age 14
Every day Essa walks twenty minutes to school in Korphe from his home in Askole. He crosses the Braldu river on a bridge, then walks up the steep hill to his classroom. He likes his teacher Master Hussein. He teaches him Urdu, English, mathematics, and religious studies. Essa is in the 4th class and hopes that when he reaches secondary school, his father will send him to boarding school about four hours away in the village of Shigar. When he's not in school, he helps his family with the animals. In autumn, Essa misses helping out tending the yaks since they need to thresh the wheat at that time. Wheat is the most important crop in Askole. Although he likes to work with his family, Essa feels education is equally important.