The Power of Hello - A brief story about a special person

Universal Language

The Power of “Hello”

JoAnn is quite a unique person, having agreed to this journey along the silk Road, sharing my vision and accepting my assurances as sufficient to embark. Still, as a reasonable person she began with some concern. It had not passed in Urumqi, and by Kuqa she had gained some confidence that the plans were working. Hotels, while not perfect were more than adequate, we were finding restaurants, and the sights were more than we had imagined.

JoAnn began to say “Hello” to everyone she saw. The joy in her bright and cherry voice was unmistakable to everyone. Whether “Hello” was a word was less material than the tone. Nearly everyone, responded in kind.“Hello,” “Ni Hao,” “Hi,” or just a wave were responses from startled Chinese. This is not the Chinese custom, accosting people on the street, but JoAnn was able to make friends, with a voice and a gesture that is universal.

Richard the academic, has studied Chinese for four years while JoAnn has a vocabulary of four words, mostly where is the bathroom, and can you bring me a napkin.Yet, her happiness and warmth projects to all humans and she communicates to the Chinese far better than I, with all my knowledge.We are now on a train from Lanzhou to Tianshui and have been travelling in China for twenty days and Joann has spread her joy and friendship, her warmth for everyone, through western China.