When I arrived to
the orphanage after getting off the taxi, I was so happy when I walked in and
saw that the new directors, a South African and American couple with the fattest-cheeked
baby ever, had set up a slackline just outside the dining hall. “I’m never
leaving,” I thought. I brought my bags up to the top of the cliff, past the
boys’ houses, an old shepherd school, and a leaky cistern where I would be
staying in one of the guest rondavals. It was pretty secluded back there, which
was nice, plus it had great views of the valley and surrounding mountains, but it
was close enough to where the kids are so I could go hang out.
The next day was
really nice, starting with a good run on the road, then I went to school where
I gave each Form C student a photo of their whole group and me. A lot of the
students were really happy to see me again since I’d been away for the school
break. Then I walked up to the little shop where my second oldest ausi works,
and she was so excited to see me, telling me that she missed me. This girl is
the sweetest.
A few days later,
after hanging out at the orphanage with the kids and the staff where they were
all so welcoming and loving toward me, I went up to my old house to give my
host ‘me and nkhono (grandmother) photos of them that I had also printed out.
They weren’t there, probably out working in the fields by then, but I found my
ausi and gave her the photos to hand out to my host family. I also had some
little American flag pins to give them, and I pinned one on my ausi’s shirt.
She was beaming, saying that it looked “so wow!” Then I went down to the
primary school to find some of my neighbors who always came over to my house to
play or get help with homework. I found them outside and gave them each a
photo. The first girl I found took her photo and ran off, so excited, to show
the other kids. They were genuinely so happy to have these photos (at last,
after me promising them for so long) and said “rea leboha” (we thank you) so
sincerely. Lastly, I went down to my school to give my principal a copy of the
photo of the Form Cs and me, as I had an extra. She seemed to really appreciate
it, and hung it up on her bulletin board.
You thought it was
all rainbows and butterflies, did you, dear reader? Well don’t be fooled. After
I gave her the photo, I asked her how the recommendation letter that I asked
for was coming. She had said that she would write something for me, but now she
said that maybe I should just write it, because she didn’t really know how I
needed it to be like, and she would sign it and stamp it. That’s all good, but
here’s the kicker. I asked her what kinds of things I should include, since it’s
supposed to be from her after all. What do you think I did well over these past
two years? She just shrugged and nervously laughed it off. No really, I pushed,
my tone changing to be more serious. Anything you can tell me that was good?
Even anything that I could have improved upon? Again a shrug, a fake smile, and
she turned to go back into her office. Wow, how unprofessional. I’m asking you
what you genuinely thought of my work at your school over the past two years,
like any standard employee performance review that is so common in every
workplace in the US, and you respond by acting like a child who doesn’t want to
talk to me, just turning away. So that’s what you think of me, huh? It was
insulting, actually, the way she smiled, like my simple request was either so
cute or absolutely absurd. Wow. At that point, I was pretty annoyed at how,
once again, my school was going back on its commitment to me, and at that
moment was pretty happy about the prospect of leaving that environment very
soon. Don’t get me wrong. I loved being around most of the students, and a
select few really made an impact on me, but as far as the administration went,
I was done.
At least here at the
orphanage, I’m helping some kids with their homework and having a chance to
relax and catch up on writing, reading, organizing, etc. in a very peaceful and
welcoming environment. For now, I’m just trying to further plan my post-Lesotho
travels and focusing on the future.
The Form Cs and me (and Bo)
The girls
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