So
I was happy to find a humidifier here in Maseru as it has been SO dry/drying
out my skin (pity pity me!). When I took
it out of the box, though, I discovered it had a “European plug” and so of
course needs an adapter for my African outlet.
Luckily I had an extra, but it made me think – and not for the first
time – wouldn’t you think electrical outlets would be something the world could
sit down and agree on? I mean,
seriously, it just seems DUMB that every region/country has to have their own
particular style/type of outlet. C’mon
people, it’s 2014!
So
about a month after I started, we also got a new Director of Programming &
Training (DPT). Debra is fresh from DC
and is also an RPCV (“Returned Peace Corps Volunteer” for those of you keeping
track of all the Peace corps acronyms).
Now, granted, she arrived in country in the midst of Lesotho’s
“political crisis” AND she is a woman living alone in a supposedly dangerous
country, but it has been a bit….um, interesting to see just how “cautious” she
was her first couple of weeks here. I’m
trying to be understanding, but the other day when she made it clear she STILL
wasn’t comfortable walking to the mall by herself in the middle of the day –
the mall that is literally around the corner/down the very busy street from our
office – well, let’s just say it was hard for me to not be like, “Girl, please
– you lived in DC! You’d be more likely
to get mugged there. Will be interested
to see how long it DOES take her to “let go” a little bit.
One
of the downsides to living here: if I have a craving for, say, ice cream, at
night, I can’t go get any. One thing I
will say America (and most Western, hell even Asian big cities) has that’s nice
is that whole “convenience” thing. Of
course, I know that also leads to obesity, heart disease, and a demanding
impatience, but still….ice cream!
We
got a new group of trainees! The latest
Education group arrived awhile back – 33 of them – and it was actually very
cool/exciting to go meet them at the airport, welcome them, etc. See the mix of exhaustion, terror, and
excitement on their faces. Sigh. It totally took me back.
Now,
one of the GOOD things about living here is I can afford a maid. And even have her come once a week (as
opposed to about once a month in China – although, to be honest, I really could
have afforded to have her come more often in China, but I was kind of
cheap/saving my money). The downside is,
while this maid is very good at cleaning (I share her with the Country Director
and the above mentioned DPT), she also hides all my shit. I LIKE having my honey out on the table,
honey, and NOT in the refrigerator. I
don’t WANT my popcorn and nuts in the cabinet – I want them on that one
particular counter where I’ll see it and remember it. She even decided my coat rack would be better
off in my bedroom, rather than the entryway (to be fair, I was actually kind of
happy about this, since, due to the layout of my house, I was often startling
myself by coming across the coat rack and thinking it was an intruder). Some stuff took me forever to find. Apparently she does this with the CD and DPT,
too. So now I just embrace it and look
forward to the “treasure hunt” after her weekly cleaning. Well, look forward to it, until I can’t find
something immediately that I want, then I rant and rave and stomp around the
house, cursing her, until I figure out where my adapter/cell phone/salt/eye
drop medicine is. J
When I do that, I yell like this old woman from this book I recently
read. She sat at her window screeching
at passers by in staccato sentences: “Hair too short!” “Stupid pants!” “Walk too slow!” I say stuff like “Honey on table!” “Sweet snacks on top shelf!” Yes, apparently, I am turning into a crazy
old lady.
Regular
readers of my blog will be un-surprised to hear that I am “unimpressed” with the
drivers here. Clearly, no one in the world
can drive as well as me. But seriously,
it’s a good thing there aren’t as many people here as in China, as the driving
here is insanely reckless. They drive at
ridiculous speeds through residential areas and in general – except for the
one-third of drivers who barely crawl along.
They pass with abandon – two lane/two way city streets, treacherously
narrow mountain roads, you name it. Red
lights are merely a suggestion.
Seriously. While many folks WILL
stop for a red light, many others will simply stop, look around, and if it’s
clear, sail right through. Still others
will simply blow right through it.
Needless to say, I’ve seen numerous accidents since I’ve been here, and
already had two reported from staff while working (not their fault) since I’ve
been here. Four years ago, one of our
drivers, in a run to the airport to pick up a staff person, tried to pass two
cars on the way, but the one in front of the first one—a taxi—decided to just
suddenly make a u-turn on the two-lane/two-way road and so the PC driver plowed
right into said taxi, killing the driver.
Peace Corps had to give the taxi driver’s family a cow (seriously), and
the driver is still in the process of being sued – but the courts here operate
even more slowly than in America, so who knows if anything will ever come of
it.
I
found out the other day that the security guards stationed at my house are
required to make a circuit of the perimeter of my yard every 15 minutes. Apparently, there are little scan checkpoints
scattered around the perimeter, which is how the security company knows the
guys do it. If they do it more often
than every 15 minutes they get a bonus.
Between that, the wall, the razor wire on top of said wall, and the bars
on all my windows and doors, you’d think I wouldn’t jump at night when the old
house I’m in makes a sound, but I do.
Hmmm, maybe it’s because of the
hyped up security?
In
any case, I’m moving to a different house when I get back from DC. Very excited to find a newer/nicer place just
a few blocks from where I am now with a great view. Two story, 3 bedroom, much smaller lot. Nice master bedroom suite/master bathroom,
multiple balconies and porches, very clean/white/modern looking. Pics to come!
