second language, and English is the third most spoken language in the world. The South African radio interview mentioned how important it is for the next generation to speak Mandarin in South Africa. “It’s not colonization; it’s not compulsory.”
Finally, the last piece of wonderful news is that I now know the name of my 500-person village and Catholic school where I am going to be teaching English for the next two years. I visit my new site and school next week during our training. It’s a thatched-roof rondavel.
Come back and see my new home next week. So HAPPY, I get a shower for the first time in over a month, as we’re staying in a hotel for training on Friday-Monday.
Ah, you are being stretched in many directions here – and properly propped open, if the paper fix is any indication. I’d say you have encountered Tobias the Treasure! Enjoy your rondavel, so cute!
Marian Beaman recently posted..Quiet Lives Matter: My Brother Mark
Marian, there is so much going on every day which makes life exciting. Challenges, adapting to candles instead of electricity, and learning about the village people. Thanks for reading.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
Sonia, these posts are treasure troves.Thank you for inviting us into your world and sharing all the details of your latest gusty adventure both here and on Facebook You look radiant. I know you are following your bliss and I am thrilled for you. It looks like you have another adventuresome and intriguing travel memoir in the works. 🙂
Kathy
http://krpooler.com
Thank you Kathleen. I forgot how nice it is to have Wifi to respond to comments.I’m at a hotel and have met my Principal whom I shall be working with.She’s Sister Bernadette.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
I’m so impressed with what you’re doing. You will have huge material for your next book – but the work you’re doing is more important than any book. Congratulations. I miss you here, though.
Madeline Sharples recently posted..Photos from our October and November travels
Lots of material, but not much time right now as we are so busy with training.Miss you too.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
Glad you got your electronics fixed. Glad you know someone who can do that for you. Glad you are as intrepid as ever!
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Rob-bear recently posted..MEANWHILE, . . .
Yes, Rob-bear, it might not be a long term fix though, but still better than not having a laptop. Hope you’re getting ready to hibernate this winter.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
Thanks so much for sharing.It’s all so
interesting, and you give us a real insight
into what the adventure entails.It’s
wonderful having this opportunity to follow
you, and it looks like your dream has come true!
I wonder what climate conditions you’re
having, and if the rainy season is
imminent.
Thanks for reading my posts Carol. How are you doing? I’m sure you’re busy.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
Yes, very busy.I’ll be into private English tuition
again soon.So maybe one day you’ll see me in Lesotho!
Always interesting news. Found of particular interest that you can listen to news from South Africa and get a different perspective from the rather one-sided American view. Interesting but a bit alarming that Chinese investment is so heavy in Africa – in general? or South Africa? or in parts of Africa? – that Mandarin is being taught in schools. How unaware we are here of what goes on in most of the world outside the US and Europe. Glad you finally got a shower, but sounds like it will be a rare event from now on.
Penelope James recently posted..When Is Murder Not A Mortal Sin?
Yes, I believe the Chinese are in many countries in Africa, bringing their own labor force to build infrastructure. I have wifi for another day, then off to the Catholic school, where I shall be working in January.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..My Daily Life as a Peace Corps Trainee In Lesotho
Sometimes simple solutions to the most loyal 🙂 It’s about your computer