I wanted to do a better job of telling the story of our travels as we were travelling, but when I had time online, it wasn't something I felt like doing or really had the time to do. So, let's go back a little over two weeks to just before my sister and brother in law came into town. It was the last week of school and one of my student friends (to the left, with her little cousin) really wanted me to go to her hometown with her. I told her that I had to be back Wednesday morning to pick up my sister and brother in law at the airport. So, she skipped a few days of class (not because I asked her to, but because she really wanted to take me home with her) and we set off Monday night to her hometown.
We spent about 10 hours on the train. (Hard seats that don't recline = never actually a good idea if you're travelling overnight, but I did it because I was travelling with a student.) At the train station convenience store before we left, my friend asks for magazines. The lady pulls a not so new looking stack of them out from under the counter and my friend purchases one. Color cover. Black and white newsprint on the inside. I wonder why she wanted to read this instead of a good book. We step back outside and it suddenly feels a little like Europe or something. The night has cooled off, there are people out enjoying it, food stands. I don't know. Weird feeling.
After the 10 hour train ride, we had another hour on the bus and then about 20 minutes by taxi to get to her house. She told me that the grandparents usually use Korean and the rest of the family usually speaks in Chinese, but that they will try to use all Korean while I'm there. When we get there, we're fed rice and side vegetable dishes for breakfast (quite good, actually) and then I am ushered to someone's bedroom and told to rest. The rest of the family catches up in the living room, and even though I am not too tired, I take the opportunity. After a nap, the granddad talks to me and compliments me on my Korean, but actually I can't understand a lot of what he says. We eat lunch and then take a motorbike ride to the little village nearby where my friend grew up.
After some visiting, then dinner, we went by bike to a nearby lake, watched the sun set, and then it was time for me to go. I was a little sad I could only spend one day, but then I don't know what I would have done with more time. Her family doesn't have a car, so they asked "the richest man in town" if they could borrow a car. He ended up leading the way in his car all the way to the train station and then the train was delayed and they were worried about leaving me there because they said everyone in the train station was staring at me. I finally convinced them that I was going to be alone on the train anyhow, so they might as well go. They did, after buying me some green tea and sausage.
I wanted to get a sleeper on the way back, so we asked about that, but I found out that not only did they not have sleepers, but they didn't have seats. That was very sad news. My friend assured me that I would get a seat once I got on. I didn't. I sat in the restaurant until they kicked me out, and then one really nice guy who had pity on me gave up his seat to go look for another one. I took it without feeling guilty more than a few minutes. It was a long ride, with an old gramaw taking the chance to pinch my arms whenever she made eye contact, but I made it to Yanji and then to the airport only about 20 minutes before Laura and John Mark arrived. I was one dirty and sticky sister to greet them, but we were all happy anyhow.
The day after Laura and John Mark got here, we took a day trip to Tumen, a city on the border of North Korea. We took a tuna sandwich picnic lunch and ate at the river. Laura and JM were overly fascinated by the way men keep themselves cool here in the summer. Didn't get a lot of good shots, but you can get the idea from this guy who's giving his input to a game of Chinese chess.
Laura and I took a raft ride across the river border. You can touch the leaves of North Korea, but not go across. There are no guards visible. Actually, there is no real activity at all visible, but it's an experience anyhow.
We finished off the day by going to the bridge where you can pay more money to cross halfway (decided it wasn't worth it), looked at some tourist shops, then a bike taxi back to the train station. We bought our train tickets and went into the station to wait to board. Once we sat down, a guy sat down one seat away from John Mark and just stared at him. (He's the guy in the right corner of this picture.) Soon, we had another guy come up and start speaking to us in Chinese. I couldn't understand anything past "Where are you from?" ( I answer that question a lot.) So, I asked him if he spoke Korean. He didn't, but he wasted no time in finding someone who did. So, he proceeded to interview us through this Korean-Chinese translator. Once this began, we drew a crowd of about 20 people to watch the show. John Mark got a few of them in this picture. JM and Laura were quite entertained at how much attention we got while I was busy listening to what this guy wanted to know. (It wasn't anything difficult - just how long I've been here, what I do, what my sister and brother in law are doing visiting, etc.) He wanted my address and phone number, but the Korean Chinese gentleman gave me a look that said it wasn't the best idea and I declined. The crowd soon dissipated, but the smiley staring guy next to JM didn't lose interest one bit until it was time to board.
Once on the train, we found out that we were seated just across from our friendly translator (in the picture) and his wife and grandson! The curious guy found us again and tried to get us to come do some sort of language/culture exchange at his business in Beijing, but again, we declined. We talked a little on the way home and found out that they live just next to my university. I'm still amazed every time I meet an older person who likely doesn't have a lot of educational background, but can still speak two languages fluently. Of course, he sort of has to, since he's of Korean descent but was probably born in China. Still, I think it's great.
