Life in Leribe!

After work at the clinic yesterday, Lina picked up some dinner.

She decided on chicken... feet.

They sell them here in street stands. It's actually interesting see; they grill the feet on one side and the heads (beaks and all) on the other.

yup, that's exactly what it looks like. chicken feet fresh off the grill

i just don't understand... you're supposed to eat those?

(Lina's actually quite a fan of them.)

I've gotten many questions about the weather here and how cold it is. I figured I'd spend a moment talking about it.

The cold here is more like a perpetual, bone cold. It's not a "let me just throw on this jacket and block the wind and be warm again" chill, but more of a "i need a heater built into my skeleton that i can keep constantly plugged in and attempt to warm up my organs with."

During the day, in the clinic and outside, it's actually not too bad. It often gets warm enough to just walk around in pants and a long sleeve shirt. However, at night, this is definitely not the case. At night in the cottage, we huddle around our heaters and put mass amounts of layers on. I also picked up a hot water bottle at the local grocery store, which has been my lifesaver (along with steaming cups of tea). It's usually not too bad though.

When we first set out to the Leribe Baylor house, we were warned that it could get cold at night, but I didn't want to be known as high maintenance or anything, so I scoffed and told myself that I could take it. I packed one (granted it is thick) fleece blanket. I looked at Lina's three big blankets and was proud to say that I didn't need to take up all that trunk room.

So now, along with my great attribute of not seeming high maintenance, I shiver and chatter my teeth at night.

The Baylor House is not huge by American standards, but compared to what I've gotten used to, it's massive. It has a kitchen with an attached dining room, a living room, three bedrooms and a bathroom. That does make it sound rather large, but all the rooms are pretty modest and are all on a single floor. I opened the door to "my bedroom" and soon realized that sleeping in a big empty room all by myself with a huge curtained window on one wall and closets, so big that someone could hide in them and watch me sleep, on the other didn't appeal to me. So, I grabbed my sheet, blanket, and pillow and plopped on the floor besides Lina's bed. She offered to help me move the mattress, but I scoffed. After all, I didn't want to seem high maintenance. I am Erika or she-who-can-sleep-on-bare-ground-with-a-single-blanket (heck i don't even need a blanket)-and-thrive. After all, man evolved to sleeping on nature's floor. If the cavemen and (although later in history) Native Americans did it, so can I. It's probably better for me somehow anyway.

Night one:

pajamas: long underwear, cotton socks, long sleeve shirt, and sweatshirt

outcome: woke up at least five times throughout the night. every time i would mummy myself in my blanket, picture heat emanating from the burning sun in my head, and attempt to fall asleep despite the loud chattering sound coming from my teeth. i kept falling asleep the next day due to my disrupted rest.

Night two:

pajamas: long underwear, woolen socks, cotton socks, tank top, long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket

outcome: woke up up at least four times throughout the night. after tucking the blanket under my feet, legs, and torso, I pulled the blanket over my head, so that my entire body was in the cozy cocoon. ended up tying a shirt around my head to warm my ears. fell asleep in the car on the way home the next day.

Night three:

play time was over. i was determined to successfully sleep on the floor. i was going to make my sleeping-on-the-ground-hunter-gatherer ancestors proud!

pajamas: white cotton socks, pink cotton socks, grey woolen socks, running tights, shorts, long underwear, fleece pajama pants, tank top, grey long sleeve t-shirt, black warmest-shirt-they-sold-at-REI thick woolen shirt, blue patagonia longsleeve, grey hoodie, grey sweatshirt, gloves, orange shirt tied around my head to keep my ears warm. (note: this is not an exaggeration)

outcome: woke up at 12:14am, cocooned myself once more and returned to my sleep

woke up at 2:36am. tired. cold. confused ("how am i still cold? i don't understaaaand."). lost and drowsy.

2:38am. surrender. poked lina and asked if i could sleep on her mattress and share her comforter. sooo waaaarmmm.

6:50am. woke up regular time! (still pretty warm :))

Although I suffered sleepless nights, I did come out with a trophy in the form of a lesson.

Most people in Lesotho live in one roomed, stone walled, thatch roofed huts. They have no plumbing and definitely no electricity. As I mentioned earlier, I don't consider myself high maintenance and don't want to accept that fact that because I grew up relatively privileged, I can't thrive without a few basic amenities. It shows how much I still have to learn and understand about the Basotho culture and about the way that millions of people around the world live. It's one thing to see the huts and walk in the streets, but it's another to get a taste of what their actual day to day life is like, not that i'm claiming that sleeping on the floor of a comparably nice house with electricity and plumbing is the same as living in a small hut completely exposed to the elements, but it gave me a taste of it. And that taste came with a large dose of humility and respect for the way others live.

me bundled up for the night (pajama pants and gloves were put on later)

okay, i know you're probably about to tell me to lay off the papa (corn mash) and steamed bread because of my newly gained twenty pounds, but this is the marvelous effect of five layers of clothing. i was prepared for night #3, or so i thought...

Lina's mound of covers