I am on board the ferry to Tianjin. I don't know, is it sea sickness or am I really feeling hungry. I opened my bag to search for snacks and I saw the rice that Intae's mom has packed for me. I am so touched...
At Intae's house....
A 1410hrs, I decided that it's time to leave. I wasn't expecting this but Intae walked me to the bus stop. Last night, he hang out with his uni friends whom they've not met for the past 3 years. As a result, he come home after 0130hrs. I had intended to ask him out for a drink just the 2 of us. Usually I prefer beer but this time I want Korean rice wine, Uniquely Korean. I wanted to sincerely thank him for his friendship and his generous hospitality.
Intae's mom is an amazing, faithful and extremely dedicated home maker. The house is keep clean and tidy with beautiful decoration, though seemingly small but significantly beautified every corner of the house.
Every morning, I wake up to a home make Korean breakfast (sometimes I wake up at 12pm, but since it's the first meal of the day, I consider it as breakfast) She knows I love coffee and will always make me a nice cup of Maxim ( Korean popular 3-in-1 coffee) I felt so well taken care of, just like the way my own mother takes care of me.
Intae's mother strongly exhibit the beauty and the strength of a woman-Loving, caring, faithful, diligent. It's a pity that I am not able to speak Korean, I would have thank her and express this to her in person.
Hospitality
Here are some verse in the Bible that talks about hospitality.
Matthew 25:35-36
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without knowing it.
1 Peter 4:9
Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
As we walk to the bus stop, both of us felt the need to say what is in our hearts.
In the morning (before I got out of the bed), Intae and his mom had a little discussion about me. They felt that they could have treated me better. They felt a little bad about it. I was quite blown way...
When was the last time someone invite you to his home and house you for 20 days?
Intae and his parents are probably the nicest people I've ever met. As a matter of fact, I think they really done their utmost in accommodating me. If what they had shown me was not hospitality and love, I really don't know what to say man....
3 things I cherished most about our brotherhood
1) Our shared experience at Mei Li Xue Shan
2) That late night talk at Cafe Lin (in Lijiang)
3) His hospitality during the 20 days in Seoul.
Let me elaborate on the 2 point.
Secret revealed
This might surprise you. Around the first week of Feb, I had reservation about my trip. I was alone most of the time. Loneliness creep into my life. I felt terrible. Many thoughts comes to my mind and the one that stands out is this:
"Why am I traveling"
I lost my direction. I lost my motivation. I need encouragement.
At 1 point, I am thinking of going back to Singapore to spend CNY with my family and friends. I felt so deprived of relation and I miss everybody in Singapore badly.
On this particularly night in Cafe Lin, we started to share openly about our lives. I told Intae and Hansoo about how my relation with my dad mended over the years. Intae shares about his close relation with his family too. I took the risk and decide to be vulnerable. It was not easy for me to tell him (nor anyone for that matter) that I've intention to end my travel. I felt like a failure in some ways. I thought of how people would think of me if I go back 3 months earlier than I've planned.
"He's a failure, claims to travel 6 months but he's back now. It's not even 3 months."
I could sense that Intae could understand and related to me. He could empathise with me on the loneliness of travel and the occasional lost of motivation and travel. Not to mention homesickness. He has been thru these in the course of his 10 months of travel. He encourage me to press on and to continue what i set out to do. He never regret and so wouldn't I...
Coming from him, it was a great comfort. His understanding as a fellow (and veteran) traveler was like a double dosage of Red Bull. It motivates and encourage me.
I realise I am not alone.
Goodbye brother
We saw bus 721 approaching the bus stop. A warm hug and exchange of goodbyes, an assurance of our friendship. I boarded the bus.
Goodbye Korea. Goodbye brother
No comments:
Post a Comment