Moment of Awakening
5:30 a.m. -- perhaps the most tranquil moment of a day in this south-eastern town in China. The dim, silvery sky was lying closely against the landscape yet in sleep. Far on the horizon vaguely appeared some colors of lightness. The street lamps were still on, and lonely-looking. I was sitting by the window on an early train that would depart from this small station in a few minutes. It was soundless around, but one with careful ears could hear the liveliness of a summer morning. Then suddenly the train started moving, and in that one second as I was leaving this unknown place, lines of street lamps went off. Brightness in the sky rapidly spread over a night’s dreams and awaked a world that had been so different in a blink of an eye. I had never seen such a moving picture before, and felt like I, too, was weaved into a corner of it.
This is one of the several moments I have always kept in my mind. By then I was 18 and had just graduated from high school in my hometown, Nanjing (or Nanking in the western way of spelling), China. I was on a graduation trip to the west end of the country from the very east where I come from. In the long break from school and before college, life felt like an afternoon languor. And more like a mystery which I could already taste some excitement of expectations, yet still had drops of fear and ambiguousness.
Now at 21, when I look back, I am always so grateful that I could have captured such a serene moment of awakening on a two-week journey right after my entering adulthood. Since then I have always been on various journeys to different places, long or short, alone or accompanied. Each time this moment is there, soothing me and securing me how lovely and peaceful this world could be even when I am far away from home.
So, dear friends, Hallo from Heidelberg, Germany! Another time away from home, now I am a third-year Chinese exchange student at Heidelberg University from Tsinghua University in Beijing. I shared that memorable moment with you the very first time I blog here in the hope that you could enjoy the same wonder of exploring a new world, maybe done many times before in your lives, but now with me.
Ciao!
Jin Lu
Comments
Wie geht's? Jin Lu Hope you´re Ok! I think this month will be too interesting ,please post some pictures from the city you live, and tell us how is the life there. Do you speak German? what are you studiying? My best regards! Rocio
What a lovely entry!! hello and welcome
......Hello, Ms Thoughtful Jin Lu(as I felt)! Welcome to this wordy world where words themselves communicate and flow a feeling or a memory. Your portrayal of a summer morning truly reminds me of such a morning when we three friends set for a journey by a train. It was wonderful but your apprehension was, maybe, somewhat of parting. "Away from home", the experience is same with me. But we have the common things as everlasting friends: the Moon, the Sky and an invisible but abstract friend, the Air....ain't I right...?....we are with you to explore your new world of BBC Blog....
Hello, and welcome Jin! Thank you for sharing this brilliant piece of memory. look forward to your next posts, and best wishes.
Hi Miss Jin Lu, nice to meet you here, How long will you stay at Heidelberg University ? Which will you introduce, Heidelberg or Chinese( Nanjing. Beijing)? Best wishes, and have a wonderful October. James/
So surprised to see the change in your english style. Perhaps it is far from maturation but still it is a nice move! Look forward to your story in Heidelberg!
Hello Jin! Welcome! I'm looking forward to reading your next posts! I'm interested too in an exchange program in Germany. I know that Heidelberg is one of the oldest and best universities there. What do you study? And how about your experience?
Hey i'm the first one to comment here. Anyway, very nice to meet you. I'm Thao and i'm from vietnam. I am now 13 years old. your entry was very good. nice start. hope you'll have a lucky month with great posts and i hope i can develop my english by reading your entries. thanks, bye.
Congratulations for a very good first post. Your english is excellent.
Hello Jin Lu! You’re welcome indeed. Depicted picture of your memories is very consistent. As you’re a student of one of German Uni you’re supposed to speak German, aren’t you? It’s beyond my understanding to be such a multilingual person! I’m looking forward to your posts.
hi, jin lu..fancy seeing you here since your last blog at BBC China.Looking forward to hearing your stories in Germany. What a fascinating place!
Hello Jin Lu! Faboulous! I think you could write mistery novels. I have felt as if I was in that small station. Welcome and I hope you a very good blog-month.
Hi Chao You are welcome for the Blog spot and hope You will share wonderful memories of the time of you spent in Bejing. Thanks
Hello Jin Lu! You’re welcome indeed. Depicted picture of your memories is very consistent. As you’re a student of one of German Uni you’re supposed to speak German, aren’t you? It’s beyond my understanding to be such a multilingual person! I’m looking forward to your colorful posts.
Nice history! I like cities with histories and legends to tell about. Recently I've been in Peru and I was so happy for to known the Inca's culture.
Nice history! I like cities with histories and legends to tell about. Recently I've been in Peru and I was so happy for to known the Inca's culture.
Hi Jin Lu, a very nice post. And a bit mysterious, too. Welcome to the blog. Have fun! :)
I'm curious about the western China city you visited then.
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