Lesotho: The End

So, in the massive whirlwind that has been the past few weeks, I've neglected finishing up my Lesotho and ICS journey. To be quite honest, it only struck me last week that I never managed to write up weeks nine and ten, but everything has been moving quite quickly, and a nice, lazy bank holiday weekend seems like the perfect time to finally reflect on those final two weeks spent in Lesotho.

Unlike previous entries, it seems a bit silly to write day-by-day entries, mainly because 'Week Nine' actually happened a good five weeks ago now. Those final couple of weeks were full of so many mixed emotions: the excitement of real home versus the sadness of leaving my host home, and since arriving back in the UK, I have had plenty of opportunities to reflect. To write this entry as a day-by-day account wouldn't really do justice to just how great the final two weeks were and made me realise that we had made a difference to people, both professionally and personally, and therefore it makes more sense to go through the highlights instead:

Our Host Family 'Surprise'

For the Mafeteng and Thabana Morena volunteers, I think we would all count our final weekend with our host families as a highlight. Determined to make the most of our final weekend, we all decided to head out to Thabana Morena one last time, and do some exploring for the final time. However, our families decided to all band together and organise a BBQ, bringing together all of us for one massive goodbye. We were also all given personalised polo shirts with our sesotho names on (of which mine I still cannot pronounce). Later on in the week, I would have the emotional farewell with my host family, but this was a chance to celebrate, and did cement the fact that the majority of us UK volunteers had incredible experiences with our host families. No matter what, I will always be thankful for them allowing me into their home for ten weeks, and treating me like a member of the Sehloho family.

A few of the Mafeteng and Thabana Morena host mums

The Final Debrief

Ah, debrief weekend. A final opportunity to reflect in-country on our placements, and what we were proud of (and what could have been done a bit differently). Despite a few incidents later on in the day, the morning session was an incredible testament to the supportive nature of the whole Lesotho group, both Basotho and UK. For three hours, we spent the morning looking over everything our placement teams had achieved, helping us realise that our presence in Lesotho was positive, despite many opportunities for self-doubt that had arisen during our time there. Being able to talk to the rest of the team about my experiences working with our disability group at St John's Primary School in Mafeteng Central was a great way to demonstrate that myself, Daisy, Mathapelo and Nthabiseng overcame huge challenges to our group and still made some difference to the community we were living and working in.

The Mafeteng and Thabana Morena UK Volunteers ready for debrief

The Big Goodbye

Possibly the best surprise of the final two weeks was our final big goodbye, held on the Saturday. Hosted at the Guesthouse, the Maseru host families had organised a massive goodbye party for all the volunteers, with a huge BBQ and sound system.What had been explained to us as a 'lunch' turned out to be a seven-hour party with incredible food (oh how I miss moroho), incredible dancing (from the Basotho guys - none of us UK lot were exceptionally talented in that department), and lots of laughs. It was the best way to say goodbye, and not dwell on the upcoming departure - one final hurrah before the end of our time in Lesotho.

The LENEPWHA team

Overall, I'm still coming to terms with how much my time in Lesotho affected me. It's incredibly cliche to go around all gap yah spouting so rubbish about how 'Africa changed me', but, truthfully, my time taking part in ICS has had a massive impact. Following six months of 'what now' after graduation, I have a new focus. I'm more sure than ever that I want to work in international development, and am currently two weeks into a placement with VSO working in the ICS Hub, getting to experience just some of the logistics behind such a huge youth international development programme. I have a place at the University of Bristol to go and study International Development and Security from September. And, more importantly, I met people that have absolutely inspired me in every way. ICS was an incredible way for me to begin 2014, and has essentially become a career-building experience. 

To put it simply, it's one of the best things I've ever done.

Lesotho Week 8: Clothing Is Optional

This week has been one of the best so far, getting to grips with the Basotho culture and starting to wrap up our programmes here with evaluations and handovers.

Day 50 - Day 51 (Semonkong/Roma/Maseru)

So, our three day excursion to Semonkong was extended slightly due to the reliable public transport system in Lesotho. Despite getting on a taxi at 11.45am, we didn't leave the town until 2.30pm, meaning it would have been too late to get home once arriving in Mafeteng. For the first time in weeks, I found myself massively stressing out, but luckily we were able to stay in Roma - a village within Maseru District that is home to Dan, Katie and Ciaran. Roma is exactly how I imagined Lesotho's villages to be, with people coming out of their houses to great the huge wave of UK volunteers that had turned up (9 of us).

This morning, we finally travelled back to Mafeteng for our sessions, and I can honestly say that this weekend' break has fully refreshed me for the final three weeks. Mathapelo and I ran a session today with nearly 100 children, which would have freaked me out at the beginning of my time here, but instead went really well, as we split the kids into two groups and each took one on. I feel like I've grown so much out here, and the facilitation of our sessions is always getting better. The kids are receptive to our messages, but also excited to be playing new games with their friends and building up their confidence. I really will miss the sessions when we leave.

Day 53 (Mafeteng)

As part of our work here in Lesotho, the volunteers are carrying out an 'action research' project, which involves finding a local community project and contributing to it. As my action research, I have been aiding a teacher at a local school who is compiling a study into how social sciences are taught around the world. I've been able to help her with the UK part of her research, adding context to the information she already has. 

Here in Lesotho, teaching is incredibly teacher-oriented. Teachers teach, and learners are expected to absorb information. Much of this involves copying from the board into school books, which means children tend to be very good at repetition, but critical thinking is a skill not encouraged within the current system. I've luckily managed to observe some teachers who really do want to employ more learner-based teaching within their classes, and it is in these schools that the children are more receptive to the messages we teach in our sessions. The pupils who are encouraged to think about their answers are the ones who are eager to engage with our programme. 

Our usual Thursday programme also happened today, continuing with our disabled-child session at St John's Primary School. Our sessions here are so rewarding because we work with the same kids each week, and therefore have been able to really see a change in how they interact with each other and the games we introduce.  This group will be the hardest to say goodbye to by far.

Day 54 - Day 56 (Maseru)

Another weekend, another opportunity to explore some more of Lesotho. This time a trip was organised for us to visit the Kome Caves, about an hour away from Maseru. This is a cultural centre, where we got to dress up in proper Basotho dress and learn the history of the local area. We also cooked traditional Lesotho food, such as pap, moroho (spinach) and beef stew on an open fire. The whole experience here was incredible, although I spent the majority of the day with a tiny piece of cloth around my waist. Clothing is apparently an option here, not a necessity.

It's hard to believe that we only have TWO weeks left here now. Since midterm, our time here is flying by, and the closer it gets to departure, the more real it is that we will eventually be leaving Lesotho. I'm so excited to see family and friends again, but I'm going to miss seeing the Mafeteng guys everyday, and the other volunteers on a pretty much weekly basis. I have always thought that leaving here would be easy, but the closer we get, the more I feel it could be quite emotional - saying goodbye to my host family and partner will be hard, as well as the other UK volunteers when we get to Heathrow. These next two weeks will go really quickly, but I'm going to have to make the most of them.

Lesotho Week 7: Downpours and Waterfalls

This week has been completely mixed in terms of emotions, with some very low points and a much needed trip to Semonkong. 

Day 44 (Mafeteng)

So... All the positivity about a full week of sessions lasted the grand total of two days. Monday and Tuesday have been absolute washouts, and I've only just got dry from today's downpour (it's 7pm!).

Unfortunately, because of the wet weather, our plans for Moshoeshoe's Day (a national holiday celebrating the founder of Lesotho) we're cancelled. It is normally marked in events put on by the schools, combining a mix of singing and athletics throughout the day, but in these conditions the events just we're not possible. It's a real shame to miss out on the only national holiday that is celebrated during our time here, but hopefully we will get to see some of the schools rescheduled activities in our final few weeks here.

Day 45 (Mafeteng)

In true British style, it is only right that I continue to talk about the weather. It's getting much colder here now. The evenings are getting chilly, and I've busted out my University of Surrey hoody to get me through the nights. I'm really glad we'll be leaving Lesotho just as winter begins, as although the days are still warm, the nights can get really cold. 

Today was meant to be the day I helped hand out the Toms at a local primary school, but as usual here in Lesotho, the organisation hasn't exactly been stellar. This has been postponed for next week instead, and I really hope it happens before I leave Mafeteng!

Day 46 (Mafeteng)

Well... Today is both a good day and a bad day. Firstly (and the good news), we have a new team leader - an experienced volunteer who has worked with the other organisation here in Lesotho, named Daniel. Although we only have three weeks left, I have a feeling that having a new team leader will really help us prepare for our handover and get our programmes fully ready for our departure, something that has already raised the positivity levels in that regard.

As I mentioned, however, there has been some negativity, largely due to how the Basotho people and the UK volunteers work out our problems. It's fair to say that we have had some problems with our programmes here since our arrival, mainly with the support groups, who have failed to get back in touch with us, which means a big part of what LENEPWHA does in Mafeteng has had to be replaced with extra school sessions. However, it seems to be that this hasn't been fully communicated to Skillshare, and therefore when we raise it as an issue it comes across as complaining about the programme, something that is only made harder sometimes by the language barrier. We're all really proud of the work we're doing here in Mafeteng, but we want the next group to have the best possible chance of working with the support groups, so hopefully this issue will be ironed out in time.

Day 48 - Day 49 (Semonkong)

This has been the best weekend I have had in a very long time. Semonkong is around a four hour drive from Maseru, and that meant leaving Mafeteng at 8.30am, with multiple bus changes and mountainous roads on the way. We finally made it at 2pm on Saturday.

Semonkong is home to the Maletsunyane Falls, the highest waterfall in Southern Africa, and also the Semonkong Lodge - a literal paradise, mainly due to the presence of marmite, a treat that has been absent from my life for the past seven weeks. The restaurant and bar are aimed at western travellers, meaning that I have had roast lamb and a fried breakfast this weekend.

The waterfall itself is one of the most incredible things I have seen. While some guys chose to climb down, I chose to remain at the top, opposite the falls to get an amazing view of the place. The actual walk to the fall was pretty 'entertaining', with this week's heavy rains leading to plenty of Vicar-of-Dibley-puddle moments. At least we managed to entertain the locals, who often walked on just laughing at us.

After a couple of weeks with so many sessions rained off or cancelled, this weekend has been exactly what I've needed. The UK volunteers here have become such great friends, and it was great to head off somewhere new and explore as a group. I am so motivated now for our final few weeks here, and know that we really are helping to establish a legacy here - just one that is going to be built up over many years of ICS groups.

Lesotho Week 6: A Pause In Proceedings

When it rains here, it really rains. This week has been a bit of a washout, and, as seen below, our sessions have been cancelled because of it. Add to that the midterm review, it's been more of a week of reflection, rather than action.

Day 36 - Day 37 (Maseru)

Now that we have passed the halfway point, we met on Monday and Tuesday for our midterm review - a chance for us to share best practice and review our time here in Lesotho so far. From these two days, I have picked up some great ideas of games to play in our sessions, and ways to integrate more messages into the classes. This review was also a great opportunity to put into perspective how little time we now have left, and the importance of recording our work in Mafeteng. As we really only have four weeks left in our homestays, we need to begin looking at what change we have made here, and how the next group of volunteers can continue this. In fact, a lot of the final half of our time here will be spent focusing on continuity and relationship building ready for the next team to take over smoothly.

Despite all coming from different backgrounds and parts of the UK, when we get together as a group it is often a highlight of the week - mainly because we all have the same reasons for being here and can motivate ourselves to continue the good work. We also have the same amount of drive to make the most of our time here in Lesotho in exploring the country. I'm really aware that once we leave in April, I may not get another chance to come back to Lesotho (at least not for the next few years), and I want to enjoy all the moments we have left!

Day 39 (Mafeteng)

Weather. The past few weeks have been so hot and rain has been overdue, but the last two days have been full of torrential showers. When it rains here, everything stops, including schools, leading to a lot of sitting around with the rest of the Mafeteng volunteers instead. It's quite frustrating that I haven't run a session now for a whole week due to meetings, midterm and rain, but this is just the culture here - rain really does stop play, and this is something I cannot change (as much as I'd like to). The forecast is due to get better, so hopefully tomorrow will go ahead and I won't go this week without feeling like I've done something productive.

Today, I also found out that Toms (the shoe company) supply one of the schools here with plimsolls for the children. Next week I'll be helping distribute these to the children, and hopefully I'll find out more about the process and how schools become part of this programme.

Day 40 (Mafeteng)

The sun is well and truly back, so sessions are back on with one of my favourite schools, Sekoati Primary. The attitude and interest of the teachers here is great, so Mathapelo and I have been able to develop a really good relationship here. The only downside is that we will only get to run 4 sessions here in total, due to meetings and other ICS events that are often organised on Fridays. However, the school is eager for the next batch of volunteers to carry on the well here, so hopefully this is just the beginning of a relationship between ICS, Skillshare, LENEPWHA and Sekoati.

Tomorrow, we are off to Thabana Morena for Fletch's birthday weekend, and next weekend we're off to Semonkong. Semonkong is home to the biggest waterfall in Lesotho, so we're making the most of our final few weekends here. 

Day 42 (Thabana Morena)

So, that's it for another great weekend here in Lesotho, and we've spent it at Paul's traditional Basotho hut in Thabana Morena. It feels like we've travelled all over the place this week, but we have been together as a UK group quite a bit, which has also been awesome. Fletch's party was great, with home cooked curry, cake and a couple of ciders - a little touch of home thousands of miles away from the UK. Fletch is the only one of is to have a birthday while we're in Lesotho, so I think we did a pretty good job of celebrating it!

I'm really looking forward to the week ahead, as it should be a week full of sessions (dependent on the weather of course), and then the trip to Semonkong to top it all off. Tuesday is also Moshoeshoe's Day, a national holiday here where local schools run events (when people describe it they seem to be very vague). We've been invited to one of the schools that Conrad and Fletch work at on this day, so I should get to see how the Basotho people celebrate their founder. I'm really looking forward to getting back into the sessions properly. We only have four weeks left in Lesotho now, and even less in Mafeteng, and there's still loads of work left to do here. I'm probably the most positive now since we arrived, so hopefully this attitude remains and we can get some great positive action completed here in Mafa!

Lesotho Week 5: Hitting Halfway

This week we hit the halfway point, giving a chance to look back at what we have achieved so far, and how we can take that forward. 

Day 29 (Mafeteng)

It's very odd how normal it now feels to be in Lesotho. I have adjusted to the new lifestyle in a good way, although I am still missing home and friends and family. It's hard to believe that we're now at the beginning of the halfway point - these first four weeks have flown by so quickly and it's nearly the end of February. In just six weeks time we'll be heading home, which seems crazy. Reminding myself how little time we have left here puts the work we still have to do in perspective.

I'm also now feeling much more relaxed in our sessions, and am starting to get familiar with teachers and pupils. This is great for fostering strong relationships with the schools, and to talk openly and clearly about our experiences.

Day 31 (Mafeteng)

Week five. How is it even week five already? It's really starting to hit home that we are about to get to the halfway point. I'm not going to lie, going home is an exciting prospect, but there's still a lot more of Lesotho that I want to see and achieve before we leave. And we still have sun here. I'm not that stupid.

This week, our sessions are focused on self-confidence, which means we are running more talk-based sessions than in other weeks. Today's session with Marsentle High School, however, may have been the most rewarding session I have run so far. Our class here is close to finishing school, and therefore looking to what they want to do when they leave the education system. I got the class to share their aspirations with the group, so everyone is aware of what profession they hope to enter, in a hope that they can all support each other to get there. High School education is not free in Lesotho, and these kids are lucky - now they just have to believe in their abilities to get where they want to be. They want to be accountants and nurses and teachers, and they all have the drive to her there, so these session have been really rewarding from a facilitation point of view.

Day 32 (Mafeteng)

Today has been pretty interesting, with the CEO and two trustees of Skillshare International coming to visit our team in Mafeteng. They are currently visiting the three ICS bases across Southern Africa, in Lesotho, Botswana and Cape Town. This face us a chance to highlight the positive work that the ICS programme carries out in communities, and also the personal development impact this is having on us too. They all got to watch Daisy and Ntabiseng run a session with a local girls football team, demonstrating the types of activities we run in our sessions and how we teach life skills.

I also saw today that the next batch of volunteers have their training next week! It's so odd that the next team are already being prepped to come out here, while it feels like we've only just arrived. I think we are going to try and prepare something for the new guys while away on our midterm review this weekend, so they can start getting even more excited about this opportunity!

Day 33 (Mafeteng)

I am so ready for this weekend it is unreal. Apart from a visit to a support group tomorrow morning, I am now done for the week and will be heading to Maseru on Sunday for our midterm review. 

Today we had a LENEPWHA team meeting, which has helped us realise that we are beginning to see positive changes in some of the schools we visit, and this is after only four weeks in Mafeteng. When we leave here, we should be able to see some real changes in the attitudes of the kids we have been working with, which is a real motivator for the second half of our time here.

We decided today that as a team we would begin looking for new opportunities in the local community to volunteer ourselves for. As I still have quite a few mornings free, I would quite like to work more with some other classes, either through teaching or helping a school with resource development or infrastructure. This may help solve some of the morning-boredom I can get, and would be really useful for our second half.

Day 34 (Mafeteng)

Hello March. Time is flying and tomorrow we head to Maseru for our midterm review. By the time we get back, we will have less time here than we have spent, and I really do not feel ready to leave. I go trough phases where sometimes I'm really excited to go home, to others when I want to stay here longer. It doesn't help that I do still feel quite ill and have had to keep dosing myself up. Hopefully I will feel better after a few days away!

Day 35 (Maseru)

Okay, I am incredibly sunburnt. We arrived in Maseru today for the midterm review, which is a chance for is to reflect on our experiences so far, and how we can maximise this for our final five weeks in the host communities. As Sunday is our free day, we decided to head to a local hotel for a swim and a couple of beers, and I foolishly 'forgot' to wear suncream. Hence the burn all over my chest.

I'm really excited to spend the next few days with the group and seeing how everyone's experiences have been. Today is the official halfway point, and these UK volunteers are already like a new family. 

Lesotho Week 4: Excursions and Illnesses

This week has been a mixture of both highs and lows, with a great weekend part of it. Being ill in a foreign country isn't fun, especially in such hot heat, but it's been made a lot better from swimming in a rock pool and having a couple of home comforts in coffee and pasta.

Day 22 (Mafeteng)

Well today has been interesting. Following the team frustrations last week, Mabiotelo (the programme supervisor here in Lesotho) came to hold a mediation with the LENEPWHA team. This happened relatively late in the day, following quite a positive day of running and planning Week Four's sessions, so luckily most of us were in a positive frame of mind going in to the discussion. While I don't see things getting better straight away, it is good to know that concerns here are taken seriously and that our team relationship is important to Skillshare.

Monday's also seem to be my homesick day, because I realise both how long I have been away, and how many weeks I still have left here (in a good way). Time here is speeding up so quickly now that we are into a schedule, and it's crazy to think that in two weeks we will have hit he halfway mark. This being Week Four means that we should soon become more comfortable in our sessions, such as the one at Bereng High School today, which was far more relaxed and positive than last week's. I'm really hopeful that this continues, and a positive outlook remains. 

Day 23 (Mafeteng)

So, I'm ill. It's nothing too serious, but I'm feeling pretty rundown, which I think owes to not drinking enough water/ eating enough or a lack of fruit in my diet. This has been a good warning sign of me to up my water intake. As we're often quite busy here, I can forget to keep drinking properly, and am now paying the price through headaches and body aches.

Because I woke up feeling so rough, I didn't go to the support group session today, and instead Coach and Mathapelo went along instead. We should begin working with them properly from next week, running sessions for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) and helping with some infrastructure projects. I did feel well enough to go to the school this afternoon, but didn't run a huge amount of the session. I really do hate being ill away from home, so hopefully this will pass soon and I'll be back to normal.

Day 24 (Mafeteng)

I'm still ill, but I think I'm slowly getting better, which is a good enough sign. Without paracetamol, I would be aching all over, so I spend a lot of the time just trying to rest up and conserve energy. I also have an awful cough which seems to kick off when I speak normally, but not when I speak in a higher pitch, so I have a choice of sounding like a pre-pubescent boy, or like a smoke 40-a-day, which isn't a great situation. Hopefully it all calms down soon, and my Catch 22 voice situation will resolve itself.

On the other hand, our sessions this week seem to be going well, apart from one class who have continued to be difficult. I thought at first it may have been a language problem, but instead it seems mainly to be an issue with general laziness. Today we ended the session early and asked them to come back next week with more energy and willingness to engage with us as session leaders. The deputy headmaster is also joining us next week, which should see some results. 

While that example may be a bit negative, our sessions at Mafeteng Primary School continue to go well. Here we are running a programme on substance abuse - an issue here in Lesotho that seems to be a hidden problem. The kids here all engage in the games and sessions we run, and out debriefs assure us that they are learning about the dangers of drugs, and the impact of substances on the mind and body.

Day 25 (Mafeteng)

Another working week done and dusted, and I'm beginning to feel much better. This week we have Friday off as we need to go to Maseru to get our residence permits and will be staying there all weekend for an ICS social trip. As our week's are getting quite similar, it's nice to have a variation of activities at weekends.

Today we met some people from the US who are here as members of the Peace Corps. They're spending two years here, working on various projects around Lesotho. I definitely could not spend two years away from home - ten weeks already seems like enough! I'm already dreaming of a roast dinner after four weeks, after two years of dread to think what I'd do for gravy. Or McDonalds. The food here may be good (at times) but nothing can beat home cooking. I mis pasta. And chilli. And Nando's. It's painful to know that the Nando's homeland is just a short border away.

Day 28 (Maseru)

This weekend has been a great chance to reconnect as a volunteer team, as we've been staying back at the guesthouse since Friday for our first ICS social event.

On Friday, we were required to go to the Home Office to collect our residence permits, which, as all things in Lesotho, took a lot longer than expected. Following this, we were able to spend the rest of the day relaxing, with myself, Conrad, Katie and Ciaran going to the supermarket to get ingredients for dinner. We decided to cook Spaghetti Bolognese for the team, which meant cooking and prepping a meal for 30 people. Apart from a few national volunteers, the food went down really well, and was a great chance for us UK volunteers to share food that we would normally eat at home. It was also great to cook for the first time in four weeks. I also got my first proper coffee for four weeks today. It was the best thing.

On Saturday, we took a day trip to one of Lesotho's national parks, which was incredible. We got the chance to hike some of the mountains and went for a swim in a rock pool, and has been a great chance to reflect and look towards the next six weeks. We also had a huge barbecue as a group, which meant we got some great food cooked Lesotho-style. Having a barbecue in February was quite an odd experience though! Exploring different parts of the country is a great opportunity, and it seems like the weeks are going so quickly here, so I'm trying to make the most of every chance that comes up.

One thing that has been noticeable this weekend has has been an increasing divide between the UK and in-country volunteer groups. Individually, we all get on really well, but as two separate groups, our cultural differences are magnified which can lead to increased tensions. As a UK team, we've all come committed ourselves to improving this next week when we go back to Maseru for mid-term review, so hopefully this will improve

Lesotho Week 3: Mr Hlony Goes To School

This week has been draining, both physically and emotionally. Getting started on our sessions has been great, but there have been a few difficult issues too...

Day 15 (Mafeteng)

Here we are, the beginning of Week Three, and the start of out eight week schools programme. Eight weeks both seems like a lifetime and a short snapshot, so it is hard to predict just what the outcome of our sessions will be. All we can do is try and make a difference out here - whatever that may be.

Unfortunately, Andile (one of the national volunteers, who is also familiar with my host family) has had to the leave the programme, so we are one person short on the team. He has been offered a teaching job in another part of the country, and as jobs are so hard to obtain here, he had no option but to accept and start building a career. As Daisy no longer has a partner, myself and Mathapelo joined her in running a primary school session at St Gerard's.

While Daisy's session went very well, mine and Mathapelo's class at Bereng High School was very difficult. The pupils we have been assigned are very hesitant to engage with the life skills part of the sessions, which makes me feel like we may be more beneficial to the primary school children in Mafeteng. Mathapelo and I are working in six schools overall (four primary and two high school), so hopefully the more comfortable we get running sessions, the more the children will be wanting to get involved.

I also have a feeling that the language barrier may be more of an issue than I originally thought. I was quite concerned in our session at Bereng High at the hesitant nature of the class in feeding back what they have learnt, and defining different life skills. I do not yet know if this is because of a low level of English, or if they are just nervous, and I am hoping that this is explained in the next few weeks. The more we understand our classes, the more we can develop our sessions around their strengths and weaknesses. 

This week is going to primarily involve seeing how the schools operate and how many children they want us to work with. Trial by error seems to be the only logical way to work here, and as long as we remain professional in our approach, this will not be a problem.

Day 17 (Mafeteng)

The last couple of days have been full of positives and negatives. We have been settling into our schools well, yet have also been let down by the organisation of our team, which is very frustrating this soon into the programme.

It makes sense to end on a high note, so I'll start with the low ones and build up to a happy, shiny jazz hands ending (you'll have to imagine that part). It often seems like our team here is the least organised here, predominantly because we are lacking in clear leadership. Tomorrow, an emergency meeting has been called for the LENEPWHA Team, yet myself and Daisy have only found this out through the Thabana Morena team, rather than our own. Due to this, our organised sessions for tomorrow will have to be cancelled, which is awful at such short notice and when trying to develop a regular schedule within our schools. I can only hope that the situation will get better as our time here continues, and we develop more as a team, rather than a bunch of individuals thrown together.

On a much happier, shinier, jazz hands note, our sessions are continuing well. The primary school children are far more engaged in the sessions, so I'm finding them more rewarding, especially when we recap what they feel they have learnt. At Mafeteng Primary, for example, we are focusing our programme on substance abuse awareness at the request of the school, and have therefore been able to adapt some of the Coaching for Hope methodology to deal with this. Running a successful session is a massive motivator, and really does make me glad I applied for ICS in the first place.

Day 18 (Mafeteng)

As of today, we are a quarter of the way through our time here in Lesotho, and it was the day of our first LENEPWHA team meeting. This was a great opportunity for myself and Daisy to raise some of the issues we have had so far with team leadership, which I hope will go some way towards resolving some of the frustration that has been felt over the last couple of weeks. Although we are aware of the need to be flexible and adaptable, often we are unaware of what is happening on a daily basis, which can impact on our planning for placements. All we can do now is hope that the situation improves for the good of the team. 

Laura and Paul were also in Mafeteng for the meeting, so we met up with Conrad and Fletch for a much needed drink afterwards. As we are still only three weeks in, it seems common that the teams are still discovering their dynamics. However, there is clearly a positive outlook from all of the UK volunteers, and we're all determined to make the most of our remaining time here. 

The Mafeteng team has also finally got a replacement for Andile. Ntabise has become Daisy's new partner, and they start working together as of Friday. Her and Mathapelo are friends from school, so I am sure that her transition into the team will be easy. She already seems like a great addition to the group!

The weather here continues to be incredible hot. Tonight we had an amazing thunderstorm, but the hot weather is still forecast to continue. This makes concentration difficult in our sessions, so I'm hoping it gets a bit cooler soon. You know it's hot when even the locals are are complaining about the heat!

Day 19 (Mafeteng)

And so brings the end of our first working week in the schools. Although Saturday is reserved for community groups and planning sessions, most of our volunteering here takes place Monday-Friday. We've now run introductory sessions at all six of our schools and it's great to be working with a huge range of ages and abilities. Our communication skills sessions this week have appeared to be successful with both pupils and teachers, so I am hoping that we can keep up the positivity next week with our teamworking sessions.

Yesterday we received a timetable for the remainder of our time here in Lesotho and it has hit home how little time we really have here. Four of our remaining weekends here will be spent in Maseru on either training, the debrief or ICS socials. We also only have three LENEPWHA meetings left. With so much to look forward to, and fit around our daily sessions, I am very aware how quickly these next weeks will fly by.

Last night, I finally caved and phoned home, and I'm so glad I left it so long. Instead of getting all emotional, it was just great to hear my parents' voices and have a brief chat about everything so far. The way I see it, the less I call, the more I can tell them when I get back. I feel that I've separated myself the right amount from the UK, meaning that although I have some communication with home, I've ended the co-habitual relationship with my iPhone, and we are using this brief separation to explore new things (aka the outside world).

Day 21 (Mafeteng)

This weekend has been great, spent with the majority of the UK volunteers, and has been the first time I've seen most of them since we left Maseru two weeks ago. It's nice to spend our free time relaxing as a group and sharing stories and experiences from our first three weeks. I don't think I've ever been part of a randomly thrown together group that gets on so well. Everyone brings something different, and it's fantastic to know that it's not just myself and Daisy that have had problems so far. We have all had different challenges, and I'm sure we'll explore more of these during the midterm. 

Today's taxi ride from Thabana Morena was the most cramped yet, with the added bonus of the side door falling off mid-journey. The nonplussed reactions from the driver hinted that this is a common occurrence here, which honestly does not surprise me. It's just another example of how different this country is to the UK, where a taxi door falling off would lead to a change of vehicle.

I also have to confess that I have fallen in love while here. Like most of the things I love, it is edible, and its name is a fatcake. Fatcakes are small balls of dough that are deep fried, essentially doughnuts without sugar, jam or a variety of Krispy Kreme toppings (which may sound blasphemous, but without icing it just means you can eat more without feeling sick). Here, they are served with fries, and I could eat them nonstop. They may have to roll me off the plane when I return, but at least I will be happy and be able to visually show how much I love the foods of Lesotho. 

This week has definitely been difficult at times, but it only means the best is yet to come. Tomorrow is the beginning of Week 4, and the second week of sessions. I'm becoming more comfortable in front of classes, and am enjoying the variation of days (and not being sat in front of a computer). We only have two weeks until midterm, but I feel we already have so much to reflect on. Who knows what the next week will bring!

Lesotho Week 2: Becoming A Local

This week has been both frustrating and incredible, with a full immersion into the community and how development programmes are organised here. 

Day 8 (Mafeteng)

So, here we are - Week Two and the beginning of our work within the communities of Lesotho. Today's orientation has now been split over two days, so unfortunately we have spent a lot of time recapping a lot of the things our in-country training went over last week. Hopefully tomorrow we will learn more about our placements and get a real idea of how our days will be structured. When I am unaware what is going on, the homesickness can make an appearance, so as soon as I can begin planning my weeks, the more effective I feel I will be.

Despite this, the most important thing I will take from today was a sentence from our instructor: 'Everyone in Lesotho is either infected or affected by HIV'. For a country where 23.2% of the population live with HIV or AIDS, I can only see the work we do here as positive in combatting the stigma.

Life with my host family is continuing well, and the second eldest daughter is staying this week. Her name is Dimpho, and she works as a police officer in Maseru. It is great to have another local to speak to about youth-related issues in Mafeteng, as this will undoubtedly help during our placements. Tomorrow she is going to teach me how to cook pap - a traditional Lesotho food made from harvested maize. It is used in a similar way to rice or potatoes in the UK, but is far more stodgy. 

Tomorrow, hopefully I will learn more about my village (Lifelekoaneng) and be shown around by Andile, a local volunteer. I am excited to meet more of the local community and get to talk to them about what I am doing here in Lesotho. As I will be working closely with communities, this will be crucial in forming close relationships.

Day 9 (Mafeteng)

Since moving from Maseru to Mafeteng, I have experienced and learnt a lot. For example, over the last couple of days we have used taxis to get around the city. A one-way journey costs 6.5 Rand, equivalent to 35p in the UK, yet there is little order to them. Taxi drivers  argue over which taxi you get in, and will not leave until they are full of passengers. In some cases they will drive up and down the road until ready to head to your destination. I have also learnt how to cook pap, and am slowly but steadily picking up more Sesotho.

Unfortunately, however, I still have a lot to learn about my volunteering placements. The LENEPWHA orientation has only answered a few of my questions, and there are still many unknowns ahead. The best way to learn will be to throw myself into the deep end and see what happens. Tomorrow, the Mafeteng team will begin to formulate our team plans and visit the schools, clinics and support groups we will be working with. I'm looking forward to meeting the people in charge of the services and getting an understanding of the needs of the local community when it comes to our volunteering.

While we are here, we are also getting to meet some of the local public figures. Today we were introduced to the Deputy District Administrator and Deputy Chief of Police to make them aware of our presence in Mafeteng. Our welcome to the country has been incredible, and is evident from just walking down the street. The staring will take a bit of getting used to, but it is nice to be able to greet people in their language each morning.

I have written previously about homesickness, and I do still miss home, but my support network of family and friends helps me remember why I decided to do this in the first place. ICS is not meant to be easy, and is instead meant to be a challenge, and I can feel myself getting mentally stronger each day. I am learning a lot about myself and my comfort zone, which I feel will be indispensable when I return. It has also helped me realise that I do truly have a passion to further my studies and take up a postgraduate course this year.

It is hard to believe that we are only 9 days into this experience, and have so many left to go. I feel I have already learnt so much, and am hoping the rest of our time here will continue to test us.

Day 10 (Mafeteng)

Today has easily been the most positive and active day I have had since arriving in Lesotho. Instead of just sitting around, we have been visiting the schools we will be working with, which has been a great opportunity to meet the head teachers and see which social issues they feel could be addressed in their schools. In one school, myself and Mathapelo will be running a substance abuse programme over eight weeks, to increase awareness of the topic. Tomorrow, we will continue to visit the schools and then run our first session at St John's Primary School, where we will be running a programme for deaf and disabled children.

We also made an appearance today on local radio, taking part in Pheko's (a local volunteer) daily show. We answered questions from listeners on volunteering and ICS, as well as LENEPWHA and its aims in the community. Pheko has said he wants us to go back on in a few weeks to update the audience, so this could end up being a regular occurrence. 

Today was also positive because I have been accepted back to Surrey to study an MSc in International Relations. I am yet to decide what exactly I want to do when I return from Lesotho, but this is a great step towards finalising my future plans. It has been unusual not being able to call my parents to tell them the news, but Facebook has been my main method of communication with family, so that will have to suffice for now!

I am so happy that finally a plan is falling into place. At home I am quite an organised person, so the 'seeing what sticks' approach is very different to me! I am sure that something will probably change in the next few days, but right now I have an idea of where I will be working, the programmes we will be running and be outcomes we hope to see when we leave. We will start properly on Monday, which will leave us with eight weeks to get everything done!

Day 11 (Mafeteng)

The weather here is completely unpredictable. Some days it will be raining, while others we will be traipsing around in 30 degree heat, and today has been the hottest so far. It is hard to maintain energy when trekking across fields to visit schools in such heat, and luckily we only have a couple to visit tomorrow. I finally have a tentative schedule for my afternoons, which means myself and Mathapelo can being planning our sessions around the Coaching for Hope guides.

The best part of today was easily running our first session at St John's Primary School. We are running weekly sessions here as a whole team of five, working with fourteen children of varying physical and learning difficulties. Today we ran an introductory session, meeting all the children and letting them know the aim of the sessions. We ran a shirt game based around the theme of 'communication', focusing on visual cues and colours. Experiencing our first session was an incredible feeling, and at the end the children were asked to feedback what they has learnt. All of them felt that the sessions will be a great opportunity to meet new friends, especially as they are all in separate classes normally. I have a feeling this could be the most rewarding school we work with, and I am looking forward to session two!

Day 13 (Mafeteng)

Over the past couple of days, I have been perfecting my brand new look for 2014, subtlety inspired by the image of a peeling tomato. Yes, I am burnt and have therefore adopted the stereotypical look of 'Brit Abroad', something that is further compounded when paired with my bumbag. The heat here is intense, and there is rarely any shade when walking from school to school, so I have become a victim of the sun.

We have now met all the schools we will an working with, and I will start on Monday. Today we planned our first week of sessions, choosing to focus on the theme of 'communication', to gently introduce the concept of life skills and their importance within education. This concept is also a nice way to ease myself into teaching. We will begin to meet the support groups this week, and once they are finalised, our schedules should be set!

I had another 'first' today, in learning how to hand wash my clothes. Unlike the people here, I definitely do not have the skill in this, and am convinced my clothes will not truly be clean until I get back to the UK. It is nice to learn though, and I'm sure I can try and improve over the next eight weeks.  By the time we leave, I could be a pro, and horrified by the thought of a machine (not likely).

Day 14 (Thabana Morena)

I cannot think of a better way to spend a Sunday than on the side of a mountain, singing along with a guitar and eating whatever food could be found at the local supermarket. After a long, and sometimes frustrating week, it was nice to spend some time relaxing in Thabana Morena, the collective name for a series of villages around thirty minutes outside of Mafeteng Central. Paul and Laura (two other LENEPWHA volunteers) are staying out here, so we took a day trip to visit. 

Our journey began with a bus trip. Buses here are very different to the UK, and that takes a lot of getting used to. Firstly, the bus will not leave until it is full, and as we were the first three passengers on a sixteen-seat minibus, we were waiting around for thirty minutes. Secondly, it appears that children do not count as passengers, so if more people can be crammed on, they will be. Once the bus is full, off it goes, stopping only to let people off or pick people up (if there is any space). Unlike the UK, buses do not stop at 'bus stops'. Instead they just pull up at the side of the road and people hop off or jump on. 

The bus ride took us through the mountains, and the views from the roads are breathtaking. You can literally see for miles. I don't think I will ever get bored of the views here, and I don't really want to 'get used' to them either. When we go back, it will be a long time before I get to see such sights again!

After arriving, we spent the majority of the day chilling in preparation for our first week of sessions. As Paul is living by himself in a traditional Basotho hut, he gets plenty of visitors, who will just come and stand outside the front door and stare in. These are both young and old, and it must be very odd for a small Lesotho community to have a group of British young adults come and visit for the day. Overall it was a great way to see some more of the country and relax in time for tomorrow's start in the schools.

I can't believe that we have now been here for two weeks and will finally start properly tomorrow. It has felt a long time coming at times this week, but the experiences have been well worth it, and have immersed me into the way things are organised over here. I'm sure Week Three will bring plenty more hurdles my way, but there is little point in planning for them - just tackling them when they arise!

Lesotho Week 1: A New Environment

As the first few days were so packed and tiring, I didn't have the chance to write everyday, hopefully this will give you an idea of the experience so far.

Day 4 (Maseru, Skillshare Guesthouse)

We've now been here for 4 days, and it's beginning to feel normal. I'm not going to lie, the first few days have been emotionally tough. I'm always homesick to some extent, so was prepared and haven't let it get in the way of my participation.

We are currently staying in Maseru, in the Skillshare International guesthouse, and we're a pretty great group. The national volunteers are amazing, and have helped the transition, especially in learning some of the language. I'm starting to use some in day-to-day conversation, but it's very basic. The food is also incredible, and so far I haven't disliked any of the meals. So much carb and veg though!

Myself and Daisy (fellow UK volunteer and blogger) have been placed in Mafeteng, and will be moving to our home stay on Saturday. I'm not sure yet who we will be staying with but will find out when we arrive. I'll be volunteering with LENEPWHA, a support network for people in Lesotho living with HIV and AIDS. Some of this will involve working with deaf children too, which is not something I was expecting to do but is an amazing example of the variety of work the volunteers will be doing while out here. 

I will aim to write more about Mafeteng when we arrive, but I do know that it is Lesotho's 'second city' (like Birmingham to London) and I'm really looking forward to exploring another part of the country.

During my time here so far, I have learnt some sosotho, hiked up a mountain and been on a literal 'party bus' (the national volunteers love to sing and dance!). I have no idea what the next nine weeks will hold, but it is very exciting!

Day 6 (Mafeteng, Host Family)

As I write this, I am settling in to life with my host family. We arrived this afternoon to Mafeteng, where myself, Daisy, Conrad and Fletch (the latter two are volunteering with OYAP) went separate ways to meet our parents for the next 9 weeks.

My Lesotho mé (mum) is named Makhotso, and my ntate (dad) is named Serame. They live with their nine year old son (the youngest of four children), and two granddaughters. Their other three children work and study in Maseru. 

In the guesthouse, I was used to running water and showers. Here, I will be bathing out of a basin, and have an outdoor toilet, but I can only see this as a positive challenge. Training prepared us for this, and I want to make the most of everyday we have here (a number that is rapidly going down!).

Mobile data here in Lesotho is incredibly cheap, so I can now stay in touch with home. This has relieved some anxiety I had, and will allow me to update people on what I am doing, and still retain some element of a home comfort. It also let's me update this blog, which is a relief.

Life here in Lesotho is very chilled. There is laid back attitude, which is both great and frustrating at the same time. For example, today we were meant to leave for Mafeteng at 12pm, and instead headed off at 2.30pm. This is a culture that revolves around enjoying life and not worrying about minor issues. On Tuesday and Wednesday I was worried that I had made a mistake by coming here, but the combination of lifestyle, culture and training has reassured me that I chose correctly in applying for ICS. I will obviously have emotional highs and lows. But everyday is one day closer to home and I don't want to leave with regrets. 

Everyday I get to explore somewhere or something new. On Friday, we went for a meal in Maseru Central as a whole team of Lesotho volunteers. A pint of beer here is 20R, equivalent to £1.10. I'm not going to be drinking often, or heavily, but it is incredible that it is so cheap compared to home. Today, we went to one of Maseru's malls, and I was able to stick up on what I needed before leaving the guesthouse. Incredibly, Cadbury's chocolate is sold here, so I may need to invest in some for when I miss home!

 

This is a beautiful country, and I can't wait to get started on the practical sessions. I am learning how to cope outside of my comfort zone, and I haven't even cried once! I do not miss home, but I miss what makes home great, and I know that I will appreciate those that mean the most to me even more when I get back in April. 

Day 7 (Mafeteng, Host Family)

Today was my first full day in Mafeteng, and the views are incredible. We took a walk today to see Coach (our team leader) run a session, and the scenery is beautiful. The session enabled Daisy and I to see how we will be working in the schools, which is very exciting! The kids were amazing, and so eager to learn, which is also a great sign!

Following this, we got to explore the city of Mafeteng a bit more, and met up with Conrad, Fletch and Keke for a drink. The city is not as nice as Maseru, but it has everything I need, and as it was a Sunday most places were shut. Hopefully I will get to explore (and explain) more in detail in the future. 

My host family have been teaching me more sosotho, and I have been given a sosotho name. They have named me Lehlohonolo, or Hlony for short. It means Lucky. I have been struggling with the pronunciation of it all day, but am starting to get there! My first night here was great and I am liking that I get a chance to reflect at night by wiring and reading. My host family are in bed by 8pm/9pm, so I have a couple of hours to think about the day and what lies ahead. 

As today was my first 'free day' of the trip, I had plenty of time to think about home, and admit I got a bit homesick. I miss my family and friends a lot, but I know that the next nine-weeks are going to be fast paced. I have so much to do here, and I know they will want me to enjoy every minute.

I cannot believe our first week is now over, and that we are one week down. We really do not have much time here at all, so making the most of it is my main aim!

Lesotho Day 0: Preparing for the Unpreparable

Tomorrow is the day!

At 4.30pm I will leave these rainy shores for the distant far off land of Lesotho, living and volunteering for ten weeks in the local community. For those of you that are potentially interested in what I'll be doing and getting up to while I'm away, I'll be continually updating this blog whenever possible, hopefully with some colourful pictures to add some context.

Lesotho is located to the east of South Africa, completely landlocked by the latter, and is an independent state. It is has a population of around 1.8million, and according to the World Food Programme, it's expected life expectancy is 41.2 years. During my time away, I will be volunteering to increase HIV/AIDS awareness, gender equality and crime prevention, through active learning. This programme is called 'Coaching For Hope'.

'Coaching For Hope' is part of the charity, Skillshare International, who I have been fundraising for before I go away. In total, I raised £862.00, all of which goes to the programme to keep it sustainable and ensuring that development goals are met. During my first week away, I'll receive training to prepare me for the ten week placement and be told whereabouts in the country I will be placed.

So, that's just a brief primer of what I'm doing and where I'm going. My future blog posts will have a bit more substance, keeping you updated in what I am doing and any particular musings I have on the country. Hopefully you keep interested, and are checking back from time to time to see the incredible work that Skillshare are doing across Africa.

ICS: Reflections So Far

It's hard to believe that in just fourteen days I will be a mere few hours into the incredibly long journey to Maseru, Lesotho. That's only two weeks away from an experience that started way back in September and has already opened my eyes to the incredible work that some international development charities carry out worldwide. Skillshare International is one of these, and one that I am truly proud to be working with on such a life changing experience.

Those of you who know me well will know how completely unprepared I was to graduate from University, and the life shift that comes with it. Having spent my final year at Surrey constantly aiming for a first class degree, I spent little time knowing what it was I really wanted to do afterwards. I've always been interested in international development, both as a field of study and as a category within the charity sector, and taking that leap and applying to take part in the International Citizen Service was a leap that I will always be glad I made. Becoming an ICS volunteer has given me a new sense of purpose, from the fundraising that comes with it, to preparing for the culture shock that will be inevitable upon living in a new community for ten weeks. And I cannot wait.

This blog is mainly to say that if you've ever thought about volunteering abroad, then you can no better than apply to take part as an ICS volunteer. As an applicant, the process was smooth and incredibly uncomplicated, and within one week I was informed I had been successful in the first stage and invited along to an assessment day. The assessment day was one of the most relaxed interview and task-based scenarios I have ever been involved in, with all candidates being supportive to each other. And then, finally, training, where I met the Lesotho-based team and realised how incredible this experience is going to be. Skillshare International have been amazing throughout the whole process too, answering all questions quickly and making you feel appreciated as a volunteer (not something you always get from charities).

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you should chase what you want to do, and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Fundraising as a team is something I am used to, yet individually has been a massive task (and I am so thankful to everyone that contributed!). The next stage is preparing to leave and then the main event, the international placement in Lesotho from 27th January. This will be where I will wholly be in a completely different environment, and it all started from one application form just four months ago. Everything starts with that one little step, so whatever you want to do, get started on it. You won't regret it.