Just a Quick Update

Hello Everyone! I still can't get pictures up....I have to load them onto my external hard drive and then plug that into the internet cafe computers....I'll hopefully do this sometime in January. I know it's frustrating not being able to see any pics, but believe me, I have many to share when the time comes.
We have one more week at CBT, and then we will be at the training center for the holidays and then off to my permanent site. I will be stationed in Leribe (the district) and Matukeng (The village...I'm not 100% on the village name). But I'm very close to a camp-town, which means I will have a grocery store, internet cafes, local fruits and vegetables and other things. I will be living in a rondoval with electricity, at least I hope I have electricity. The last volunteer had a refrigerator and a lamp at her site, so I'm assuming that means power too :)
Well, a PC frustration is happening. I just got told to go to the training center to get my allowance RIGHT NOW! We're always so organized (sarcasm). I'll try to write more soon!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!

Community Based Training

HELLO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!! I feel like it has been so long since I got to update this. My internet access is still very limited. I am in Maseru, the capital city today doing some food shopping with the other volunteers because this week we begin cooking for ourselves. I am at an internet cafe and have, again, very limited time, but I'll try to update as much as I can. I don't k now if I'll be able to load pics today, but if not I'll keep trying. As soon as I swear in as an actual volunteer, and not just a trainee I will have better access to computers. Our swear in date is January 7th.
I am currenty staying in the village of Maqhaka (the q is pronounced as a click!). I have a family that is hosting me, so I have 2 sisters, a mother, and one of my sisters has a 4 year old daughter. All women, not much different than home :) They treat me very well, and I'm learning a lot from them. For example, I can now cook bohobe (bread from scratch), eat that Regan and Mom! :) And today I will learn to wash my clothes, yes, in a bucket! I've got the bucket bathing down!
My job while in Lesotho is to teach the teachers of Dequanyana (spelling?) which is preschool. Last week we taught two full day lessons and they went very well. The hardest part is that the younger kids don't speak much english, so we do a lot of translating into Sesotho, but it helps me to learn the language. This coming week we will be putting on workshops for the teachers. I'm pretty nervous because I don't do public speaking well, but it should be a good experience.
I'm afraid I may get cut off without warning, so I'm going to update facebook real quick. No pics today, but I'll keep trying. I have taken many, I just need to move them from camera to computer. If you haven't already heard, I can text easily. My mom and Adam have my number. To text internationally you may have to speak to your phone provider. I've only received texts from Chelsea and Amber so far....thanks guys! :) I miss you all dearly!!!!! More to come.
LOVE HALEY!!!

Safe in Africa

Hello all!!! I'm just doing a quick update from an internet cafe in Butha-Buthe, which is a small village in Lestho. I only have a few minutes, so this'll be brief, and sadly I don't have time to post any pictures, but maybe tomorrow. I'm visiting a current Peace Corps Volunteer at her sight for the next two days, and since we've been so shut-off from communication she's been sweet enough to bring us to the internet cafe :) I'm doing well......so much to say, so little time. I've sent out some letters, but it takes at least 2 weeks to get them to the states, more like 4 weeks I believe. I'm eagerly awaiting letters from all of you back home. My address is:
Haley Waggoner/PCT
United States Peace Corps/Lesotho
PO BOX 554
Maseru 100
Lesotho Southern Africa
I'd love to get some letters, and pics from home!!! I hope everyone is doing well! I should have a phone sometime in the next week, so I'll be able to stay in touch better starting soon. I will be investing in a phone with internet access.
LOVE and MISS you all!!!!!
Haley

Off to Lesotho

Today is 11/10/09.....let the count down begin. Right now I'm in Philadelphia, and I had my first Phillie Cheese Steak for dinner. It was delicious! My hotel roomies and I were also able to get up this morning and walk around Philadelphia for a bit, so I got some photos of the liberty bell and independence hall that I will post later, as I have limited time on the hotel computer (welcome to the next two years of my life). Today we went through "staging" which was just the basic PC paperwork and registration, and some ice-breaker games and lessons (gotta love that). I am officially PC trainee now, and not just an invitee. We're headed to New York in about 5 hours, and from there we will fly into Jo-Burg, and from there to Maseru...the capitol city of Lesotho. I can't believe it's all finally happening! The education group that I'm with consists of about 30 people, mostly females, but a handfull of guys. So far everyone is very nice, and we all seem to be depending a lot on our senses of humor to get us through this transitional period.

I want to thank everyone for the amazing going away party that was thrown for me, and for all the wonderful gifts. I think I'm pretty prepared....I deffinately have enough luggage! I know I didn't get to send thank-you cards to everyone, so for the record, "THANK YOU!!!" I coudn't have made it this far without everyone's support. I will miss everyone a great deal, but I'll come back with many stories to tell.

For the next 3 months we will be stationed in Lesotho for training, and I've heard that during that time we won't have any internet access. I promise to update this every chance I get, but I don't know how often that will be. I still don't have an address for sending letters or anything, but as soon as I do I'll post it.

Love You All! Now I'm off to call the boyfriend ;)

1 Week to go

Well, I'm done working at the WW Clinic, except I'll be going in one last time to do some training tomorrow. I spent my day running around and trying to take care of all of my last minute business. I'm posting a picture from Halloween. We all dressed up as the Peanuts Gang. I will miss Halloween, that's for sure!

9 Days Until I leave

Okay everyone, I'm really new to this blogging thing, so please be patient. I'll do my best to figure all of this out before I leave the country. I've got only a short 9 days until I fly out. I will be flying into Philadelphia on Monday for what is known as "staging" basically it's final paperwork and immunizations. I'm then bussed from Philadelphia to New York (with other PC volunteers) and from NYC we fly into Johannesberg (15 hour flight) and from there we fly to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho (short 1 hour flight on a small plane). I'll be spending approximately 3 months in Lesotho doing training, and I've gathered from other PC bloggers that access to the internet is limited during training.

In the next few days I'll just be tying up some loose ends here in Walla Walla, and packing. I want to get some pics posted on this blog before I head out, but it's been hard since our free internet isn't working at the condo anymore :( I'd also like to thank everyone that has checked out my wish list on amazon.com. I've received a lot of gifts, and I truly appreciate everyone's generosity!!! All I can do is bring what's recommended, and hope for the best :)

But most importantly HAPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!