Pray

CHU Yu

All moved start from this moment.

Leaded by Vivi, co-workers in 39^th class circled around, hand in hand, praying together for the Xidatan journey. Under the noisy environment, we appeared to be very sincere and clam. Because there starts to have relationship between each other and we have a common goal. We are not just hand in hand, but heart linked to heart, advancing towards a nice journey.

Toast to heaven, toast to earth, toast to friends

Three cups of cellar, toast to heaven, toast to earth, toast to my best missing friends.

Having back to Taiwan for more than a month, until now, all in Xidatan still continuously appeared in front of my eyes, the coniferous forest on the snow mountain, the green grassland, and the slow walking white yaks and so on. Still remember the day we left when I picked up my 15-kilogram heavy bag, I thought; [Am I crazy? Why I have to do so?]. but I persuaded myself that this was a “good” beginning. Yes. When the bus went into the Xidatan middle school, I entered into another world, my bag became lighter, and mood became brighter. When getting off the bus, teachers in Xidatan put Ha Da on us one by one and started the “welcome wine” ceremony. Toast to heaven, had a bit of cellar and bulleted to the sky; toast to earth, had a bit of cellar and bulleted to the land; toast to friends, had a bit of cellar and bulleted around. This is the ritual that Tibetan treat guests, I also drunk up 3 cups of wine to express my sincerity.

People here and teachers at school were all very hospitable. The journey to snow mountain let us more realize their enthusiastic and the most pure and sincere friendship between people. On the snow mountain, teachers in Xidatan middle school, students from northwest normal university and Nankai University and us regard the sky as quilt and the land as pillow, eating meat and drinking wine expansively beside the forest, clapping hand and singing when tired. Life can be such free. The busy pressure in city becomes such tiny in the original nature. The relaxed mood is hard to experience in Taiwan.

Life can be that simple and happy

Life in Xidatan was simple. Let us start from using water. The water resource here is limited, not like Taiwan as soon as you turn on the tap, clean and enough will come out. But here you only had 3 times to use water for thrashing water, washing faces and brushing, washing cups and so on with limited container (washbasin) in a day. Life all depended on the several basins of water then how about bathing. It is things never to think more. Luckily, as if the god had prepared everything well, there is a stream by the school which can make up the shortage of water resource. Besides the stream, finding a stone best fit with you, sitting on it, scooping a cup of cool steam water with hand to wash hair and feet, or washing clothes on the big stone. The ordinary chores in daily life now accompanied by the endless mountain, green grassland and mild sheep, the rare enjoying also formed part of the continuous aftertaste after returning to Taiwan.

Except this, toilet was also a classical part in everyday life. Between the low walls of cerement less than 1 meter height, we can talk with students at next door at the same time of answering the call of nature. In addition, we can clearly saw the stool, which was quite different from Taiwan’s custom. However, I found myself quickly adapt to local life and this kind of toilet had is own benefits. Without doors it not only draftiness but also can justice the beautiful mountain scenery outside. Although it had not to the level of aftertaste, it also left a deep impression on me.

Dreaming of Xidatan

[Dreaming of Xidatan] is the collective creation topic in the art class, mainly conducted by 8 children. Having classes with them, their active reaction, and willing to share also gave us much confidence. Their works in level was no better than Taiwan children’s, may be they had no skill to say but this was also the valuable point they had. They purely wanted to drawing and enjoyed the process of drawing. They discussed with classmates and scribbling. What is the matter whether they draw it well or not here? There had no comparison of their works but only had their sincere and not polluted pure heart. It was what short from Taiwan children.

Lilac

Still remember the first time class903 sung the song (lilac) to me, I was gooseflesh all over, and tears very lay very near the surface.

[No matter how much trouble on the world, there is no need to worry about from now on]. Hearing the lyric from their mouth, I felt quite sad in my heart. Just as described in the lyric, when will they not worry about their troubles? The first time met with the children, they used their innocence and expected eyes to look at the new teacher far away to here and my nameplate. Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, they read in a low murmuring voice just as he wanted to remember my name immediately. They would not forgot to hold my hand when climbing and encouraged me [teacher, you should persistence in climbing.]. What they had is incomparable innocence and enthusiastic to people, though had burden of family and schoolwork, they still forward bravely. Their willpower made me both moving and shocked. Wanzhen in the 903 class wrote on the little card; [teacher Xiaoyu: I will never forget you told us to study hard. I will worker harder and do my best to enter my ideal junior high school. I will not let the love flower you plant on us wither away.] When I felt tired or had no power, I would repeat reading this card. Think of the group of hard working children far away, I will also advanced forward bravely. In this journey, I got more from them that what I gave to them.

14 days’ journey cannot be express by more than two thousands words. However, life in Xidatan always appears in my dream.

I dreamed about the scenes that we standing in queue drawing water with the children.

I dreamed about the white yaks on the snow mountain.

In addition, the partners in 39^th class clapping hands and singing.

I dreamed about washing hair by the stream.

And eating steamed bread made by uncle while having a pen in hand.

Or the morning reading sound of the children.

The children’s pure singing and pictures.

…………………

All kinds in Xidatan

It must be a fantastic journey, which is enough for lifelong aftertaste.

                                                           2008.09.10