On Friday, Marianne had the opportunity to participate in two lessons on living in Pader.
Lesson #1…how to pluck and prepare a chicken.
The three of us (Mike, Marianne, and Tom) proposed starting up a weekly office lunch, to eat together as a team. We thought we’d kick it off with a chicken from town. Milly graciously offered to go to town to purchase the chicken on our behalf, as well as the other ingredients needed for the meal.
The chicken arrived while we were in the office. Tiberio came in and made hand gestures that indicated he was about to “do the deed”. By the time we got to the house, the deed was done. We’re quite thankful nobody suggested we slaughter it ourselves.
The meal was prepared mostly by Milly, with Marianne as apprentice, and was very delicious – probably due in part to the liberal amounts of oil and salt employed. (Oh well, it’s only once a week…). Unfortunately, we weren’t thinking and didn’t take a group photo. Next time!
Lesson #2…how to carry water on your head.
When the meal was all prepared, but before the eating began, Milly told Marianne she was going to fetch water. As Marianne had been her shadow all morning, she paused and said, “Do you want to come?” Marianne said, “Sure!”
So Marianne went out to the borehole just beside the office property with Milly. She pumped the water into the 4 jerricans, much to the inquiring and slightly amused looks of some girls who arrived to collect water. Pumping the water was surprisingly easy . No feeling of resistance.
As she filled the last one, Milly told her to stop at half-full so that she could try carrying it. Some more women had arrived and asked Marianne if she was going to carry it on her head. She said, “An abi temo!” meaning “I will try!” And so, Milly loaded the half-full jerrican, weighing 10 kg onto Marianne’s head, and then proceeded to hoist up her own full jerrican (20 kg) and lean down to pick up another full jerrican – for a total of 40 kg – and lead the way back to the house.
(Thanks to Tom for capturing this unplanned event!)