theymadeittheirbusinesstostandalongtherailway,wavetocompletestrangersandcheerthemupasthey

rushedtowardsPenang.Oftenwholefamiliesstoodoutsidetheirhomesandwavedandsmiledasifthoseon

thetrainsweretheirfavoriterelatives.ThisisthesimplevillagepeopleofMalaysia.Iwasmoved.

IhadalwaystraveledtoMalaysiabyplaneorcar,sothiswasthefirsttimeIwasonatrain.Ididnot

particularlyrelishthelongtrainjourneyandhadbroughtalongadozenmagazinestoreadandreread.Ilooked

aboutthetrain.Therewasnotonefamiliarface.IsighedandsatdowntoreadmyEconomics.

ItwasnotlongbeforethetrainwasacrosstheCausewayandinMalaysia.JohoreBaruwasjustanother

citylikeSingapore,soIwastiredoflookingatthecrowdsofpeopleastheyhurriedpast.Aswewentbeyond

thecity,Iwatchedthestraightrowsofrubbertreesandmilesandmilesofgreen.Thenthefirstvillagecame

intosight,ImmediatelyIcamealive;Idecidedtowavehack.

Fromthenonmyjourneybecameinteresting.Ithrewmymagazinesintothewastebasketanddecidedto

joininMalaysianlife.Theneverythingcamealive.Themountainsseemedtospeaktome.Eventhetreeswere

smiling.IstaredateverythingasifIwaslookingatitforthefirsttime.

ThedaypassedfastandIevenforgottohavemylunchuntilIfelthungry.Ilookedatmywatchandwas

surprisedthatitwas3:00pm.SoonthetrainpulledupatButterworth.Ilookedatthepeopleallaroundme.

Theyalllookedbeautiful.Whenmyunclearrivedwithasmile,Ithrewmyarmsaroundhimtogivehima

warmhug(拥抱).Ihadneverdonethisbefore.Heseemedsurprisedandthenhisweather-beatenfacewarmed

upwithahugesmile.Wewalkedarminarmtohiscar.

Ilookedforwardtothereturnjourney.

B.pleasant

C.exciti