WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:07.599
I walked into a small building just outside of the home stay without really knowing what I was about to do.
00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:11.919
They asked me if I wanted to participate in a spa treatment.
00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.839
So I said, sure, why not?
00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:16.719
And then I really just didn't know what to expect.
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:28.079
My translator Joanna and I were taken into rooms next to each other and I was led into a bamboo-lined space with a deep soaking tub already filled and waiting.
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:39.439
I was told that I would sit in the herbal bath for a set amount of time and then take my body out for the same amount of time and then repeat the cycle a few times.
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.439
I was also given tea and just asked to keep drinking it.
00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:45.679
Then it went quiet.
00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:57.280
I wasn't on my phone, but I kept fidgeting, shifting my towel, wondering how much time had passed, and feeling ready to be done before I was actually done.
00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:06.719
And it wasn't because I wasn't enjoying the moment, but it was more because my body felt like it should be moving, it should be doing something.
00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:13.040
Sitting with my thoughts for that long took a lot more effort than I expected.
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:24.719
This experience happened during my stay at Ying Xingu Homestay in Changxing County in China, where I spent time talking with the owner, Zhou Junbei.
00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:31.840
Throughout the conversation, Joanna translates, so you can hear Miss Zhou Junbei's story in her own words.
00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:34.480
Everyone has a story to tell.
00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.840
We connect and relate to one another when we share our stories.
00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.519
My name is Melia Old, and I am your host of Voices of Inspiration.
00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:46.640
Join me as I share stories of friends, family, and strangers through my everyday life and travels.
00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:54.799
We will laugh, possibly cry, or walk away feeling connected more than ever to those around you and ready to be the change our world needs.
00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:56.799
Everyone has a story to tell.
00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:58.159
What's yours?
00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.359
I'm Amelia Old and this is Voices of Inspiration.
00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:12.080
Qingxing County sits in northern Zhejiang, close to the Jingsu border.
00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:21.599
It's not the part of China most travelers picture first, but it's known inside the country for one thing in particular, ginkgo trees.
00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:26.800
Qingxin is known for the ginkgo corridor that runs through this part of the county.
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:34.639
The park stretches for more than 12 kilometers through the valley and includes tens and thousands of ginkgo trees.
00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:38.560
Many of them are already hundreds of years old.
00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:45.680
In autumn, people come here specifically to walk the corridor and spend time in the surrounding villages.
00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:55.199
There are small hotels and homestays scattered through the nearby towns, including the place where this conversation took place.
00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:58.560
This homestay is called Ying Xing Gulli.
00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:00.960
Ying Xing means ginggo.
00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.120
Guli means hometown.
00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:05.280
Her name is Jojin Bei.
00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:07.599
She is the owner of this place.
00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:27.680
She has two homestays, and this one, she's the owner of this one, the ancient hometown of the gingo tree, and nearby there is another homes homestay.
00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:28.479
Yeah.
00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:42.479
When people from other countries come to America, they always talk about how excited that they were because they saw it on TV and the movies.
00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:49.439
And so they thought that going to the States was like in a s in a story, in a film.
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:58.479
And I wanted you to know, being here, I had that same feeling.
00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:11.680
And when I walk into your rooms and see the curtains open and see the surroundings, I asked myself out loud, is this real life?
00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:13.680
Am I really living here?
00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:21.040
First of all, thank you for your sharing your feeling.
00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:30.639
And uh, you know, actually she has been working here for 10 years to do this business for 10 years from the city.
00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:38.560
Nowadays, the Chinese villagers are much more richer than what we expected to than before.
00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:43.839
When you work in the countryside, you see the village is so clean, yeah, right?
00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:52.959
And people are always smiling and they they are doing very well, actually, very happy, very lucky, very happy.
00:04:53.120 --> 00:05:00.720
And so nowadays the village life is totally different from maybe twenty years ago or thirty years ago.
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.639
She um spent a lot of time here.
00:05:04.800 --> 00:05:12.480
One half is working and one half is to living and you know, happy life.
00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:21.040
What first inspired you to open your homestay here among these ancient trees?
00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:27.839
What connection do you feel personally to this particular area?
00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:34.319
Uh what she the mean to ja ying sinkuria now.
00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:47.199
Before uh she started this business, homestay, actually uh she's she was doing the tea industry, the tea, making tea and selling tea.
00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:55.040
And uh but she always had a heart or affection of the hometown.
00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:59.439
Uh we know this is a kind of homesickness or something like that.
00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:11.439
It's it's kind of feelings and uh uh she chose the name of Guli in Chinese, literally means hometown to be the name of the tea brand.
00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:17.199
About 10 years ago, she always had a dream of owning her homestay.
00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:26.399
And uh her elder sister asked her, Well, don't you want you operating a homestay?
00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:32.000
Well, I have a you know villa, a villa available for you, and then you can do that.
00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.480
And then she started this business.
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:38.319
Actually, this house belongs to her elder sister.
00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:54.000
After building up this house, this villa, and she asked a lot of teachers or professionals to ask for the name of this homestay, and uh she got more than ten names.
00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:18.639
She felt she was not satisfied with this names and always had a heart, it's a deep heart in hometown, the ghoulie, and then say, wow, uh since my house, my homestay, just located in this area, and this area is famous for the ancient gingo trees, the hometown of the gingo tree.
00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:24.079
Why not just call my homestead homestead of gingo tree home?
00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:24.720
Yeah.
00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:26.959
That's the name, Y Singuli.
00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:31.759
But actually, that's the t that's the story 10 years ago.
00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:46.639
And then when the government here, the government wants to choose a name and rename this part of the scenic spot, and the government said, Wow, you you used the hometown of the gingo tree?
00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.040
That's what we want to call this place.
00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.800
So um that's an interesting story, I think.
00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:53.759
The hometown.
00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:54.639
Yeah.
00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:55.759
I love that.
00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:09.360
What values or traditions from your own upbringing, your own life, maybe even as a child, have you tried to bring into the homestay?
00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:30.639
First of all, I was born in a very well-educated family, and uh my grandfather, my father, my father now was a painter, is a painter.
00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:34.960
Yeah, uh ish he was an uh artist, yeah.
00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:46.240
And so when I grew up in such family, uh I think I was also have the good taste for the beauty, for the art.
00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.840
Yeah, this is the one thing.
00:08:48.080 --> 00:09:00.799
And the second thing, uh also when I grow up where um my parents, my family tells me how to treat people, how to treat your neighborhood.
00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:02.559
Yeah, that's another thing.
00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:08.000
And the third thing, uh, we I want to say the gingo tree.
00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:13.039
You know, the gingo tree in Chinese culture it's a symbol of longevity.
00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:22.320
You know, in this corridor, this is the what 10 miles, uh 10 miles of the gingo tree corridor.
00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:28.159
Uh here there are totally more than 30,000 gingo trees.
00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:37.200
And among these, there are more than 2,400 gingo trees, which were 100 years, more than 100 years.
00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:50.080
We also see, you know, the king of the gingo tree 1,300 years old, and another queen of gingo tree, also 1,200 years.
00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:53.200
So the gingo trees are the symbol of the longevity.
00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:54.399
You can live long.
00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:58.399
It's kind of sustainable uh development, I think.
00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:03.600
And also it's um energy, uh, it's a power from the life.
00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.279
I am strong women.
00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:13.919
And uh once I meet some problems or questions, I say, no, I messed it to solve it.
00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:19.600
I won't be afraid of any challenges or questions or difficulties.
00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:21.679
That's that's the suit of case.
00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:22.879
That's a piece of cake.
00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:24.879
I can conquer it.
00:10:25.120 --> 00:10:28.480
I'm a strong woman, just like the gingo tree.
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:29.600
Oh, I love that.
00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:35.679
I feel like I can relate to that um a great deal in my own life, so I love that.
00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:38.000
I want to take a moment for a quick break.
00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:39.360
We'll be right back.
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:43.919
Today's episode is supported by China Eastern Airlines.
00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:53.759
They offer three nonstop routes from the United States to Shanghai Pudong, which is how I traveled while working on this series.
00:10:54.080 --> 00:11:00.720
China Eastern is headquartered in Shanghai and is one of China's major international carriers.
00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:14.639
The airline operates 108 domestic and overseas branches worldwide and serves destinations across China, Asia, Europe, and other global regions.
00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:26.080
They're also a member of the Sky Team Alliance, partnering with airlines such as Delta and allowing SkyMiles members to earn and use miles across participating carriers.
00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:34.159
On international flights, China Eastern offers three cabins of service: first-class suites, business class, and economy.
00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:40.080
Long haul routes include entertainment screens and Wi-Fi is available for purchase.
00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:54.320
If you're planning travel to Shanghai or exploring future international trips, you can find current schedules and booking information on the China Eastern Airlines website, which I'll link in the notes of this episode.
00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:01.840
Can you tell me what a visitor can expect when they come here?
00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:10.639
Um I was very fortunate, um lucky that I was able to experience some of this today with the the spa treatments.
00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:17.519
So can you just explain just a little bit of of what a visitor can experience when they are here?
00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:43.039
Actually, um we our homestay is not the best one, what I think, because there are so many modern homestays around here nowadays, more and more, right?
00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:49.440
We try to offer different kinds of experience to the customers, to our guests.
00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:51.200
In different seasons.
00:12:51.360 --> 00:13:04.559
Uh for example in um October in autumn, just now we experience uh such kind of herbal bath, right, and a kind of Chinese traditional medicine therapy.
00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:24.480
This is especially popular in winter and in uh in autumn and in spring the guests can experience the tea picking, yeah, and climbing to the tea mountain, have and and they can learn how to make the tea very traditional way.
00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:29.840
So in different seasons they there are different kinds of experienced activities.
00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:38.559
You know, there is an saying in China, or uh we often say uh a person or a human being in this life.
00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:40.720
The experience is very, very important.
00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:43.279
Uh just take my son, for example.
00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:56.960
He used to work in the state-owned company, and uh then I asked him to quit the job and to join my homestay operation.
00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:05.039
I said, wow, you have experienced what kind of working style in the company, and then come back.
00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:09.840
Uh join with me and help me help me with the operation.
00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:14.159
Yes, that's a kind of another experience, right?
00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:19.519
So um I try to offer the experience.
00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.320
The experience is very, very important, I think.
00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.840
I think that experiences are very important.
00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:36.399
My children for their Christmas gift, their their main gift is not something that's material that they can toss to the side.
00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:45.279
It's a gift of an experience, and each child gets their own experience that they share with their father and I that we do with them.
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:53.759
So it could be concert or going on a weekend trip just with my husband and I.
00:14:54.000 --> 00:15:07.519
So we feel very strongly about experiences because those create memories and those stay with you far longer than some toy or technology piece that will be tossed to the side in a couple of months.
00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:27.120
Is there a moment or a guest story that you've had over the last few years, um, since the beginning, that has reminded you or stopped you in your tracks to make you feel this is um a reminder of why I'm doing this.
00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.320
This is why it's my purpose to be here in this moment.
00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:48.320
Always hold an epic attitude that is um I will live happier happy and healthy.
00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:50.240
Live happy and healthy.
00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:55.600
And also I hope I can offer such kind of attitude to my guest.
00:15:56.080 --> 00:16:03.840
And I hope everyone who comes to my homestay can live happy and healthy.
00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:11.279
I have a strong belief that I always treat everyone who comes to my homestay as the family member, just like today's dinner.
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:17.039
I uh before the dinner I ask you um which one do you prefer?
00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:25.279
Do you want to treat you single or for a special dinner, or just uh invite you to come our table meal?
00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:26.000
Yes.
00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:30.080
And at that time you said, we want to join to the table meal.
00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:33.600
That's that's how you you see, right?
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.919
What you see, a big table.
00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:40.240
All of the uh staff and the co-workers come together.
00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:41.519
We just sit there.
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.440
It's not some formal meal, no, it's not formal.
00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:50.159
It's just like the normal family dinner.
00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:50.480
Yeah.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:50.960
Yeah.
00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:58.480
With all the people sit here and uh eat the delicious food and talk and communicate.
00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:02.159
One time a couple just lived in my home stay.
00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:07.839
And the husband just go out to go climbing, and the women just live here.
00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:15.039
And when I saw her, I say uh there are a lot of the red skin on her on her necks.
00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:26.400
And uh uh the women just said, Well, I I I don't feel comfortable, maybe because uh last night I ate something uh wrong.
00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:32.960
And then when I saw this, I said, no, you uh you must go to the hospital.
00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:34.960
Maybe there's a kind of allergy.
00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:43.519
Uh and she said, Oh, it it doesn't matter when after when my husband comes back and then have a go.
00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:45.920
And I insisted on that.
00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:50.880
No, you must go there and I I can send you to the hospital.
00:17:51.440 --> 00:18:03.519
And so I drive her to the hospital maybe uh 15 minutes, and uh when we arrived at hospital, it is hard for her to breathe.
00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:09.839
You know, maybe there is something wrong with the throat because the strong uh effect of the allergy.
00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:18.480
So the doctor said, Well, you are so lucky because you uh come to hospital immediately.
00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:19.359
Yeah.
00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:21.920
So after that, this is an accident.
00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:22.400
Yeah.
00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:29.119
After that, the man thanks me so much because he said, Well, you saved my wife's life.
00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:29.599
Wow.
00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.160
Yeah.
00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:44.319
And um after when they come back to hometown, because they they lived in a coastal city, they sent me two boxes of the seafood for you know for appreciation.
00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:45.680
Yeah, very grateful.
00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.640
That's very nice.
00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:52.160
Well, finally, I just want to say thank you so much for having me here.
00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:58.720
I this has been such a special treat, and I can't wait to return with my own family.
00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:15.599
Um, I think something special about traveling, and you mentioned that you come from a well-educated family, and so I assume that you've been able to travel or at least meet people from around the world, especially here with your home state.
00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:36.880
And um, you know, one thing is the same no matter the language, and we're all human, and um just trying to create our own best lives, and I love that when when we're brought together um in a way like this, even at dinner tonight, I thought that was very special.
00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:40.960
And so I'm very grateful for you welcoming me into your home.
00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.160
So thank you for that.
00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:57.599
And so the last question I ask everyone this question is Do you have a favorite quote or phrase or any words of wisdom that you would like to leave with um our viewers?
00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:13.759
Actually, I I don't have any specific words or phrases to learn from books or some big guy or somebody.
00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.480
Yeah.
00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:17.279
Um I always follow my heart.
00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:19.359
I always follow my heart.
00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:26.480
And if you want me to say something that I may want to share my attitude.
00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:33.839
Be honest to others and uh do everything well.
00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:38.079
And also treat others kindly.
00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:40.240
That's exactly what I was looking for.
00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:42.319
Oh shit, hi Jim.
00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:45.359
Yeah.
00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:51.599
Um that's what I meant by words of wisdom, how you live every day.
00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:55.440
So that's exactly the type of answer that I was seeking.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:04.720
And um I always ask everyone that because I think it's you you learn something from hearing every single person's answer.
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:06.319
Everyone has something different.
00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:07.519
I love that.
00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:13.119
I don't follow a big guy or me.
00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:49.039
Um of her friends always quotes the big words from Buddha, from yeah, yeah, yeah, different big guys.
00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:53.039
And uh uh she said, no, I I don't have such words.
00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:54.720
I just follow my heart.
00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.200
Yeah.
00:21:55.920 --> 00:22:02.480
I follow lots of big guys and big girls and whoever whoever is inspirational.
00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:15.519
So thank you so much for taking time to talk to me tonight and um and again for welcoming me here.
00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:17.119
I'm very, very grateful.
00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:24.400
That's the gang show that you don't have to treat you as my family member.
00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:24.880
Yeah.
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.319
Thank you.
00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:27.119
Thank you.
00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:33.519
What I experienced that afternoon ended up being one of the most unexpected parts of the trip.
00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:36.400
The herbal tea bath came first.
00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:41.599
And the water was really dark from the roots and leaves steeped into it.
00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:52.400
And as I mentioned, I was told to sit in it for a set amount of time and then step out for the exact same amount of time and just repeat that cycle a few times.
00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:55.920
It was like being in a really unique hot tub.
00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:04.559
Um, it did feel good and relaxing, but the problem that I struggled with was everything that was happening in my head.
00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:11.680
I kept shifting the towel and wondering how much time had passed and wondering if I was doing it right.
00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:14.480
Am I supposed to be in the water or out of the water?
00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:18.160
You know, how many times, how many rounds am I supposed to do?
00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:25.759
And I also caught myself wanting to just speed the whole thing up, but not because I wasn't enjoying it.
00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:28.960
It was just because I could not shut my mind down.
00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:34.160
And that's something that I struggle with on a daily basis back at home.
00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:40.000
After that, we did something that I have never done before called moxibustion.
00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:43.920
It's heated mugboard, which is held close to the skin.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:47.519
And it's like a big gourd that was put on my back.
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.720
And it was really relaxing, and I actually almost fell asleep during this process.
00:23:52.880 --> 00:24:00.640
I was actually able to shut my mind down or slow my mind down to enjoy this moment.
00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:19.759
It was really interesting because it was really heavy on my back to start with, but then it was weightless, and I could feel where the heat was traveling, and I realized I started paying attention to my body in a way I almost never do at home.
00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.480
It didn't feel like a treatment.
00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:29.440
It felt like I was being asked to stay present longer than I'm comfortable with.
00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:35.519
What stayed with me from that day wasn't anything that I could list on paper.
00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:43.519
It was this strange relief of realizing there was nothing else that I needed to do in that moment.
00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:49.200
No one was waiting on me, no one was asking anything of me.
00:24:49.839 --> 00:25:05.759
I was being checked on from time to time, but mostly I was left alone with my thoughts, noticing how often my mind reached for the next task before the one I was even in had even finished.
00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:15.759
It made me think about how many hours I spend reacting, replying, adjusting, moving forward, instead of just letting myself stay put for a while.
00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:20.079
And I think that we all struggle with that from time to time.
00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:26.240
During my time there, Jo Junbei also showed me around the little village as well.
00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:28.880
We walked over to see the bakery.
00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:31.599
Her son is in the process of opening.
00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:36.240
And later she brought me to another homestay she owns nearby.
00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:43.599
It was raining that day, and she insisted on holding the umbrella over my head the entire walk.
00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:53.759
I wanted to take it from her with Joanna translating, telling her that my mother would want the roles reversed, but she wouldn't let me.
00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:57.359
That's what my time there was like.
00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:12.400
There are a lot of small gestures, a lot of smiling and hugging among her and her staff, and it made me feel less like a guest and more like I belonged there.
00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:14.000
Mr.
00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:21.839
Junbei's photographer captured photos from my time there, and I am sharing those along with my own footage.
00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:27.519
So if you are watching the YouTube version of this episode, you'll be able to see those there.
00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:31.680
After we finished recording, I wasn't thinking about the quote.
00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:40.720
Earlier that day, sitting in that tub longer than I wanted to, I kept noticing how hard it was for me to slow down.
00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:46.720
And she hadn't mentioned Buddha or a god or a famous author.
00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:54.400
She talked about being honest with people, doing her work carefully, treating others with kindness.
00:26:55.680 --> 00:27:00.319
This was something that was personal and not something memorized.
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:06.480
And listening to her throughout the interview made the struggle that I had make sense.
00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:12.000
And somehow, that said more than anything that could have been scripted.
00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:19.839
If this story stayed with you, I hope you'll pass it along to someone who might need a reminder to slow down.
00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:30.640
If you're listening in a podcast app, taking a moment to rate and review Voices of Inspiration really does help more people find these stories.
00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:46.559
You can find more episodes at Voices of Inspiration Podcast dot com, sign up for my newsletter at Amelia Old dot com, and I'll be sharing photos and videos from this visit at Amelia Old Official on social media.
