Shopping

Itjareng Vocational Centre for Adults with Disabilities

   Our new classroom project is moving right along.  This week the electrician finished all the wiring and we now have working lights and outlets in the building.  We bought most of the plumbing supplies and also went shopping for furniture.
     Our plan is to have the furniture made at Itjareng, a vocational center for people with disabilities near Maseru.  This way we are supporting their school and the cost is less than most stores.  Itjareng is school that runs a  program for adults with mild to moderate disabilities.  The students live at the centre for two years and focus on learning metal work, carpentry, leather work or sewing.  Our school has sent a few students there after they have left here.  They are going to make some sample pieces and bring them out to us next week.  They might even build them right here if we can organize all of the materials in time.  The picture below is one of our former students who is now attending there, he is showing us some potential sink options.  It was fun for my principal to see him again.  All of our errands took much longer than planned and I ended up having to stay the night in Maseru.  My Principal's brother hosted us (gave me their bed, I tried to refuse but couldn't) and a yummy dinner.  Their 1 year old baby was not so excited about me and he spent the first hour or so crying whenever I was near him.  I think pale faces are scary for babies here, it happens a lot!  Eventually he warmed up and figured out that I am a lot of fun, as long as his mom was nearby!

 

My Principal's Nephew and sitter

So we got really lucky with our builder and electrician being both efficient and skillful.  The luck must run out somewhere and it might be with the plumber.  Here is how our shopping trip to the hardware store went:


Lisa:  Excuse me Ntate (respectful term) Plumber, I was wondering why the two different quotations we got have so many different items on them?
Plumber: Yes Me'Lisa, I will look at them and make sure we get  everything we need. (this was on the way to store)
Lisa:  Excuse me Ntate, don't we need to buy a cistern, top part of the toilet? (at the store after list was finalized)
Plumber: Oh yes, we also need that.
Lisa:  Excuse me, (no more polite after 2 hours in store) don't we need all of the stuff that goes into the top of the toilet?
Plumber:  Oh yes, I forgot about that.
Lisa: Don't we need something to put the basin and geyser on? (when we are in line to pay)
Plumber:  Oh yes, let me run and get some more things.
After going through line a few times, multiple receipts and one returned item, we finally finished our 3 hour shopping trip.  Each day since the trip someone has had to run out and buy another thing that is needed for the plumbing.  Oh well, it can't all go smoothly!  At least the plumber is very nice and polite.

My shopping trip

Crazy Hail storm in my yard