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love and stars from my travels...
Last Saturday:
T'was the night before Longlou,
And all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a... cricket, cat-sized rat, stray dog barking, mosquito whining...
So we headed to Longlou on Sunday - one more visit to Caca's family for our final farewell and the possibility of never seeing them again... It was another amazing day [despite another 5am start] which was spent by first visiting our neighbours' home ( the family who live upstairs in Wenchang - their hometown is also Longlou) and then off to Caca's for lunch... I have never been made to feel so welcome anywhere before - they really do feel like a second family... And then off out with her sister and brothers... There was a little mishap on one of the really uneven roads ... Caca's older brother, Cheng Bin, lost control of the bike and from the bike behind (- i was riding with her younger brother; Cheng Biao) i saw the slow-motion of Sarah going headfirst over Qiong Yu (Caca's sister) who was between Sarah and Cheng Bin... Thankfully everyone was ok as he wasn't going fast... but it was all a little exciting all the same... haha. - He then felt bad and didn't want to take Sarah on the back of his anymore so i went on there instead!
It was another unforgettable day; very hot- very sunny, blue skies, and we spent the whole afternoon on the coast; going to the beach and also standing on some mighty rocks; will get photos up at some point! We thought a swim was in order too (it really was scorching) and us all ready to go in fully clothed - we were then made aware neither Caca or her brothers and sister can swim, and considering the waves, it didn't look like such a good idea... So since the weekend, i have been teaching my final classes... and now have only 5 left... Everything's still mighty-hectic and life's whizzing by now i only have week left. I had an amazing surprise yesterday as 5 minutes after we got in the door, still sweltering heat at 6pm, i got a text off Caca's brother saying in Chinese "I am in Wenchang!" - and i replied, 'where?' - Then the next thing I know is him being outside our school picking up his sister on his motorbike and then being right outside our flat! We were sooooooo excited (whipping off sweaty t-shirts and putting on clean ones) and running down our steps like over-excited school girls! I can't believe he had ridden all the way from Longlou on his motorbike to see us... but he took us out for tea... I think the riding all the way to Wenchang to see us one last time before we leave, is one of the sweetest things someone has done for me... He wanted to take us back to Longlou that night - (when he'd said over text the previous night he wanted to take me to the beach one night and go fishing/digging for crabs, i had no idea he meant the next day!) However, this plan looked squashed when:
After finishing tea, Caca's brother took her back to school for evening classes on his motorbike and Sarah and I rode home on our bikes... Plan was to meet later... But the next thing I know, is i arrive home... then hear commotion from below our front balcony - her brother looking extremely worried and gesturing the falling of a bike and, i was trying to communicate in Chinese... Sarah? - Yes, Sarah! Off her bike! and then i had this awful image of her being hit by something (we have seen a few traffic accidents here)... I hopped on the back of his bike, phoning Sarah ("are you ok?" - "No.") so us both panicking, we arrived at the scene: a lot of blood, Sarah had come off her bike and at this point she was surrounded by locals - i had Cheng Biao and all these other people voicing their concerns and my brain wasn't working trying my hardest to work out what they were saying, let along reply, after reassuring them she was ok, and getting her back to the flat, cleaned her up a bit; she'd cut her head (and she was in shock...) I'd phoned Selina, our very good friend here - and she was translating on the phone for Cheng Biao and me, i was trying to explain what i thought has happened - she was ok, but hit her head, thus blacked-out for a bit... So we agreed to take her to the school clinic and go from there... an army of people turned up, Cheng Biao, bless his heart wanted his sister out of evening lessons, and eventually after much debate from Sarah and me not wanting to take her out of class, he insised she come to be with Sarah... (- we are like family now after all) And so instead of a tuk-tuk or even a car, it was decided - because of possible seriousness of head injuries she go the the hospital... And so a private mini-van turned up, meetings were cancelled and put on hold as senior members of staff, including the headmaster and vice-principal came along - all because the foreigner fell of her bike! - The situation was rather crazy. (Sarah is ok, covered in cuts and bruises poor thing, but getting better :) ) And off we went to the hospital - along with Selina, her boyfriend (they had been eating dinner together when i had phoned...) Caca, her brother, Senior staff members and the school driver..
All cleaned up and a CT scan later (paid for insistently by the school) she was declared well - and no damage to her brain determined... Eventually getting escorted back home [after a check back to school to drop a teacher off to a meeting (that had been post-poned) because the English girl fell off her bike] and quick meet/greet and shaking of hands with the vice president... we were left in peace, Caca and her brother came into our home (normally evening classes finish at 10.20pm) so we made the most of our time together :) ... And then decided "Let's got to Longlou at 10.30 pm!!"... Sarah 'ish ok, drinking lots of fluids etc... and i, very excited to head back one last time :) rode with Caca and Cheng Biao on his bike - her sitting on the tank in front of him (how he could see i don't know)! and Sarah, then me on the back - legs tensed the whole journey trying not to drag my feet on the road... We arrived in Longlou, me with an additional exhaust burn on my leg, Sarah looking a bit worse for wear and then headed to the beach for midnight to collect crabs!! (-which we then cooked and ate, talking with her family until 3am) and then up in time to get the first bus back to Wenchang (5.50a this morning) - so Caca would be back in time for school starting at 7, Phew! Saying a rather sad goodbye [AGAIN!] to Cheng Biao we got on the bus, knackered but very happy to have been back 'home'... Last night on the beach with Caca, her brother, sister and Sarah is another memory to cherish... So much more to mention but cannot possibly say now - as i do actually have a class to get to!
It was another unforgettable day; very hot- very sunny, blue skies, and we spent the whole afternoon on the coast; going to the beach and also standing on some mighty rocks; will get photos up at some point! We thought a swim was in order too (it really was scorching) and us all ready to go in fully clothed - we were then made aware neither Caca or her brothers and sister can swim, and considering the waves, it didn't look like such a good idea... So since the weekend, i have been teaching my final classes... and now have only 5 left... Everything's still mighty-hectic and life's whizzing by now i only have week left. I had an amazing surprise yesterday as 5 minutes after we got in the door, still sweltering heat at 6pm, i got a text off Caca's brother saying in Chinese "I am in Wenchang!" - and i replied, 'where?' - Then the next thing I know is him being outside our school picking up his sister on his motorbike and then being right outside our flat! We were sooooooo excited (whipping off sweaty t-shirts and putting on clean ones) and running down our steps like over-excited school girls! I can't believe he had ridden all the way from Longlou on his motorbike to see us... but he took us out for tea... I think the riding all the way to Wenchang to see us one last time before we leave, is one of the sweetest things someone has done for me... He wanted to take us back to Longlou that night - (when he'd said over text the previous night he wanted to take me to the beach one night and go fishing/digging for crabs, i had no idea he meant the next day!) However, this plan looked squashed when:
After finishing tea, Caca's brother took her back to school for evening classes on his motorbike and Sarah and I rode home on our bikes... Plan was to meet later... But the next thing I know, is i arrive home... then hear commotion from below our front balcony - her brother looking extremely worried and gesturing the falling of a bike and, i was trying to communicate in Chinese... Sarah? - Yes, Sarah! Off her bike! and then i had this awful image of her being hit by something (we have seen a few traffic accidents here)... I hopped on the back of his bike, phoning Sarah ("are you ok?" - "No.") so us both panicking, we arrived at the scene: a lot of blood, Sarah had come off her bike and at this point she was surrounded by locals - i had Cheng Biao and all these other people voicing their concerns and my brain wasn't working trying my hardest to work out what they were saying, let along reply, after reassuring them she was ok, and getting her back to the flat, cleaned her up a bit; she'd cut her head (and she was in shock...) I'd phoned Selina, our very good friend here - and she was translating on the phone for Cheng Biao and me, i was trying to explain what i thought has happened - she was ok, but hit her head, thus blacked-out for a bit... So we agreed to take her to the school clinic and go from there... an army of people turned up, Cheng Biao, bless his heart wanted his sister out of evening lessons, and eventually after much debate from Sarah and me not wanting to take her out of class, he insised she come to be with Sarah... (- we are like family now after all) And so instead of a tuk-tuk or even a car, it was decided - because of possible seriousness of head injuries she go the the hospital... And so a private mini-van turned up, meetings were cancelled and put on hold as senior members of staff, including the headmaster and vice-principal came along - all because the foreigner fell of her bike! - The situation was rather crazy. (Sarah is ok, covered in cuts and bruises poor thing, but getting better :) ) And off we went to the hospital - along with Selina, her boyfriend (they had been eating dinner together when i had phoned...) Caca, her brother, Senior staff members and the school driver..
All cleaned up and a CT scan later (paid for insistently by the school) she was declared well - and no damage to her brain determined... Eventually getting escorted back home [after a check back to school to drop a teacher off to a meeting (that had been post-poned) because the English girl fell off her bike] and quick meet/greet and shaking of hands with the vice president... we were left in peace, Caca and her brother came into our home (normally evening classes finish at 10.20pm) so we made the most of our time together :) ... And then decided "Let's got to Longlou at 10.30 pm!!"... Sarah 'ish ok, drinking lots of fluids etc... and i, very excited to head back one last time :) rode with Caca and Cheng Biao on his bike - her sitting on the tank in front of him (how he could see i don't know)! and Sarah, then me on the back - legs tensed the whole journey trying not to drag my feet on the road... We arrived in Longlou, me with an additional exhaust burn on my leg, Sarah looking a bit worse for wear and then headed to the beach for midnight to collect crabs!! (-which we then cooked and ate, talking with her family until 3am) and then up in time to get the first bus back to Wenchang (5.50a this morning) - so Caca would be back in time for school starting at 7, Phew! Saying a rather sad goodbye [AGAIN!] to Cheng Biao we got on the bus, knackered but very happy to have been back 'home'... Last night on the beach with Caca, her brother, sister and Sarah is another memory to cherish... So much more to mention but cannot possibly say now - as i do actually have a class to get to!
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