It's Friday afternoon here in Butha Buthe. Graham and I came into town right after school today to pick up a few things and to use the internet. I am staying up at Bokoro again this weekend as there is a teacher outing planned for tomorrow. We were going to go up to Oxbow, but plans have changed as transport up into the mountains would be a bit trickly and likely exceed that abilities of the school truck. We are instead going to a park somewhere to have a nice lunch that we will cook ourselves.

I last wrote from Hlotse, and had enjoyed a nice weekend with Carolyn, Bruce and Naida. On the Saturday afternoon we crossed the border into Ficksberg to have lunch a pick up a few things. Penny's daughter Stacey and her partner Dean were in Lesotho for three weeks running a circus camp in Pitseng. They also had rented a car, so they picked us up and we were able to drive over the border with great ease. The contrast between Lesotho and South Africa is quite shocking. Literally just meters into South Africa there is a dramatic shift in wealth. Suddenly all streets are paved and there are both street lights and traffic lights. Yards and houses are large with spacious yards and gardens. As we sat on a patio and enjoyed salad and cold drinks I felt a bit sickened by the whole thing. While in Lesoto the poverty is so universal it as if you incredibly far from any sort of developed infrastucture. The reality is that the developed world is just kilometers away, and it seems very deliberate that Lesotho is kept so poor. I also became aware of easy it is for me to walk away from the struggle of daily life in Lesotho. While I have chosen to live there for some time, I can leave freely, if only for day, and this is not the case for most.

When I prepared to leave Hlotse to return to Bokoro I learned that the school truck was in the shop and that I would have to return on my own. This was not that big a deal, but I had shopped with the thought that I would have a ride back to school, and had bought more than I could carry. I ended up leaving two bags of groceries behind, but did manage to pack quite a bit including a tray of 18 eggs which I wrapped in the new blanket that I had bought. Public transport is quite interesting and very irregular. I caught the first minibus easly by flagging it down as I walked down the street. Because it was Sunday I had a fair bit of room at the back, but this did not last for too long as people are packed on as we travelled towards Butha Buthe. There I had to transfer at the taxi rank, a busy bustling lot of taxis and vendors. It is quite confusing but many people asked me where I wanted to go and so I was taken to the appropriate place where I sat in an empty taxi for over an hour while it slowly filled with people. Finally the taxi was deemed full enough and we set out for Tsime, a village not far from the school. I was crushed against the window of the second bench, beside a grandmother with three small children with her. I offered to hold her grandaughter, and I took this small girl onto my lap where she promptly went to sleep, her little cheek on my shoulder.

Last Saturday we attended "Sports Day" which was a track and field day held at St Charles High School. This was an all day affair, and involved the attendance of nearly the entire school. We were to leave at 8am in the morning on a rented bus. The bus arrived promptly at 7:30 and we spent 40 minutes calling each student by name as they loaded onto the bus. We were all ready to go when the driver brought to our attention a small problem- the bus would not start. Our school truck was called back from town where the driver, Sacharia was picking up the teachers. He arrived and took all of the athletes to the school in the back of the truck. At least 20 kids were pilled into the truck, it was quite a sight. Another bus was called. Four hours later, Sacharia, after returning from town and from the high school fixed the bus, and we filled both buses and were off! The day was everything a coach could want for his/her athletes. The students raced and jumped with all their hearts and the rest of the school sang and cheered with gusto. The track was bare earth and was lined with ash. Few athletes wore shoes as most do not have any, and the girls wore their school ties around their waists to identify the school that they belonged to. We had a good showing and placed well in the running and in high jump and in long jump. High jump is worth mentioning as there is no mat to speak of. The athletes simply launch themselves over the bar in whatever fashion is most likely to succeed, and land in a heap on the other side in a bit on sand. We all arrived back at the school tired and dusty but in very good spirits.

The last couple of weeks have passed quickly and am perceived less of a visitor at the school. The students frequently come to my door for homework help, and a few sometimes come asking for water or first aid. I have become the unofficial school nurse, and plan to do a little training with a few students so that they will take care when helping each other, espescially if blood is involved.

Next week I am starting to teach some new classes as I didn't feel that I had enough to do during the day. With the reduction of the computer classes I was left with only a few English classes. I asked to help relieve some of the teachers who are overloaded with classes and I will be teaching two classes of "Bible" in Form A and B, which I am looking foreward to. I am also going to begin spending one afternoon a week at the promary school helping in their English classes. The principle came over this morning to see me, and we chose Thursday as the day that I will be at the primary school.

Well, I am out of time. Best wishes to you all, and I will write more next week!