Today was our second day at the Fatima Primary School. I couldn't wait to return to finish up some paint jobs from yesterday and begin painting academic drawings on the walls. We all loaded onto the bus ready to start the day to help brighten students lives.
Arriving at the school, I knew what effect the paint had on the walls and classrooms already, but I didn't realize how much a little dash of color could do to the already bleak rooms. The colors, even though it was just blue and cream, were so vibrant it did not even look like the same classroom from the previous day. I couldn't wait to get my hands on some paintbrushes to paint the "Letters of the Alphabet" on the wall of the first and second grade classroom. At first I was kind of nervous that I would mess up, but I was actually very surprise at how well it turned out. It was legible, evenly spaced and bright. Guess my OCD that stems from my mother really paid off ;)
The rooms were really starting to come together when one of my fellow Witt students, Goose, had this brilliant idea to paint a mural of Lesotho with Sesotho writing above and English below that said, "We are all the same." I believed this quote could not be more than true as we each placed our own handprints inside the border of Lesotho alongside some Basotho children. They were so happy to get their hand painted to place their mark on the wall, just as we had placed our mark on this school and better yet, Lesotho.
As the day came to a close, Dr. Rosenberg said we could splatter paint all over the sidewalk so our mess from pouring paint wouldn't look so bad. I had never done this before so I was all in... But as we began to splatter paint on the wall, we began to splatter paint on one another. It turned into a very legit paint fight. I had it all over my face, body, clothes and hair. It was so enjoyable to just have fun as a group instead of having to work. I am normally too tense about messing up my clothes or hair, to just throw all my cares away and have the time of my life. But today, I did just that and it has been one of the best moments of the trip... Even though our bus driver made us walk back to the compound because he wouldn't dare let us get his bus messy.
Tonight was one of the most beautiful nights I have experienced up on this mountain. As we roasted marshmallows to make Basotho S'Mores (which are bomb by the way), the stars shined brighter than ever before. Everyone was running around like little kids to get the best spot to star gaze. Being from the city, I never get to witness such beauty. Ramabanta is so amazingly beautiful and tonight justified that. I wish I could have captured the stars tonight in a picture, but I guess memories will suffice for now.
Who would have thought 16 strangers would become so close and inseperable in less than two weeks? Lesotho has not only changed us individually, but it has helped us grow as a group more importantly. I could not imagine sharing this experience with anyone else. I most definitely miss my family and friends back home, but I also have family here and that makes it all the more special.
I can't wait to return to the states, but for now I'm going to enjoy my time growing with these amazing people.
XOXO.
Carly