Jun 2006

I had no idea what I could do there. But thanks god, I met one girl from Beijing and we went to the monastery there.

I was happy to be in the monastery again to see the red clouds.

Everyone got up very earlier because of my leaving. Mama prepared the pancakes for me. They were still warm in my bag. I could say Goodbye to Rang’er and even could not see him. The bus was unbelievably crowded. When I pushed into the bus, it left. I cried again because of leaving.

The feeling was so strange when the bus was closer to Langmu Si, just like going home.

Met a Shanghainese girl on the bus to Langmu Si. And because of loving Langmu Si and the people there, she changed her mind to go back to Langmu Si. She just arrived at Hezuo from Langmu Si one hour before.

It was a great day, not only sunny, but it was important for Tibetan Buddhism, for every Tibetan. There was some Buddhism dance in Gansu’s monastery. The local people were sitting everywhere, and the kids were ready for the fruits the dancer would throw out to the crowded during dancing. However I had had not any idea on the meaning of their dancing. The reason was they could not explain it in mandarin.

I met on little boy and his sister at Hezuo bus station this morning. They were begging for money. I asked if they went to school and they answered me “yes”. So I gave money to both of them and bought them breakfast, but the time should be close to lunch.

The monk teacher invited me for dinner and then bought the ticket to Zöige for me. He went to the driver’s room three times because he wanted to make sure I could catch the bus.

The last night here in Langmu Si.

It was raining almost the whole day. They told me that only this year it rained a lot, a couple of days raining and one day dry.

Mama got up early and started to clean the big house, everywhere, I think. After I woke up, mama gave me my breakfast, the yak milk and pancake. Rang’er then cooked me one plate of potato and both of us shared it. Afterwards I went out for a walking with his sister because of rain stopping. When I came back, I ate some yak milk and pancake again. Till around 5.30pm, they cooked pasta for everyone. I thought it should be dinner and because it was really tasty, I ate a lot. But around 9pm, it was their real dinner time and I ate again. The result was…

They treated me very well and wanted to give me all the best of everything.

Rang’er stayed at home all day to help the praying. The monk whom they asked to come home for the pray came here almost lunch time because of raining. After some time talking, they started praying. And he needed to help this praying and later would do together with that monk. When the praying came to the end, everyone was waiting on front of the room where the praying held. Some of them were murmuring with the praying going on. The room was sounded by something throwing down to the floor, every man went into the room and held something out with their hands. They were waiting in line. With the monk’s some voice, they left to go outside with some shout.

After dinner it was for women of this family to have photograph fun time. They helped each other to change to their new and beautiful clothes. It lasted for several hours. Even Rang’er “complained”.

The last ones to take pictures were me and Rang’er.

When arrived at Hezuo bus station, I saw Rang’er standing there and looking into the bus. Then we saw each other.

After noodle as lunch, we went shopping for his family. He had a big family compared to mine, so I had to prepare many presents for everyone. However it was not so difficult because he knew what fitted for them and he chose everything.

Having something to eat at Malu, he went out to buy some mushroom and fruits.

That was so beautiful road to his home, Changshan, even a little bumpy. The village was located in the hills and there was a big river passing from the front of it. The big tree was standing there to greet me.

Everyone of his family was so nice and friendly. But the same problem was I had poor Tibetan and they had poor mandarin.

They had very big house, I think, and beautiful and clean. Because of our arriving, his mama went back to home earlier and the other girls, his sister and his brother’s wife still working in the field. When the girls arrived at home, it was almost 8pm. Then they started to prepare dinner for everyone.

The dinner was simple, just some pasta with soup, but very delicious!

All the women were sitting on the floor to eat and the men were sitting at table. Because I was the guest, so I could sit with men. And I was given the new bowl and chopsticks, the same ones as Rang’er had.

And I had very clean, white bed and quilt for a sweet sleep!

After seeing Yangpei’s bus leaving, I went back to the monastery school this morning. I taught another 2 classes and even learned some Tibetan from the teachers there.

I got Rang’er calling this afternoon and both of us thought it was better for me to visit him and his family in his hometown.

I had dinner in one teacher’s home. But he went out, just leaving me and Da’erji. I thought the teacher was his parents-like. He cooked well and I ate a lot. So for a good digesting, we talked a lot. I would come back to see him on Chinese new year.