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

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.
You are official all the way ’round. You rock, Sonia!
Marian Beaman recently posted..Moments of Discovery: What’s Inside Mom’s Buffet?
Thank you Marian. I’m enjoying the new learning curve.
The hallmark of heroes is to accept discomfort as a natural and tolerable side effect of achieving the mission.
Jerry, I have a story of discomfort and fear that happened tonight and I am forced to grow and accept, in so many ways.
One thing I love about the hero’s journey is how open heroes are to help. Contrary to the stereotype of heroes as self-sufficient, the classic myth includes, in addition to the interior strengths, a whole tribe, to whom they reach out for support. As the hero attempts to achieve the mission, she is forced to grow inside, so by the end of the story, the external achievement is accompanied by the beautiful subtext of a person who has reached a higher plane of their own self-understanding. You have already experienced this climb during Freeways to Flipflops and you’re well on your way up the mountain in whatever you call this new volume of your life. (Sorry about the discomfort. Most of us would rather experience it vicariously by reading about someone else’s courage, so since you have decided to be the one who is jumping in, you might as well take us along for the ride.) Jerry
Jerry Waxler recently posted..Sharing Stories and Loving Mothers
Hi Jerry,
I’m so impressed with your analysis of memoirs, and cannot wait to read your own, one day, when you publish.
Taking your phrase, “you’re well on your way up the mountain,” you might not know this, but Lesotho is called, “The Mountain Kingdom.” Just thought I should mention this. All the best, and thanks for reading my posts.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Swearing in Ceremony with the U.S. Ambassador of Lesotho
Congratulations on being sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer! Those ten weeks training sound really rough. I have a feeling that Belize was just a prequel to what may turn into an astonishing experience. In the photo, I see just women. Are there also men in your program?
Penelope James recently posted..When Is Murder Not A Mortal Sin?
Pennie, There are 36 of us and also young men. No over 50 men, except from the last PC group.
Sonia,
What an adventure you are on! I hope you have a safe and fun Christmas.
Best Wishes,
Ingebird