Saturday mornings are meant for "bruking" (washing clothes). Today I asked my mom if I can get the water today. I put on a great show for everyone, the locals are amused whenever we do their daily tasks. The water well is so close to the house so it's not like a long hike or anything. As I opened up the well and started lowering the pail, an audience started accumulating. They get a kick out of it, I make them laugh, it's all good. They're like "Eeeebo! Kenyah Simbo lan fo get wata!". Who needs sitcoms when you can watch Americans make fools of themselves, lol. Thank god for some of the circuit drills MJ had us do at Muay Thai, it helped me in pulling up several buckets of well water.
My brother, Simbol, helped me carry the buckets home as I struggled to carry one in my arm. I have yet to master the art of carrying objects on top of my head. I see 3yr olds running up hills with larger pails of water on their heads......barefoot.....half-naked.....with their newborn baby brother tied to their back. So I suppose it justifies the comedy for the locals within this context.
I hung out next door as my "Cousin Joe Fortune", another PC person, was tutoring his brothers for their Senior Secondary school math exams. As he was teaching them with a dilapidated chalkboard on the porch, I sat nearby with my 9yr old sister, Genevieve, and was taking out her cornrows. The every now and then chicken and chicks would pass by, and other neighborhood kids gathered around as well. When the session was over, I was doing the alphabet with the smaller kids. It was fun just hanging out with them and they were so eager to please as they answered questions. Then all the little girls started to "plant" "Joe's" hair and put Genevieve's old weave on him, his hair is too short to braid, lol. We ended the day with the Fortune Brothers doing a little pop & lock battle for us. I made them do it and said they owed us because we tutored them today, haha.
Laughing, learning, and having fun with the kids on the porch today...... <3 memorable <3
I can imagine this scene and for all the tears I didn't shed, Kristin - it makes me so happy to read about your experiences! Happy tears :)
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