It's been almost a year since I arrived in Lesotho, and it feels like time is really flying. I've been traveling around the north of Lesotho for the last 3 weeks. I'm happy to be gone from site (although I miss my friends and co-workers at site) because it's freezing up there and snowing. At first I went to Butha-Buthe to paint a mural for PSI. The mural is kind of a big condom ad so it's not something I'm dying to show everyone, but it was good practice in case I want to paint some murals of my own. The mural took a week. Then their was a security threat in Maseru (that actually turned out to be nothing) so I was told I couldn't travel through the capital to get home to Qacha's Nek in southern Lesotho. I took that opportunity to visit some of my other friends in the north who I don't see very often—and some new volunteers too. It was good to get some fresh perspectives from other volunteers, particularly a new volunteer who is in her 60s and doesn't waste her time here because she left a beautiful family to come to Lesotho.
Now I'm in Maseru doing some research for a few training sessions I will be holding for the brand new Community Health volunteers that just arrived a few days ago! I'm trying to find some concrete information on the laws affecting women's equality. So far I've found out that married women gained equality to men in 2006 which means unmarried women (no matter their age) are minors according to the legal system in Lesotho. Lesotho is a strange country in that women are more educated and literate and responsible for almost all matters of the family (including financial), yet culturally Basotho men have all the power. A funny thing about this power struggle is that Basotho men are small, skinny, and often intoxicated while the Basotho women are traditionally large. They could easily physically overpower their smaller male counterparts, but because the culture states that men have the power they succumb to their husbands' and fathers' abuse.
Anyway, it's about that time again to go on vacation! JJ, my good friend and previous boss, is already on Robben Island off Cape Town working on a penguin project. I'll meet up with her in Cape Town after the project is over and explore the biggest, coolest city in Africa! More on that later! Miss you all!
5 comments:
Shrimpster....heyyyyyy....good to hear from you, wondered what you were up to these past weeks. We will not have a woman running for President, in case you didn't hear. But a black man will represent to Democratic party. I'm interested to hear what Africans think of Barrack Obama. Looking for a pic of your new haricut too, I understand its a big hit in Maseru. BFN
TEEN!!!! I miss you and it's good to finally here from you in a while! Hope to talk to you soon...and hope your having a good "trip". Haha love ya tons!!
daaaaAAaaaAAaAaaaawth!!! you were in my dream last night! you were in africa but you appeared here in this crazy looking celestial bubble thing to say hello. i woke up wishing it was true & you could orb on over here for a minute. (note: glad everyone who reads your blog knows what a weirdo i am now... ha!) i woke up missing you so much... i always do, but this is worse. thanks so much for keeping all of your biggest fans up to date on your adventures. i wish i could come visit but i have a big girl job now & it is hard to get time off. i adore you and i miss you!!! real updates soon. :) xoxox dawth
hey george! i do i have a picture of the infamous african 'dont have to wash my hair anymore' haircut
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2mg0f0w&s=3
hope all is well with the family in orange, miss you guys!
Teen! I miss you so much! I have big news that I wanna tell you. I'm gonna call you soon. I have way more time now that school is out! Woo hoo for summer vacation! And I wanna see a picture of the huge condom!!! Haha! Good work sister. You rock!
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