That Special Moment in Life ThatAllows Your Future

  Yangshuo, China
Friday, January 21, 2000

 

Liaijong River Cruise (1)

 

Liaijong River Cruise

 

Liaijong River Cruise (2)

HeyHey and a Big G'Day toya
 
This day is a huge favourite of mine when I remember my first time in Yangshuo. 
 
At breakfast we met a met a cute couple from Taiwan who were heading out for the day using any local transportation they could find and were hoping to add a river cruise in a local boat to that list.  We all jumped at their invitation and headed up the road with our thumbs out...well kind of anyhow. 
 
We flagged down a three wheeler 'tractor type thing' with a tray on the back and took that for an hour or so.  We were dropped off beside the Liaijang River and after negotiating with the boat owner we all jumped on board.  We also found out that what we were doing was illegal and that if we were spotted on his boat bad things would most likely happen to him ad his family.  This was the Governments way of making foreigners pay huge prices for the 'real' tourist ferries.
 
The river cruise was awesome and whenever another boat came into view we all had to run downstairs and keep out of sight.  
 
LINKING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT
 
It was on this day that a very special and important thing happened to me. 
 
In the afternoon we dropped into a local village Primary School and caused total havoc.  All the classes ran outside and we had the entire school along with its teachers jumping up and down around us.  I remember the young children trying to communicate with us with the little English they had been taught and being so excited. 
 
It was this moment that embedded the dream of becoming a foreign teacher into me. 
 
I remember wanting so much to stay there and teach for a few days but this was my World Adventure and not a Teaching Adventure. 
That luckily followed many years later! 
 
Also a few days later I was introduced to someone from Buckland's became my current employers five years later.  I was offered a free accommodation and food if I was to teach  several classes a day.....OR.....if I wanted to stay and live in China and teach they would do all the paperwork and make it happen.
 
Sadly I had too many dreams and plans to fulfill and this was not the time.
'Maybe in the future' was my reply and decision.  I always thought I would teach in Japan but after travelling both Japan and China along with many other Asian countries, China and its people was the country that I fell in love with and would always want to return to. 
 
That special moment at the village Primary School was to stay with me for many years after! 
 
Who says dreams don't come true and that things don't happen for a reason.
I am writing these memories on the 1st July 2007 and can happily say that I have been living and teaching Primary School in small rural areas in China for two and a half years now and have no thoughts of returning home.
 
Life is beautiful!
 
Beers N Noodles toya...shane
 
The soundtrack to this entry was by Faithless
The album was 'Sunday 8pm'

 

Liaijong River Cruise (4)

 

Liaijong River Cruise (3)

 

Liaijong River Cruise (1)