These last few weeks Morgan and I have been teaching everyday at a summer English course. We are helping out our friend and enjoying the staff and children. I teach mornings and Morgan teaches afternoons. To take a taxi everyday round trip would be expensive! ($3.41) BUT, to take the local bus it is only 20 cents. Of course this is most logical and here is where my story about the bus begins.
Now, we take the bus here and there, like to the local veggie store or down town, but it is always on our outings. I enjoy the bus and as a ‘people watcher’ this is one of the best places for it. As I travel daily by bus I find myself starting to feel like a local. If I jumped in a taxi it would take me about 10 min to arrive to the same destination that it takes the bus 30 minutes. I stand at the bus stop waiting for bus #82 and wait, wait, wait. I wonder if every time I just miss it so I am standing there while everyone gets on other buses. Finally the bus arrives and I pull out my bus pass that gives me a 4-cent discount and rush for a seat, but usually they are already gone. I find a spot to stand and hold on the rail while the bus stops and turns. Mind you I have a travel coffee mug and English books, trying to read and overlook my lesson. I seem to have many onlookers as I sip my coffee, read the books and grasp the handle bar. I am not the only one however; there are so many types of people that take the bus. I see the older woman with her toddler grandchild holding a bag of veggies from the early morning market. I wonder to myself what time she had to get this little one out of bed to save money. I see the school student half a sleep standing with their head up against the handrail. I wonder too, what kind of stress this student may have and feel bad that their summer is spent in school. I see the construction worker with his bag in hand, electric drill of some kind and PVC pipe he has managed to get onto the bus and lay on the ground. I always chuckle thinking my brothers would be shocked at the sight and wonder if they know how good it is to have a work truck. The best part is hearing two women in their 50’s talking about something very loudly. It seems as if they are yelling at each other but it just a good conversation. The whole bus can hear and no one seems to be listening; yet I think they all are. I see a young boy about 10 years old with a bus pass around his neck, kind of like the latch key idea. Oh and I love wondering what went through someone’s mind when they put on such clashing clothing. Really I think I should take a few photos around town, because there is no way I can describe some of the combinations, you won’t believe me. Last I hear a shout from the driver to move back and make more room for the others to pile on. I counted about 35 seats and well over 50 people were on the bus.
I mentioned about personal space? Well there is none. Personal space is definitely overrated here in Asia. My shoulders are touching someone I do not know and will never meet again. That person is looking over my shoulder trying to learn English from my lesson plans and whispering “big dog” right in my face. My feet are so close to someone else that if I move I may loose balance, but I guess it wouldn’t matter if I fell because I would be a standing sardine anyway. The bus is so full I have to count the bus stops after I know we have turned onto the right street. One, two, three, ok that’s me. By stop # 2, I am working my way to the back of the bus so I can have enough time to exit. But even then I feel like I have to run and jump because the bus driver only allows 2.5 seconds per stop for people to get off. You’re just out of luck if you don’t jump!
Today, on my way home I got lucky. I got a seat and I sat down. I turned on good music and listened while passing by all the Asian sights. I had a smile on my face and thought about how crazy my life is at times. I am so thankful for this life experience. It reminds me nothing of home, but today when I looked outside that bus window, I felt at home.
