Where is Home?
International Christian School, Hayne Lee, Fiction: Group 2
W
ere we lost? These three words swirled around my brain, causing tears to fall onto
the ground. A few hours ago, we were with the tour guide. My parents, my older
brother, and I came to the Gobi desert to learn about the history, but now, the only
thing that captured our eyes was sand, sand, and more sand! I rubbed my eyes
and blinked a few times in disbelief as terrible ideas crept up mind. Will we survive, or would
we perish in this barren, sandy wasteland? Many perceptions came, one after another, as a black
thread of fear swirled around my heart, causing an ache. Another tear tumbled and tricked down
to the ground, where it got sucked up by thirsty, dry, earth. We walked for hours and hours, until
our legs felt weak and we collapsed. We finally accepted the fact that we were lost.
As I peered through the distance, I spotted a few men, coming this way. Thoughts of hope
arrived and burst into my mind. Were they going to rescue us? Would we live? When they
finally reached us, we praised and glorified the Lord, while the men stared at us, chatting to each
other in Chinese.
After noticing how hungry and thirsty we were, they provided us fresh water and bread to
satisfy our thirst and hunger. I gobbled up 2 pieces of bread, and speedily gulped down 4 cups
of water to wash it down. Ahh…. That was much, much, better for sure! Next, they used obvious
hand gestures to guide us to their home, a small village. The villagers stared at us like we were
aliens. I tried to avoid their gazing, because it made me feel awkward. They started to chat in their
language, until their chatting became more like a fighting. They began shouting at each other, as
they frowned and shook their heads in disbelief. Suddenly, they shoved each other. I was surely
very terrified. Their tough faces scowled at us. As I backed up and trembled for our safety, the
argument eventually died down, it seemed that they came to an agreement.
A man gestured his hands to follow him, and he showed us our way to a place where we met a
tough looking old man, who was the tribe leader. He spoke in his low, deep voice, something, but I
surely didn’t understand. The old man’s chanting soon came to a final end. Another man brought
us to a house, actually a tent, quite far away, where we rested and slept. The place was quite
comfortable, with cushy beds and warm blankets.
The next day, the villagers woke us up we were students that day: they taught us how to speak
their language. After all that learning, I was sure: it was a tiring day. We all cuddled up and
snored away.
The day after that day, my dad went with a few men and went hunting and training, while
my mom cooked with the women. My brother went to this huge tent with other boys and learned.
I was unlucky, I enjoy running and moving around, but I was stuck in a uncomfortable chair and
practiced Chinese. Still, I had breaks between my learning. I was really thankful for that. I was
still hopeless at their culture and wished to return to Korea.
I was glad that the meals were extremely yummy and extra ordinary, just my taste. They
made super good potato soup and corn soup. We also had rice, not forgetting the spiced beans, and
on special occasions, meat. Delicious, isn’t it?! The bad news is, there are only two meals each day,
not enough for a Korean like me, but still really tasty.
I’ve been learning for the past few months, and I’ve finally mastered Chinese. I’m used to all
