Site Placement!

Alright, so, it's real and surreal. I now know exactly where I'll be living for the next two years, what I'll be doing and who I'll be working with. I visited last week, and I'm thrilled.

Baithaopi (volunteers) heading out for the week!

Thabo

I'll be living in the north, in the Butha-Buthe region, in a village called Tau liarora/St. Dennis, which is also the name of the primary school I'll be working at. It's a medium sized school, about 250 students (or learners, as they're often called here), but only four real teachers. One student who graduated last year has been volunteer teaching there, and then I'll start for the new year at the end of January. I'll be teaching English and life skills (which is sort of an expansive sex-ed) to grades 4, 5, and 6. So, there's definitely a lack of teachers at the school, and it'll be nuts when I get there as I start to learn what teaching in Lesotho actually looks and feels like. And figuring out how to co-teach will be interesting-it's not a common practice in Lesotho at all, but the Peace Corps really dissuades primary school teachers from teaching on their own because that's not very sustainable. The reality is that many people don't co-teach, but some people do. So I'm hoping my co-workers are receptive at least, though it probably won't end up looking like what I imagine as co-teaching (lesson planning together, sharing all responsibilities etc). I really like them. They're all women and all friendly at least thus far. And I also had a long conversation with one of the teachers at the high school who went with some of her students to a glow camp (Girls empowerment and HIV education stuff) and is starting a girls youth group at the high school, so I'll be working with her on that too. It's cool because it's not my project or anything, I'm just getting involved because I'm interested. So yeah. good things. The only 40 minutes-an hour by taxi from the Butha Buthe camp town, but its definitely still rural.

So yeah. good things. Super excited to be done training and move there on December 18th!
Check it out!

Seen on the walk to school