The day before the completion date of my Lesotho school renovation project, I got a phone call from my counterpart at 7 a.m. “The contractor needs you to buy 115 meters of electrical wiring.” “Why didn’t he tell me this before? We are running out of money.” “He didn’t know,” my counterpart said. “How much does it cost?” “48 Rand a Continue Reading
My Opinion on How to Get Things Done in Lesotho
My opinion on how to get things done in Lesotho is based on treating people like I'd want them to treat me. In the case of my school renovation project, it looks like the work will be completed before the scheduled date of November 28th. How come? Because I believe in signing contracts, treating people with respect, and: paying people on Continue Reading
Cultural Differences On How We Treat Dogs
It’s tough for dog-loving people to understand why dogs are treated poorly in many parts of the world. In the comforts of our homes, we treat our pets like family. We buy them food and toys, we let them climb onto our beds, we cuddle them, we take them to parks so they can play with other dogs, we take them to the vet Continue Reading
Recycling Trash to Toys
Twice a week, I burn my trash in a small pit outside my rondavel. Tremendous guilt sets in the minute I strike the match, realizing that I’m contributing towards global warming. Each time, I’m surprised to see how easy it is to burn plastic bags and Styrofoam packaging trays. The fact that this is a big, “No-No” in many parts of the Continue Reading
Panic Mode The Morning of My Peace Corps Presentation
To say that I was in panic mode the morning of my Peace Corps presentation is an understatement; I couldn't open any files on my computer. Fortunately my local Geek Squad came to the rescue at my local "Best Buy" store. I had not prepared or practiced my presentation, as I wanted to enjoy my holiday with my sons in San Clemente, but thanks Continue Reading
