I Can't Sleep

Well it's 4:18 am here and I am awake. I'm not sure if I have a lot on my mind or if it was the pesky mosquito buzzing in my ear and repeatedly biting me that has me pulled from my sleep at this hour. The mosquito is now nowhere to be found yet I know my repeated attempts on its life were unsuccessful and simply resulted in my hitting my ear over and over. Probably didn't help me doze back off either.

After going to bed with little dinner due to a lack of desire to eat (a luxury of a problem here) I have just eaten 2 fried eggs with toast, tomato and avocado (one of my occasional luxury items). Normally I would just eat plain toast at night but a friend taught me to have some substance with my meals...actually, many friends have taught me that. Anyway, I'm drinking rooibos tea with honey as well to help my aching throat, which I'm hoping is simply a result of a lack of sleep.

As the clock approaches 5 I am reminded that most people wake up at that time to start their days. Collecting water, putting it on the boil for bathing, making sorghum porridge for breakfast, getting kids ready for school, sweeping and tidying the house and then starting the commute to work.

Things have been busy at work as we have started our school visits. My counterpart, 'M'e Mampaka and I have been getting all the little details ready although I can't tell you if we're actually ready or not. We went to a school today to listen to the needs of the school, getting input from a small room full of teachers. The school itself is quite nice - rebuilt in 2009 by the government after the wind took it away. Shells of the old buildings still exist and there is hope that parts of the more sound structures left behind can be used to build a hall for assemblies, sports or events. Everyone will have to wait to see what is deemed the most urgent need and what the budget allows for.

I think I'll rest my head for the next half hour or so in case I can actually get some rest. Tomorrow (or today rather) we are visiting a rather destitute school that I've been to before. It will be quite the contrast to yesterday for our new visiting director of programs, here on her first trip to Lesotho.