Seeing Red

Easter weekend was a good opportunity to get out of Lesotho for a few days, relax and enjoy things like coffee, Italian food and shopping. It was also a good opportunity to make a change. I guess I was a little bored. Or perhaps I'm in the midst of a quarter life crisis. Either way, I decided to dye my hair red. Dark red. Rockstar red. It might go away when I come home for my visit, but for now, I'm enjoying the change. Redhead Kelly definitely has a bit more attitude than the blonde version. :)

Two of my projects have been keeping me busy as of late. The first is Speak Aloud, a one-day workshop put on in each district addressing issues of gender and development. I organized Mafeteng's workshop, held this past Saturday. Fourteen high school-aged youth attended the workshop, exceeding our attendance goal. Masoabi and Mary, two Basotho who I've worked with in the past at PSI/New Start and Kick4Life, facilitated the workshop. They led discussions on gender equality, rights and relationship dynamics in relation to Basotho culture. Feedback after the workshop was positive, and even though it was only one day, I hope we've given these youth something to think and talk about with their friends and families.

Plans are also wrapping up for the Mafeteng Handicraft Fair which will be held this coming Sunday. We have ten groups (HIV/AIDS support groups and school clubs) signed up to sell crafts ranging from wallets to jewelery to grass baskets. Others will be performing dramas, dances and singing. I'm still concerned attendance may be low as it has been difficult getting some members of the planning committee to complete tasks they were assigned. As a result, not many people are aware that the event is happening. We had our final planning meeting yesterday afternoon, and I hope that everyone pulls through in the end. If nothing else this is a good start and, best case scenario, the groups involved will see the potential and consider planning more events like this in the future.

Tomorrow I'll be heading to Maseru to attend the COS (Close of Service) banquet for the CHED (Community Health and Economic Development) Volunteers who arrived in Lesotho one year ahead of my group. It's sad, scary and surprising to realize the people who were our mentors when we arrived are going home. It's even more shocking to realize that I've been in Lesotho for almost a year now, that my service is almost half over. Time is really going much more quickly than I ever imagined it would.

No, I can't believe I just said that. Ask me just a couple of months ago and I would have told you this thing couldn't go fast enough. And on their own, some days still seem to drag on endlessly. It is true what “they” say, the first few months are the absolute hardest. I don't know if it's because I've gotten used to a new definition of “busy,” or because I finally have projects moving forward or because I'm going home to visit soon, but whatever it is, I'm glad for it. I think back to training, to those first few weeks in Lesotho, and in some ways it feels like a lifetime ago, that I was a totally different person. But then when I realize that new CHED Volunteers will be arriving in a little over a month, that WE will be the mentors and that in a little over a year this journey will be done and I'll be on my way back home...well, it's strange. My hope is that this new-found appreciation, acceptance and sense of limited time will help me squeeze every last drop of opportunity out of the rest of my service here in Lesotho.