Host Family 🤍

As you’ve probably gathered from my previous posts, Peace Corps plants us into a host family where we are meant to be watered and grow strong.

An idea that has incredible merit because connection does starve off malicious intent from outsiders.

For example, one day I was being harassed in a taxi by a couple of men. They were telling me to go back where I came from because I couldn’t speak Sesotho. The funny thing is… I can. Peace Corps trains us in Sesotho, so I understood everything they were saying.

I chose not to respond because I don’t like feeling baited into conflict, so I watched for escalation and ignored them. Then another passenger spoke up and told them, in Sesotho, that I was the American Peace Corps volunteer teaching in the village.

One of the men immediately said, “Ntate JC’s volunteer? Moshoao’s daughter?”

The passenger said yes.

Then suddenly… silence.

I burst out laughing and they just looked at me before turning back around.

“It’s quiet, ain’t no talk back.”

People hear of my mom, who is a respected member of the community, my brothers, my supervisor who is deeply involved in my wellbeing and is basically the honorary president of the area, and my huge family spread throughout the surrounding villages and things change.

Connection is such a fascinating thing. It honestly makes me want to network more when I return to the States.

Now that I am at my permanent site, I am known as Keneuoe Moshoao instead of Keneuoe Moshe. I chose to keep my first name instead of letting my Mosotho mom rename me. I’ve grown very fond of it and honestly think I may name my first daughter Keneuoe one day.

My Mosotho mom is sweet. One time I casually mentioned that some taxi drivers were rude to me, and she went to confront them AT A FUNERAL. I said, “Oh… she does not play.”

Ever since then, many of the drivers, especially the ones who regularly come to my village, have been much kinder to me. Some even remove me from uncomfortable situations.

And that is honestly not always common from what I’ve experienced here. Usually, if a man is harassing me, people don’t really intervene. But now? I’ll suddenly hear:

“KENEUOE, COME.”

And next thing I know, I’m being placed into a taxi to sit away from the male gaze until things calm down.

My mom also lets me nap, which may genuinely be the greatest gift anyone has ever given me here in Lesotho because I am SUCH a sleepy girl.

At the beginning of my service, people constantly came to my house just to see me. One day I had about six little girls running through my house, so I went to sit inside my mom’s house for peace and quiet.

She went around telling people not to disturb me unless they saw me outside already.

This was mostly during my earlier months here, when I was still learning the balance between setting boundaries and integrating into the community. Now, I would handle such a situation differently myself.

She’s also teaching me how to garden so I can grow my own fruits and vegetables back in the States instead of buying them from the store. Although Lesotho doesn’t have what she calls “plant enemies”. squirrels, raccoons, possums and etc. which makes gardening a little more difficult.

My host mothers husband passed away a few years ago, and he had been the breadwinner, so things became very difficult for her financially. She wasn’t sure how she would make it. But she did.

And I’m happy that, in some small way, I’m able to help too. Host families receive rent from Peace Corps. It’s not much, but i am glad to be able to contribute a little.

What makes her kindness even more special is that not every volunteer has this type of relationship with their host family. Some volunteers have what we call a true landlord-tenant relationship. Their families prefer little to no connection beyond housing, which they are completely allowed to do. Some volunteers have even been told things like, “Don’t come to my house.”

Meanwhile, my mom tries to feed me almost every day, sends my brothers to bring me food and desserts, and tells me nothing in her home is off limits. I know where the spare key is and can enter whenever I need to.

Peace in your home matters so much. Having a safe space can make any environment feel lighter, and I truly do feel safe with my host family. 🇱🇸🤍