Kingdom in the Sky

So its Thursday night after a day of writing an exam and presenting a research project, and I have nothing else more productive to do at 2030 hours other than write some more nursing gobbleygoop about Lesotho....I figure some basic info on where exactly I'll be spending my days of May may be appreciated, at least by my slightly-concerned-for-my-safety-and-well-being dad. And my roommate was writing on her blog (which she does a great job on and is WAY more fun to read than mine) and so I was inspired to waste some time as well. So sit back, relax and learn about the Kingdom in the Sky - and no worries, no disturbing images this time :)

Lesotho is the most southbound country in the world that is completely surrounded, or 'landlocked' by another country - South Africa. It is  a mountainous country with the world's highest lowpoint......if that makes sense. We are expecting to tag along on some hard-core-ish hikes which is one of the activities that I'm looking forward to the most. During my five weeks in Lesotho, summertime will be just finishing and autumn just beginning - our instructor said to even expect frost in the early mornings near the end of our stay. Lesotho is governed by a constitutional monarchy and also has a Prime Minister...like our government.... I think? We could get to meet the King as did another year's s group :)

Most of the people of Lesotho are Basotho, native to Lesotho, and live rurally and rely on farming of crops and livestock or work in the cities for income. Other people include European and Chinese, and while the Basotho's native language of Sesotho is one of their main languages, English is the other official language. Christianity is the most practiced religion,  but  others are Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or follow an indigenous belief system. Lesotho values education incredibly and puts a lot of their country's income into providing it, resulting in a very impressive literacy rate. But children must be able to pay for a uniform and books to attend. Teaching the children about healthy living on Saturdays at the community centre will be one of our weekly nursing activities and this is another part of the trip I'm very excited about.

 Other aspects of our clinical experience will be spent at different hospitals and health clinics, such as the military hospital and potentially tagging along with nursing home care. We will also go to school with the nursing students at Lesotho's university. Further details and schedules of our nursey stuff have yet to be confirmed however, and could always change. Besides, if I knew and shared everything before I went I'd have nothing to share during and after the trip.....

So its almost time to dig out the suitcase and get those malaria pills.....at least I've started a couple of  to-do lists on scraps of paper. I'll do the rest after classes are done next week and my last (and only teehee) final exam is written the week before I leave. I can hear my dad hyperventilating at this lack of preparation - I really should have started packing last year right dad?

Countdown: 19 days. Wow. That sounds way less than the 21 days it was just yesterday. Gulp.