This story begins in my home city waiting to coordinate when buses will actually run to the little cities that dot the province in which I live. Finally, after several days of talking with one of my students, Alus says that Saturday morning there will be a bus to his hometown at 8am. So, I pack up and head out of my apartment at 7am for the bus station which is not one of my most favorite places ever. So, I am at the bus station about 7:15am only to find out that the bus is going to run now at 11:30am. I am not going to wait at the bus station for almost 4 hours, so I trek home where I basically lay around trying to stay warm being it is cold outside and would only get colder.
Now, I am on the bus headed to a small town out, out in the middle of nowhere. I am constantly told that it would only be a little longer! Now, here they don't heat the buses during the winter months, so everyone has coats, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. in great abundance attached to their body. While I am on the bus for my what ends up being a 5 hour journey, Alus calls me and tells me that he is not home. I am thinking he is gone to the market or something, but will be around to greet me in his home city. No, he is on the only other bus out of his town to another town. So, he informs me that some other students will greet me and show me around his home city. Thus, I meet them at the station and we eat dinner (hot pot) which is very, very enjoyable being it is around -20F outside. Plus, I have sat in this barren temps for 5 hours on a non-heated bus. Well, I stay for one night in this city and I am awakened the next morning by Alus. Alus proceeds to tell me that is snowing around his home town and that buses won't run after the morning hours. So, my students and I go and eat breakfast and then head to the bus station. Alus was almost correct in that they had already cancelled all buses that day. Hence, I am packed into the back of a taxi with a family (husband, wife, and their 7 year-old son)! Off I head now to my point of destination on my journey. After about two hours in this taxi, we end up in a city where I am dropped off. Granted I have never been to any of these places, thus I am trusting Father that He will get me from A to B correctly and safely.
While heading to the second point of my journey, my student who is supposed to meet me, Huhwendus, informs me that he won't be meeting. His parents are away and he will pass me off to another student. Luckily, in this town, I have many students who could serve as points of contact and assistance. Well, I am handed into the care of Hurwa. Hurwa warmly greets me and informs me that his parents are almost giddy at the notion of hosting a foreigner in their home. Note: I am going places where no foreigner has mostly liked never dared travel. Anyways, I run around with Hurwa for the next few days in his hometown seeing his previous schools, meeting his friends & family, and running into my own students. Again, this is an adventure in terms of travel, accomodations, language, etc. During this stop and the next in my journey, they don't have indoor restroom facilities a.k.a. toilets. Hence, using outdoor facilities in -20F weather which requires well-charged and functioning flashlights at times.
Then, on Tuesday, I head out to Huhwendus' home which is about 60km (36 miles) outside of town. Hurwa and his parents take me to the bus station and get me on the right bus an hour early. Therefore, when I arrive at Huhwendus' home, I have been sitting on the non-heated bus for 3 hours. Now, I was the talk of the bus as people got on and off at various, and sometimes random points. Anyways, I was cold and somewhat annoyed by all of the constant starting and stopping. We are heading down this country road and I see someone standing on the side of the road. In my mind, I was really hoping that we did not have to stop again for another person, and surely we stopped about ten seconds later. But, through the frigid air, my mind perceives these words "wai guo ren, wai guo ren, ni chu kou!" It is repeated again, and by now everyone on the bus was looking at me. Roughly translated, it means "Foreigner, you exit!" So, off the bus I get assuming the bus driver knows many more things than I do at this point in time and our journey. Sure enough, there is Huhwendus standing there welcoming me to his home!
I stayed at Huhwendus' home for two days during which time I helped feed their animals, played with his cat, interacted with his family, and enjoyed a very peaceful time out in the countryside. Several times, I headed outside and was just inspired by the quietness and undisturbed beauty of the snow and the rolling hills all around me. Each trip out would bring me to praising Father's name and His breath-taking creation. After two days with Huhwendus and his family, I headed back to the country road at 8am to catch the bus as it passed by taking me back into town. Now, once back under the guidance of Hurwa, I was pondering how to get back to my actual home. Hurwa has a huge family. His mom and dad have 11 total siblings which has afforded Hurwa with numerous aunts and uncles. Well, it just happened that today two of his uncles were heading back to my home with their own vehicles. So, this afternoon, I headed home in the back seat of a 2007 Audi which I will honestly admit was a blessing and a very fitting end to my first adventure in the Grassland of 2008.
Thank you for taking the time to read about my journeys during the winter holiday! I would ask though that as you reflect on this story and the pictures, that you would ask Father to bring about bountiful fruit in these areas! For now, I sign off with more adventures surely to arise from my own personal vacation and from my anticipated second adventure out in the Grassland!
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