day 22

Today the topic is softer as I need simplicity. Let's talk about the way of carrying things here: On top of your head. 

It's easy to explain, but more difficult to practice. They fold a towel, then they roll it to form a circle more or less 4cm high. They position it on the upper part of the head and on top of it they put whatever item they have to carry. It can be anything, and they normally start to learn when they're 4 years old. But some older women manage this technique so well that they could carry incredibly big things without the help of their hands to balance themselves. 

As I said before, I tried with water a couple of times: not a good idea as it moves, so it's the most difficult thing to carry. Yesterday, against my will it happened again. I was walking around the town when I met Ben and Godwin, two of the three kids living in the school: they were going to fetch water but the well was closed, so I went with them to this pond into the jungle. It was easy to get there, but more difficult to leave. I don't know how I found myself carrying a big metal bowl filled with more or less 20 litres of brown water. The 15 minutes I needed to go back never felt so long. My untrained neck is still hurting, but I can proudly say that all the water reached the school. Now I think I'll have to strengthen my neck and to improve my posture, then I'll manage this technique. Well, maybe. Of course doing it without my hands is the final level, which is too much for me!