Here’s a young boy who makes me smile because of how often he smiles. Below is a translation of the conversation you hear between us in this video:
me: What is your name?
him: Tjarirove. (In his head he’s probably thinking, Why is she asking me a question she already knows the answer to? Because we have been friends for awhile…but for the sake of my viewers I thought I should ask.)
me: Tjarirove, okay. What are you doing?
him: [something about] water. (He’s fetching water? Looking for it? Something something water.)
me: Oh, water. Are you thirsty? …Where are you going?
him: There.
me: “There”? Where?
him: [something unintelligible]
When I listen to that video I’m ashamed that my voice sounds fake or condescending the way you baby-talk to a child. I definitely have to slow my speech down in order to be understood in my village, but I don’t have to use such a girlish high pitch. I’ll have to work on that. New year’s resolution: low voice, assertive tone, don’t be such a child.
You sound surprised that the 8 year old will be driving the cart. At what age do they normally get their donkey-driving license?