Over there (if you don’t know where, go back to part 1), the way of life is completely different. We wake up with the sun (or the rooster), and we shower before the sun sets.
Just a small anecdote: The first night I (David) heard a rooster crowing loudly. I was amazed to have a natural alarm clock until I decided to glance at my watch… It was 2 am. Suddenly, I asked myself what’s gotten into that rooster to make such a ruckus before dawn and wonder if it doesn’t suffer from jetlag 😉
As we arrived in the village, we felt welcome straight away. We could see a simpler life. Scarely any furniture was in the house, no beds but mats on the floor to sleep on. No basin and no stove in the kitchen, they cook outside the house on a wooden platform with pots and pans on a live fire. We felt comfortable and appreciated this simplicity even though it took us some time to get used to sleeping on the hard floor!
The quiet surroundings with nature all around is a big contrast with Yangon. We can hear the birds singing, which replaces the noise of the city… That’s the dream!
David: I take a bath in the river in an idyllic setting with a view of the mountains that tower over me, the setting sun emphasizes the beauty of the place, and the refreshing water moves with a light current. This becomes one of the highlights of the day and is also a great opportunity to share some time with the prosthetists and develop friendships outside of work. Most of them have a prosthesis themselves, and I am surprised to see how skilfully they move with it. They go down sandy hills, bathe with it on and are able to do so many things even with limited resources.
Aline: At the end of the afternoon, before the sun sets, it’s time to take a shower. I’m prepared for it covered with my longgyi (we shower all dressed since it’s outside) and a bar of soap. I went to the well and there were already several girls having a shower. I drew some water from the well that I poured into my bucket and started to pour water on myself with a small bowl and I feel the glances coming my way. Then the girls hand me a scrub brush and show me that I should scrub my skin. I am very sceptical, but I try anyway. However, at the first try I give up… It hurts too badly! I didn’t really feel comfortable, but it was a great experience.
The evenings after dinner, we showed our new friends how to play UNO (a card game), and they really enjoyed it, so we can say they are huge fans. This is a perfect game that allows us to have a lot of fun despite the language barrier.
