Summer in Mabuleng

After living in Mabuleng a month, I am still marveling at the view of my peaceful village and the backdrop of the mountains, every time I walk out the door of my house. Most of the homes in my village are roundhavels: round single-roomed structures made of stone with a thatched roof. Every morning when I go outside to dump my bathwater, I see women bent over outside these houses, sweeping the dirt from the unpaved ground with their straw brooms. Families don’t keep much grass directly outside their house because it attracts rodents, but I still haven’t quite figured out why they sweep the ground. I hear the clanking of many cow bells as herds of sheep, donkeys and cows are led up the steep gravel hill (that I always slide/fall on) in front of my house. Behind them are whistling herdsmen wearing the traditional Basotho blanket, riding on horses. Around 6:30 AM, the family rooster flutters up to his branch in our peach tree and cockadoodledoos. Then he runs around behind the house near my back window and does it again, just to make sure I’m awake. He has a special routine that I find hilarious. I love this rooster. In the morning and after it rains, I sometimes see transparent clouds dusting the pointy tops of the green mountains, with a bright blue sky in between. Below, there is the Khubelu River that runs through my village, with willow trees along the banks. Many afternoons after lunch there is a gigantic thunderstorm that cools down the temperature and lasts 1-2 hours. It makes for a great nap. In the evenings, I hear the African music that plays in the bar across from my house and the voices of children laughing, playing, and dancing outside. Sometimes they come and visit me, sitting silently on my floor, content watching my every move until I finally speak to them. They like it when I take their picture with my digital camera. When sun finally sets, the sky is the blackest I have seen in my life, due to the lack of electricity for miles. If it weren’t for the bright stars, I wouldn’t be able to tell the sky from the earth. I never understood how wonderful the stars could appear until I came to Lesotho. I can even see the Milky Way sometimes. This is summer in Mabuleng.

I do miss city life sometimes, especially in Raleigh, my home. Occasionally I get cravings for paved roads with sidewalks, anonymity, the sounds of cars passing, walking around at night under streetlights, dancing downtown, live music, etc. Hell, I’d just like to be able to drive to the Harris Teeter and get a candy bar or a six pack of beer some evenings. Ah well, I’ll be able to do that my whole life. I’m only going to be in Lesotho for two years, which is not much time at all. Besides, I can visit the Harris Teeter this summer when I come home for a week at the end of June – my mom’s getting married!