Lesotho

[Tica Chica]

Hi- Does anyone have any experience with the schools (or life in general) in Lesotho?

Thanks!

[guestwriter]

Hi,

I taught at Machabeng College in Maseru. The students are very hard working but the administration and board are very corrupt and unethical. At the time, most teachers (foreign hire) were not qualified teachers.

Both students and teachers were not treated well or fairly. The school was amongst the worst experiences that I have had and there are two law suits pending against the school.

Crime is a huge problem in Lesotho. Muggings, rapes, car jackings, etc are a regular occurance. A car would be important to get around safely.

Maseru is just on the boarder with S Africa and Ladybrand is a good shopping place. Bloemfontein is the biggest S African city and it is about 45 minutes away.

The people are nice and like so many places, it is the poor people who suffer and are exploited. I made lot's of friends with the street children and I know they looked out for me.

What school are you considering?
Machabeng is not reputable!

[Tica Chica]

Hi-

Actually, it would be AIS Lesotho. Do you know anything about that school?

You didn't paint a great picture of Lesotho. Would you recommend the city? Is it more violent than other third world cities? What is the quality of life like?

Thanks for your help!

[guestwriter]

The climate is wonderful in Lesotho. Maseru is very poor and Lesotho is a very poor country. It is very dangerous, even in the day. The school you mention is the smaller one. I knew the Head of the school at the time.
The students most likely would be eager and hard working; I am sure it is almost all local students and teachers, which may or may not be what you are looking for. It is a real hassle to cross the border into S Africa and getting papers/permits/et cetera is a pain.

There was a Canadian teacher at one of the schools who is Black and looked very much like the Bosotho people and interestingly she had a very dificult time adjusting; the minute she opened her mouth, she was shunned.

There are two hotels in Maseru with swimming pools. Very few resturaunts and most shopping needs to be done in Ladybrand for quality, anyway. There are loads of Peace Core workers and Gap students in Lesotho. A car would be very important if you want to get around, but even so, it is dangerous.

At Machabeng, we were given no support with any of the visa procedures and they did not honor the contract at all. If you are a woman Chica, you will have a hard time there.
gOOD LUCK!

PS THEY HAVE COOL BOSOTHO HATS THERE!

[Tica Chica]

Thank you for your reply and information! How long ago were you there? I am also curious if you have lived in other third world countries and how it compared -- I am trying to determine if what was experienced was a typical third world experience or if it was worse....

Also, is Bloomfontein really 45 mintues? How far is Ladybrand? What are the homes for expats like there? Are there any gyms?

Thanks again....

[longtermexpat]

A very close friend of mind lived in Lesotho for several years. She enjoyed her stay, found the people wary of strangers at first but eventually they warmed up and she became good friends with several people. She did say it could be dangerous at times and she had to be careful where she went and at what time. Nevertheless, she enjoyed her time there immensely.

After having lived for a number of years in 'third-world' countires myself, with all due respect, if you are concerned about the availability of a gym perhaps living in a 'third-world' country is not for you. Better questions would be concerning the status of women and children, availability of health care, drinking water, education, acceptance of 'outsiders', perhaps even a question or two about how you might contribute to the community outside of the school. I too enjoy going to a gym on a regular basis, but when moving to what the industrialized world so arrogantly refers to as a 'third-world' country, the availability of a health club I shouldn't think would be high on your list....but if it is, you might think twice about the move.

I wish you well and good luck with your search.

[Tica Chica]

Thank you, I appreciate your response. Of course I am worried about healthcare and giving back to the community. Fortunately, those are things I was able to locate on the internet through my own research. I have brought questions to this board - such as quality of life - that are much harder to ascertain via internet research. Tica

[guestwriter]

I have been in other poor countries, but Lesotho is the poorest. It is not a tourist destination so there are not those ammenities; when I was there, there were some attempts to develop tourism. I would describe Maseru as a backwater town. There were two major hotels with oudoor pools and keep iin mind the climate can get very cold. The hotel that might have a fitness center is on the other side of town and you would need a car. I was there 5 years ago, so things could have changed. I have walked in countries all over the world and I felt very unsafe in Maseru, even in broad daylight, near the school and there were many muggings, rapes, et cetera to warrant caution. Carrying money is very risky and make sure you find out if the school deposits it automatically, ours did not. The boarder is a real pain and if you don't have a pass, the crossing can be very frustrating. If I didn't cross with a friend with a car, I would walk accross to take a shared taxi/van which was not for the faint hearted; I enjoyed it though.
I met many wonderful people from Lesotho and the students were great. If it wasn't for the very unethical school and the safety situation, I would have loved it. It's tough when you can't get out and walk or take public transportation. As for a gym/fitness center, I don't think that is unreasonable and it can be a great escape and outlet. The physical education facilities in our school and most schools were very poor and I doubt any of the schools have a fitness center/weight room.
I would have liked to have stayed longer to see more of S Africa; I did make it to Capetown, though.
Good luck with your decision.

[beenthereseenthat]

I lived in Lesotho for three years. The school is small and friendly and low key. Lesotho has crime but it is not the big deal others have made it out to be. Most people that live there like it. The easy access to South Africa makes all the difference.

It is a good place and you would probably like it.

[africa hand]

I concur, Lesotho is a hidden gem. Travel out to the countryside and experience the real Africa.

[Tica Chica]

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your input! For those of you who have lived there, where did you live? I know housing is tough to attain, but once you have attained it, how is the quality?

TIA!!

[rushtorush]

Hi! Reviving a really old thread. So how is life now in Lesotho? I’m also considering AISL.