Part 6/9:
Despite their contentment, the narrative also reflects difficulties faced by river residents. Moving to the mainland or city life is seen as less desirable due to loss of the natural, calming environment. They express discomfort with housing costs, electricity, and water bills—expenses they find hard to afford on their modest incomes.
The villagers recount the hardships of seasonal lows, especially during winter when fishing and trading slow down, making daily life harder. Mornings often start very early, with trips to markets for selling produce or fish, and work continues into late evenings. The constant hustle is described as a “bleeding” process—hard but necessary for survival.