I'm a Cardboard Cutout!

the other maths teacher, N. Moalosi
'Me Tebello, geography prof

I am the braai master (with a school shirt!)

quick! where's waldo?

N. Moshoeshoe (named after the first king! I'm not sure if he's a decendant or not...)

Me with Ntate Letsatsi (lit. trans. Mr Sunshine)

Me with Ntate Chelete (lit: Mr. Money)

My students. They're being "badass niggers", and yes, they learn these words from American rap songs.

My school!

Into the Wilds

hiking trip photos:

the chief of Ha Jobo, (he's sitting outside his kitchen hut, where we slept) (m-fing kitchen huts smell like smoky bullshit and now my sleeping bag is forever tainted because the basotho never developed chimney technology)After getting minorly lost and hiking for about 10 - 10 1/2 hours, we were left on the precipice at the very very top of the mountain in the background, by that V where the two mountains come together, and had to hike to where this pic is taken. i thought i might die with jelly legs of doom

I am full of spunk and verve, not at all list-less

Things I'm Into, Lately

1. bananas
2. handkerchiefs (both for wearing and nose blowing, though not simultaneously)
3. thunderstorms
4. sobriety
5. spinning around in circles
6. random text message capitalizations
7. how felicity is a badly dressed obsessive freak, ben is an egotist, noel is alright but makes me nervous just watching him, and julie has questionable taste in hair clips
8. throwing things at my students, especially if they're sleeping/not paying attention. or if kids outside are loud i'll throw things out the window.
9. Metric, and Arrah and the Ferns
10. Racetrack from the major motion picture "Newsies"
11. cheese
12. the grocery store had green beans, potatoes, AND eggs on monday!
13. reading my kids penpal letters. my favorite quote: "in my country witches ride on dwarves it looks like a small baby but it kills people at night".
14. Hearing that people (besides my parents) are still reading this silly blag
15. FAILblog (or at least i'm into this when i have internet)
16. banana-coconut-mixed dried berry-snocap-cinnamon pancakes
17. homemade samosas
18. thinking about visiting Japan
19. making "mix tapes" on my ipod

Things I've Received Recently

1. A free school tshirt
2. commendations on my braai (bbq) skillz after i grilled steaks for 4 hours at a school picnic
3. a tummy ache from eating steak for 4 hours straight at said school picnic
4. multiple compliments on how fat (and therefore happy) i am
5. Protection from bo-ntate (men) given by my faithful pint sized runt, The Professor
6. Extreme soreness in my feet areas from hiking for 11 hours in one day
7. the satisfaction of knowing i hiked through 3 districts in 2 days
8. ~20 bedbug bites (luckily not from my bed)
9. enhancements on my wicked farmer tan
10. a 'scotch whiskey and habanero chili' dark chocolate bar from Munich
11. major welts on my legs from walking home in a horrific hail storm, i still have the bruises!

Things I Have Not Received Recently

1. mail
2. marriage proposals
3. inspiration
4. will power
5. peaches (it snowed on the blossoms so the whole peach season is f*ed!)
6. the satisfaction of a completed NY times crossword puzzle
7. giardia from drinking semi-stagnant river water
8. a lightning bolt of language comprehension
9. a literal lightning bolt to the dome from these crazy storms

Things I'm NOT Into, Lately

1. wind
2. random creepy bored TTI guys that follow me home
3. I have to pay M50 for that stupid non-free school shirt
4. my clothes smell like beef and charcoal
5. i seem to be unable to get a balloon or a plastic bag to stick to the wall to demo electrostatic force
6. the tp being blown out of/down my latrine
7. sexual frustration
8. freaking typhoons that cause me to be stuck at school til 5:30 pm, and then drowning me when i make a run for it.

Accomplishments

1. Shaved my legs for the first time in almost a year, it's INCREDIBLE! I feel so streamlined, like a porpoise, but with a lower body mass index
2. teaching my kids more 90s slang, telling them this is how we talk in America. (examples: radical, tubular, eat my shorts, don't have a cow) So I now have a hoard of retarded bart simpson/bill and ted types running around
3. I've turned myself into a one-woman photo-op. I told the kids i'd get pictures printed in Maseru for them so everyone and their mother now wants pictures, a lot of them with me.
4. I moved my nightstand from the right side of my bed to the left. (it's like i have a whole new hut!)

FINAL HOME DATES

AMERRIICAAAAAA, oh i can't wait to eat your food.

I arrive in san diego 5 december, and leave san diego 30 december

i'll be in the Berkeley/San Fran area 13 Dec-21 Dec

PLEASE hang out with me!