Dinner with the King

King Letsie III
Sunday September 23, 2007
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After a morning of walking in the local street markets, and team members daring each other to photograph the stern looking man guarding the supermarket while brandishing a rifle, we returned to the convention center. There we foraged for food among the near empty serving tables. We had missed the lunch and were reluctant to purchase and eat fruits sold in the markets. Cleanliness is an obvious concern.
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We helped ourselves to peas, mealie pap (corn meal) and pasta (our first in three weeks!). We ate in the auditorium and watched the presentation of the GSE South Carolina team.
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South Carolina, more specifically Will Moody of Columbia, did an outstanding job of showing the conference attendees photos of their trip thus far. We have been doing this on the club level. This type of show is extremely popular and we would heartily recommend this to future GSE teams. People like to hear and see their world from a fresh perspective. They also like to see themselves recognized for their efforts. The incoming club president in Viljoenskroon said she thought the photo show we presented would encourage more members to become involved in hosting and touring with future GSE teams.
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Sunday evening was a black tie affair. The Rotary District Governors Banquet was held at the Maseru Sun Hotel and Casino. Again, once indoors there is no sign of the third world country surrounding this oasis.
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We carried suits, tux and evening dresses and surprised each other on how well we cleaned up. The dinner was very formal with more flatware at each place setting than most Basothos probably had in their homes. A place was reserved for Teboho Dingane, a small thin Basotho man employed to photograph the event for the local Rotary Clubs. He was clearly out of place at such a table but Vicky and Annie Rose engaged him in conversation and we all led the way in choosing the appropriate utensil for each course. He graciously took my camera up to the king’s table and took a couple of photographs of His Majesty while we picked up his camera and took a couple surprise shots of Vicky!
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We sat with Hein Pretorious (of melodrama fame) of the Potch Mooi club and Hendrick Swanepoel (of how to wrestle and ostrich fame) of the Parys club. Both of these Rotarians are also serving as Assistant Governors. Hein generously kept the wine glasses full as we drank toast after toast, a tradition Emil intends to import to the 7:10 club. We drank to the His Majesty King Letsie III, to Rotary International, to District 9320, to the Family of Rotary, to Lesotho, and to South Africa!
. During the course of the evening, Emil presented King Letsie with a gift book from our Rotary District Governor Dave Beall. Way cool!
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At the conclusion of the dinner three “Hip, hip, hoorays!” were shouted one each for the District Governor, Lionel Heath, one for the hosting clubs of Maseru and Maloti and one for the conference organizers. And what was this - a breach of protocol - no one is to address the audience after the king does. Oh, another example of colonial insensitivity. How embarassing!