- My father always told me his experience that was the first time he went to his university for many years ago. Obviously, he is very proud of himself, due to the long way travel alone from his hometown to a new big modern city in China (Shanghai). So I had made up my mind when I was a little child-I will go to the university alone, no matter how far it is. At that time, I had not known that I spent nearly 12 hours on the way and crossed a half of the whole world to America today.
- After receiving the school offer, I had begun to think of packing. I stared preparation on documents and it took me three days to collect and back up all the documents. First of all, I should mention that I always messed up the things with a pretty poor memory. I did not know the location of Michigan State University, even though I had gotten in the plane which was from Hong Kong to Chicago. The air travel was really nice and I have said “thank you” to the God in my heart many times, despite I am not a Christian. Because there were three beautiful girls sitting next to me and I also have found a high schoolmate, she was sitting near to me at the other side. One of those three girls is an Asian American, she asked me did I want to her salad, because her stomach could not fit the cold salad. The most crazy unbelievable thing is-I said” No thinks” to her, and then kept watching the fxxking boring film rather than chatting to her. Goddamn, how stupid I was! I am pretty sure I got up on the wrong side of the bed that day.
- I thought the MSU is placed in Detroit at first time. Therefore, I told everyone I will go studying at MSU in Detroit when I was crossing through the Chicago airport safety inspection. “There two different places,” said a big guy. I wondered, the destination of my ticket is Detroit. I did not think he is right, so I decided to think him, and then ignored the reminding.
- After four hours waiting, I got in the plane which was from Chicago to Detroit finally. I remember distinctly, I had not eaten or drunk any foods which were supplied in the second plane and kept sleeping during the whole air travel. Because I was so tried and sleepy. Suddenly, a strong shaking woke me up and it showed I had arrived a new place. “Where am I?” I asked the people who sat next to me softly. “Excuse me?” Clearly, he could not believe that I did not the destination when I had arrived. At that time, I just wanted to double checked the place.
- Fortunately, my father `s business friend whom came from New York, sent me to East Lansing by her car. Other wise, I may stayed over in the Detroit airport. I appreciated her help very much up to now, since the first time of everything is always in an adversity. Further more, I will never forget the face whose got a shock when he heard a soft, sleepy, stupid question “where am I?”
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It is a long long journey
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I was shucked at Tuesday when Yu told us that he get mistake of where is msu. And today i find anouther one of my class made it too... It is quite a big mistake I have to say. But anouther thing makes me feel you are stupid is U SAID NO TO THE GIRL!!???wow, men, then you got a so boring fly....hunmmmm in that time you should not be shy hahaha. see, you also though that girl is beutiful, you should community with her. It makes me recall the fly that takes me from beijing to chicago. I did not sleep before the day of fly. and i feel super sleepy when i got on the plane. there is a nice girl sit next to me but i was to sleepy even i can not put my eyes on her. so in the first 4 hours of flying, i just put my head in my cup... but later i finally woke up and started play rubiks cube. she noticed that i have a whole bag of rubicks cub from 2by 2 and 7by7, she got shocked. (i have to say, solving cubs make it easier to make friends.)after chating we become more closer, and we and another boy who is also from beijing and interest rubics cub become friend. until now we keep touch on face book. so, see, you can make friends on a fly.
ReplyDeletewow, Steven's comment is so long...It makes me embrassed to post mine.
ReplyDeleteSo,what were you thinking about? I mean, "Goddamn, how stupid I was!" oh,man...
I was shocked at Alissa's class when you told that you did not know the city of the school. You really did spend a hard and long journey. The advantage of the bitter experence is that it is good for us to grow up.
Fortunately, you arrived.
Hope you won't ask the same question again,haha~`
I remenber that last flight I took from shanghai to chicago. It is pretty similar situation like you. I did't knew what should I do in airport when I have arrived in chicago. I even didn't knew which station was domestic airport station. I was confused by a great number of english words. fortunately, I met a old sister who was going to study in MSU like me and we went to tranfering airport to michgan together. Unfortunately, we slept in airport on account of safety and time. It is a unforgetable experience and impressive memory to me.
ReplyDeletehaha.If I played that role as yours. I would never keep watching the movie. You know what kind of person I am. Chatting with a beautiful girl is a wonderful thing. haha
ReplyDeleteWhy did you think MSU is located in Detroit?
Your friend didn't tell you? Didn't you search the internet? That's a huge mistake.You'd better not make such a mistake after that horrible experience.
Oh... It is the same topic as your presentation! I think we all had the samiliar feeling when we were preparing our study aboard college life. The last days I was in China, I felt more and more nervous with the time past. However, I go through with it. I feel not bad in these day's American life. I hope my life can keep going better in future.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I want to say to you Leo you are very brief when you decided to travel for your first time with yourself. Second I feel really sorry about the girl in your trip it was very good chance to communicate wither specially she was Chinese American she will help you how to get to your final destination and you will have good time loss your poring time. Finally I would like to say no one come to this world and know everything we need always to ask and to help each other. I remember my story when I was in London’s airport and I did not know any English to ask while I was waiting my plane I heard to guys talking in Russian. I want to them and asked they were surprised when I talked to them in Russian and I told them that I really happy that I found someone who can understand me we spend all the time together and they help me how to get to my plane. It is really nice when you help someone.
ReplyDeletehehe,I thought the MSU is placed in Detroit at first time too. And i thought Detroit belongs to Michigan state. I came to America alone too. I did not want my parents to send me to airport because i am an adult now. and this is really a good chance to learn something.
ReplyDeleteCome on man~! I'm not going to focus on how stupid you were due to your first long long flight to Michigan State University. You know what, no one knows everything since he was born, and cannot be avoid making simple mistakes sometimes. The main point here is, you should look back and think about what you have done during the travel as well as the reasons for such things. You said your father was confident enough, I'm glad to hear that because you have a nice father. However, you should see him as your hero in mind and learn something from him, you should be more stronger when you leave away from home, that is also the common that happens to us whom leave home for university by ourselves. The most important thing is how to cope with the hassles and figure them out when they appeared. I remembered my father had told me about his experience of getting to university when he was young, he was walking for such a god damn distance with a heavy silly bag because of the poor transportation system at that time, no one with him.It is just like a miserable but exciting adventure for he. However, it is my strength that always encourage me and keep me going forward. I miss my father, mother so so so so much! But we should take care of ourselves, because it is also the only thing that our parents worry about. We are not kids anymore~ One more I'd like to say, don't miss the chance again when you feel good at a girl, hold on this happiness is also a awesome thing.~!!!! Don't be shame, will you'~ haha~
ReplyDeletewhy did all people post such long comments?
ReplyDeletemaybe you guys all have common experience on this article.
Actully, you do have a differnet journey compare to me. It kinds of funny and more scared than hurt.
That funny sentence "Where am I?" maybe let you never make same mistake.
Thank you for very very very interesting story! I really enjoyed reading your essay.
ReplyDeleteI departed Tokyo, and about 13 hours later, I arrived Detroit. I became tired because of this long flight. However, I had to take plane again to Lansing Airport. I fell in sleep as soon as I left Detroit. I did not notice I was in Lansing when the plane arrived.
From Asia to the US is very long journey. I think everyone have similar experience.
Good experience. I came to the States also alone. I flee to Detroit with a school mate,and then came to Lansing alone.At that time it is first time I do all the things by myself in another country.I did not think I feel nervous,I believe myself.Fortunately,I came to school with no troubles.
ReplyDeleteYep,I think most of us came to the USA alone.Everybody has their own different experience and thanks for sharing yours.Actually,before you come,you should know more about this state,because you said you thought it was in Detroit,that showed you did not know enough about this state.Also and Im so sorry to heard about you got in trouble when you got here.However,this experience gonna be your own unique experience and you will never forget about it.
ReplyDeleteOh,many people put long comment!
ReplyDeleteHowever, you have a good experience!
First time when I came to America,
I was with my brother and my mother.
So I never went to trip myself.
If I have chance, I really want to go
by myself one day!:-)
(I want to go a long journey!!)
1. My father always told me his experience WHEN * he went to * university for THE FIRST TIME many years ago. Obviously, he WAS very proud of himself, due to the long * TRAVELING alone from his hometown to a new big modern city in China (Shanghai). So I had made up my mind when I was a little child-I will go to * university alone, no matter how far it WILL BE. At that time, I had not known that I WOULD spenD nearly 12 hours on the way and CROSS a half of the whole world to America today.
ReplyDelete2. After receiving the OFFER FROM school *, I * BEGAN to think of packing. I stared preparation FOR documents and it took me three days to collect and MAKE THE BACKUP OF all the documents. First of all, I should mention that I always messed up * things with a pretty poor memory. I did not know the location of Michigan State University, even WHEN I had gotten in the plane which was from Hong Kong to Chicago. The air travel was really nice and I* said “thank you” to the God in my heart many times, despite THE FACT THAT I am not a Christian. Because there were three beautiful girls sitting next to me and I also * found a high schoolmate, she was sitting near * me ON the other side. One of those three girls WAS an Asian American, AND she asked me IF I wantED * her salad because THE COLD SALAD DID NOT FIT her stomach *. The crazIEST unbelievable thing is-I said” No THANKS” to her, and then kept watching the fxxking boring film rather than chatting to her. Goddamn, how stupid I was! I am pretty sure I got up on the wrong side of the bed that day.
3. I thought the MSU WAS placed in Detroit at first *. Therefore, I told everyone I WOULD go studying at MSU in Detroit when I was crossing through the SECURITY INSPECTION AT THE Chicago airport *. “There ARE two different places,” said a big guy. I wondered WHETHER the destination of my ticket WAS Detroit. I did not think he WAS right, so I decided to THANK him, and then ignored the reminding.
4. After four hours OF waiting, I got in the plane which was from Chicago to Detroit finally. I remember distinctly THAT I had not eaten or drunk ANYTHING which WAS supplied in the second plane and kept sleeping during the whole air travel B(SMALL)ecause I was so tried and sleepy. Suddenly, a strong shaking woke me up and I FOUND THAT I had arrived AT a new place. “Where am I?” I asked the people who sat next to me softly. “Excuse me?” Clearly, he could not believe that I did not KNOW the destination when I * arrived. At that time, I just wanted to DOUBLE-CHECK the place.
5. Fortunately, my father `s business friend WHO came from New York, sent me to East Lansing by * car. OTHERWISE, I may HAVE stayed over in the Detroit airport. I HAVE appreciated her help very much up to now, since EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS IN IN ADVERSITY FOR THE FIRST TIME. FURTHERMORE, I will never forget the SHOCKED face * when he heard a soft, sleepy, stupid question “where am I?"
WHEN I CAME TO THE STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS 15. OTHER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS LEFT JAPAN TOGETHER, BUT GRADUALLY PEOPLE SPREAD OUT. AND PROBABLY I WAS ALONE IN THE AIRPLANE FROM CHICAGO TO SYRACUSE. I STILL REMEMBER FELLING THE SENSE OF RELIEF WHEN I MET MY HOST FAMILY AT THE AIRPORT. ANYHOW, I TALKED WITH A JAPANESE WOMAN ON THE WAY BACK TO JAPAN A COUPLE YEARS AGO. BUT I GUESS SHE DID NOT WANT TO TALK TO ME...