Monday, July 17, 2006

The Journey to Asia Begins...

Yesterday, well, kind of "yesterday" (Saturday evening), after saying goodbye to my family, I flew out from Kansas City. That flight went to Los Angeles, where I connected to my other flight going to Taipei, Taiwan. That flight was about 12hrs long, and it was great! I had an aisle seat (which I NEVER get!), and the seat next to me was empty! So, I was able to stretch out and sleep for most of the flight! Whew, I really needed that rest, especially after staying awake for over 24hrs packing the previous days!

Early this Monday morning, around 5:00am, (yes, Sunday never really existed on my calendar, because of the time zone adjustment in traveling) my plane arrived in Taipei. After going through customs, getting my luggage, and changing my money from US$ to New Taiwan dollars, I went through the exit and looked for my friend's brother, who was picking me up. He helped me to the parking garage and took me to my hosts' apartment across the city. We'll probably hang out sometime when he's not working.

It is good to be with my hosts as well. We graduated from the same college in Missouri, and it is neat to see what they are doing here. I'll visit their Chinese class this afternoon, and it will be interesting to see how their classes are set up and how their teacher's style differs from mine in Beijing. I'm hoping to gain some insights so I am also better able to study Chinese on my own and in my classes.

This evening's plans are still uncertain. I'm hoping to hang out with my friend's brother. We'll see what happens.

You never know what will happen on one's journey to the wonderful areas of this vast place called Asia!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Waiting...

As I sit here at my desk, which consists of a card table, a chair, and my laptop surrounded by various desktop items, I am holding a cordless phone to my ear listening to the music and announcements on the holding system audio-program of the airlines I'm taking out of Kansas City this Saturday. I'm calling to confirm my flight for Saturday, which I don't really have to do until tomorrow evening, but I always overdo the confirmations on these international flights - especially after my flight was cancelled and rescheduled a few times in the summer of 2003 when I was going to Asia during the SARS scare... The airline’s audio recording told me I have a minimum of 10 minutes to wait for the next available service representative... It is also interesting to note all of the airline’s wonderful services and bonuses for which you can apply, services and bonuses I didn't know about until I was waiting on their phone lines! As I think a little deeper on the topic, it is interesting to be represented by a red light that is somewhere blinking incessantly on a phone at the desk of a tired and probably underpaid service representative who is probably sick of answering all of the same questions we travelers are bound to ask.

Usually, I don't write on things like calling to confirm my flight. It does seem rather frivolous doesn't it?

In any case, this week is an interesting experience. It is a period of waiting. Waiting to say goodbye to all my family for 2 years, waiting to go reunite with friends overseas, waiting to get on my flight, waiting, waiting, waiting... Actually, I don't really mind all the waiting. Waiting to say goodbye to my family means I have precious time to spend with them - time I don't want to take for granted. Waiting to reunite with friends overseas means the time we spend together will be even that much more profound. Waiting to get on my flight means I still have time to run to various stores to buy all of those things I ought not forget, pack all of the things I'm not sure I have room for, and get all my paperwork in line so I will be able to obtain the visas I need!

Waiting on the phone line of some airlines, my personhood represented as a red light blinking incessantly as a tired service representative dreads another call from someone like me... Eh, waiting isn't so bad... After all, I can almost recite this audio recording from memory now!

What did I call the airlines for again…?