The small bus stop in my village was busy with people and overloaded buses. On the ground were even more things to load. Touts were shouting the names where their buses were going.
우리 마을의 작은 버스 정류장은 사람들과 가득 찬 버스들로 붐볐어요. 바닥에는 실을 것들이 아직도 남아있었어요. 암표상들은 버스 행선지들을 외치고 있었어요.
“City! City! Going west!” I heard a tout shouting. That was the bus I needed to catch.
“시내! 시내! 서쪽으로 갑니다!” 난 한 암표상이 외치는 걸 들었어요. 내가 타야 하는 버스였어요.
The city bus was almost full, but more people were still pushing to get on. Some packed their luggage under the bus. Others put theirs on the racks inside.
시내버스는 거의 찼지만, 더 많은 사람들이 타려고 밀고 들어오고 있었어요. 어떤 사람들은 짐을 버스 아래에 싸두었어요. 다른 사람들은 버스 안 선반에 두었어요.
New passengers clutched their tickets as they looked for somewhere to sit in the crowded bus. Women with young children made them comfortable for the long journey.
새 탑승객들은 티켓을 꼭 쥐고 붐비는 버스 안에 앉을 곳을 찾았어요. 여자들은 어린 아이들을 긴 여행을 위해 편하게 만들었어요.
I squeezed in next to a window. The person sitting next to me was holding tightly to a green plastic bag. He wore old sandals, a worn out coat, and he looked nervous.
난 창가 옆에 끼어앉았어요. 내 옆의 사람은 초록색 플라스틱 가방을 꽉 쥐고 있었어요. 그는 오랜 샌들과 헤진 코트를 입고 있었고, 그리고 불안해 보였어요.
I looked outside the bus and realised that I was leaving my village, the place where I had grown up. I was going to the big city.
난 버스 밖을 보고 내가 자라난 우리 마을을 떠나고 있단걸 깨달았어요. 난 큰 도시로 가는 중이었어요.
The loading was completed and all passengers were seated. Hawkers still pushed their way into the bus to sell their goods to the passengers. Everyone was shouting the names of what was available for sale. The words sounded funny to me.
짐 싣는게 끝나고 모든 승객들이 앉았어요. 행상인들은 물건들을 승객들에게 팔기 위해 버스 안으로 밀치고 들어왔어요. 각자 무엇을 팔고 있는지 외쳤어요. 단어들이 웃기게 들렸어요.
A few passengers bought drinks, others bought small snacks and began to chew. Those who did not have any money, like me, just watched.
몇몇 승객들은 마실 것을 샀고, 다른 사람들은 작은 간식을 사서 씹기 시작했어요. 나 같이 돈이 없는 사람들은 보기만 했죠.
These activities were interrupted by the hooting of the bus, a sign that we were ready to leave. The tout yelled at the hawkers to get out.
이런 행위들은 버스 경적소리에 중단되었어요. 우리가 갈 준비가 되었다는 신호였죠. 암표상은 행상인들에게 나가라고 소리질렀어요.
Hawkers pushed each other to make their way out of the bus. Some gave back change to the travellers. Others made last minute attempts to sell more items.
행상인들은 버스에서 나가기 위해 서로를 밀쳤어요. 몇은 여행객들에게 잔돈을 거슬러 주었어요. 다른이들은 마지막으로 더 팔려는 노력을 했죠.
As the bus left the bus stop, I stared out of the window. I wondered if I would ever go back to my village again.
버스가 정류장을 떠날때, 난 창 밖을 내다보았어요. 난 내가 과연 언젠가는 마을로 다시 돌아갈까 궁금했어요.
As the journey progressed, the inside of the bus got very hot. I closed my eyes hoping to sleep.
여행이 진행되면서 버스는 매우 더워졌어요. 난 내 눈을 감고 잠들기를 바랬죠.
But my mind drifted back home. Will my mother be safe? Will my rabbits fetch any money? Will my brother remember to water my tree seedlings?
하지만 내 생각은 집으로 향했어요. 어머니는 안전하실까? 내 토끼들이 돈을 가져갈까? 내 동생이 나무 묘목에 물을 주는걸 기억할까?
On the way, I memorised the name of the place where my uncle lived in the big city. I was still mumbling it when I fell asleep.
가는 길에 난 삼촌이 큰 도시에서 사는 곳의 이름을 외웠어요. 잠에 들때도 중얼거리고 있었죠.
Nine hours later, I woke up with loud banging and calling for passengers going back to my village. I grabbed my small bag and jumped out of the bus.
아홉 시간 뒤에 난 커다란 두들기는 소리와 내 마을로 돌아가는 사람들을 부르는 소리에 깼어요. 난 내 작은 가방을 들고 버스에서 뛰어내렸어요.
The return bus was filling up quickly. Soon it would make its way back east. The most important thing for me now, was to start looking for my uncle’s house.
돌아가는 버스는 빠르게 차고 있었어요. 금새 동쪽으로 돌아가겠죠. 나에게 지금 가장 중요한건, 삼촌의 집을 찾기 시작하는 것이었어요.
