Personal Narrative: My Life Changing Trip

My Life Changing Trip
Imagine standing on a road in a warm humid place in the middle of nowhere. A place where the grass is dry, the fields are endless, and the smell of dirt stings the inside of your nose as the wind sweeps by. The roads are narrow and lonely. The only visitors that pass are the few people on bikes and the occasional rusty truck that hums as loud as a lawn mower as it carries sugar cane from a nearby farming village. As you look out into the fields, water buffalo can be seen in the distance and the periodical old woman appears carrying a long pole on her back with huge amounts of bug eaten vegetables in baskets on each end. You see a small dirt path leading off of the road into the field. The end of the path cannot be seen, but with no weeds or grass growing on the walkway it can be assumed that civilization lies ahead. Hot, sticky, bug bitten and hungry, you make your way down the path until finally you reach a small village.
The village consists of five small houses.
They look as if they are made mostly of mud with pieces of old brick here and there. In one of the houses there is a man smoking out of what looks to be a long stick. You get closer and realize that it is bamboo and the sweet smell that surrounds the house is opium. You hear the sound of a chicken squawk and turn around to see the five chickens in the middle of the village being disturbed as a little boy with dirt on his face runs towards you in curiosity. He stops just close enough to study your face but far enough to stay away from anything that may be dangerous. You don't speak the same language so you bend down on one knee and stick out your hand offering him a piece of candy. He studies your hand for a moment, and with one swift movement he darts and takes the candy out of your hand and then jumps back into his position for safety. Little boys and girls in this world have never seen white people
before.
You rise off your knee and see five women running towards you. You worry that they may be threatened by you and want you off their land, but as they get closer you see the smiles on their faces. One looks as if she is ancient and as she comes carrying a huge load of rice you stand in awe and amazement. The women start talking at you at once, and although you don't know what they are saying you realize that they are welcoming statements. They motion for you to follow and take you into one of their homes. The state of poverty is unbelievable. There is no running water or electricity, and their bathroom is an open hole in the ground. They have almost nothing but yet they offer you food and drink. You take the food to avoid being impolite. As you eat, they touch your face and your hair breathing heavily with gasps and awes. By now their children have all gathered around. You take a bottle of bubbles out of your bag and show them all how to blow through the wand sending colorful spheres through the air. They laugh and giggle and they are so happy that you are there.
The time comes to leave the village. Through the short time you were there so many new meaningful relationships were made. You walk away with a new view on the world and a new understanding of how lucky you are. These people live in an unimaginable state but remain happy and welcoming without any complaints. This is rural China, a place that completely amazes me and a place that I will never forget. The values and cultural appreciation that I walked away with are such that will always linger in my memory. Be grateful, stay close to family, and always cherish what you have for there are worlds around us with nothing.