Homecoming pt 3

h o m e c o m i n g

part 3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ATTENTION!
Again, just to let you guys know that this post is slightly different from any other posts you'll find in this blog. It's rather writings-heavy. So if you're not really into long texts or can't stand of reading a great deal of writings, simply skip it and wait till I finish all the parts. But for those who are curious enough and will to read it, you are more than welcome to do so. Enjoy!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So there were like three of us that were really going to have our flight back home that night, but there were about five of them that took us to the airport and had a brief farewell dinner. Therefore there were about ten of us in the restaurant, with only three of which were going to be taken to the airport. One of the boys that joined us in apparently had made a reservation, so despite the fully-packed restaurant, we eventually got our seats, which was a traditional Chinese round table with a spinning platform in the middle of it. It was a really interesting experience as the restaurant had small spaces between one table to another, small room, sour and sweet smell that floated in the air, and the Chinese words-exchanged that filled the room. I mean, really, the waiters literally shouted the ordered food to the cooks in the kitchen and the costumers in the other tables threw rapid fire Chinese words with the waiters in high-pitched voices.

The food served soon after was mouth-watering, although I hardly recognized what they were though (I believe they were of chicken, duck, and beef). It was already 9 PM and my flight was in two hours. As time went by, I started to be a little bit worried if I could make it on time to the airport. What even bothered me was the question if the airport was nearby or not. But it was impossible for me to ask such questions to my friends while they were having warm chats in the table, while my mom was in a frenzy, calling me where I was just to make sure I wouldn't miss the flight.

Shortly afterwards, the dinner came to an end – much to my relief. I mean, really, I had a great dinner with my friends. We talked and laughed during it and it felt like forever, but my flight was in two hours and it wouldn't be funny if I happened to miss it.

Apparently, Lavinia and Lia's flight time was also close to mine, even theirs was five minutes earlier than mine. Then we got back to our cars and rolled off straight to SFO. It was about 10.40 pm when we hit the airport. Good thing it wasn't as far from the restaurant as I had thought. It was also the first time for me to be dropped not in the departure hall, but in the parking lot.

Well, that makes sense since Lavinia who was going to have her flight that night, was also the one that drove the car. So she needed to park the car first then went to the departure hall from there. Lia and Lavinia each brought with them two colorful yet big suitcases. When they saw mine – which was only one and considerably small – they went like “How come yours is small?” So I told them that I had no idea what to bring home, except unused items, clothes, unnecessary books, and souvenirs for my family and friends. Lavinia told me. “Makes sense though, you just arrived here like six months ago. You surely don't know what to bring home.” While Lavinia and Lia themselves had studied in the US much longer than me.

When we got to the departure hall, Lia and Lavinia scurried off to the check-in counter of Cathay Pacific, while I was looking for China Airlines. Sherly willingly helped me to find the counter in the huge hall and finally we found one. Much to my surprise though, there were three girls coming from my college who happened to be at the same flight. I didn't seem to know them very well as they were practically seniors. It was a relief that I wasn't the only early-bird home-comer.

I reconciled with Lia, Lavinia, and the rest of the entourage. I also had a short chat with a girl who happened to be taking the three girls from my college to the airport. Then we moved to the scanning section. This was a very memorable moment for me, as the rest of the party walked me, Lavinia, and Lia there, because it was the place where the entourage would part with us passengers. We took pictures and walked through the scanning process. As we were lining up behind the glass wall, Lavinia gave me and Lia each a sheet of tissue. Lavinia told us to wave the tissues to the entourage waiting for us outside to enter the scanning, you know, like that kind of thing people in old times would do in farewell. It was hilarious and silly at the same time! But such memory would surely stick in my mind forever. It was probably the most memorable farewell and I didn't even care if people around us would see us doing such a thing.

It was 11.10 pm when we passed the scanners. Lavinia and Lia's flight was in five minutes while I still had ten minutes. They quickly rushed to the gate and bid me farewell, while I was walking to my gate. As I got there, people were already lining up in front of the gate entrance and I thought to myself that I was lucky. Lavinia and Lia got their points to spend some time for dinner before going to the airport. They said it would be boring if we went straight to the airport and spent plenty of time to wait for the flight (because when I travel with my family, we always get to the airport at least two hours before the flight and yes, it was hella boring).

I spotted those three Indonesian girls from my college but I didn't get to greet them again as they happened to be in a different line. Shortly after, the passengers were shoved into the gate. I felt very ecstatic when I was about to enter the gate. I was thinking “Here's where the journey back home all by myself begins! I'm beyond excited! I can totally feel it!” I had always wanted to travel and encountered challenges along the way. Sometimes I felt like doing it alone since it would give me more chance to interact with strangers in case I need something, or just make friends with fellow seatmates.

t o b e c o n t i n u e d . . .