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China day in the life exploring 厦门 NSLI-Y 厦门

The first day we were at the Newark Hilton hotel was dedicated to PDO (pre-departure orientation). We went over all the rules and logics as well as take another placement test. During orientation we were also split up based on the color paper in our folder that we received. I got pink, but my team insisted on naming ourselves the "Orange Team" because 2 of our group members like oranges. My team consists of 2 girls, Sydney and Catherine, and 3 boys, Skylar, Merrick, and another Skyelar. I really like the people in my group which is good because we are together all the time. We also had a little competition between the 5 groups (each consisting of 6-7 people). We had to act out a certain word to each other and the last person had to say the word in Chinese. Our group, Team Orange, got the fastest time which gave us the prize of the latest departure time. So the next day, we had to be down in the lobby at 8:10 compared to the losing group who had to be on the airport shuttle at 6:50. After we got our breakfast from Starbucks, we took the 5 minute shuttle ride to Newark International Airport. We had our own section in "group checkin" where all the other groups were waiting for our arrival. We all checked in our bags and went through security. At first there were no problems in security but a couple people had their bags searched which made the process a little long. We arrived at our gate 20 minutes before boarding started. Most everyone, including myself, bought snacks and water bottles for the plane ride which would last 13 whole hours. I was in boarding group 4 of 5 so I got on the plane before many other participants. I was placed in row 37 E, in between a Chinese couple. Luckily another kid in my program wanted to practice his Chinese with people and switched seats with me. Then I was sitting with 2 other girls from NSLI-Y, Catherine and Cami. We binge watched tons of movies and tried sleeping on each other's shoulders. Unlike most people, I was able to sleep on the plane for the first half of the trip. The second half of the flight to we very bumpy which made my stomach upset, or maybe that was the food. Anyways, I survived that long, brutal flight. 

Once we arrived at Shanghai Pudong Airport we got all of our luggage and went through customs which was a little stressful for me because I was worried they would ask me a bunch of questions in Chinese that I wouldn't know how to answer, but thankfully they didn't. We had planned and had a scheduled flight for 6:00pm China time which gave us a 4 hour layover. However, when we tried to check in for our domestic flight we learned that it had been canceled because of thunderstorms. So while our chaperones tried to figure everything out and schedule us all another flight, we waited on the dirty but clean looking airport tiled floor surrounding our luggage. Chinese natives walked by staring at us and sometimes taking pictures. Around waiting 6 hours, our chaperones made it to the front of the extremely long line of angry travelers and fought for us to be put on a flight A$AP to Xiamen. But all the Xiamen flights had been canceled until the next day (Sunday, July 3). So as they collected all of our passports and booked us for another flight the next morning, we scavenged the airport for decently priced and decently tasting food. I ate at Star Restaurant and had dumpling soup for dinner (only 10 RMB). Then we waited some more and more and more until finally our chaperones finished booking us all for flight #9535 which would leave the next morning from Shanghai Hongjiao airport. If you were paying attention you would notice that our flight from Newark arrived in Shanghai Pudong Airport and I just said that we were flying out of Shanghai Hongjiao airport. So to answer you question, we took a bus to the other airport. It costs an extra 1500 RMB and an hour and a half later we were in the airport hotel. Because it was so last minute and there are so many of us, some people got smoking rooms. The hallway outside of my room was filled with the smell of smoke but my room was normal smelling. I passed out the minute we entered the room on a tiny bed that wasn't too comfortable. 

Our plane to 厦门

We got our wake up call at 3:45am even though it was supposed to come at 4:00am. I changed slowly, still half asleep, brushed my teeth and dragged my luggage down to the lobby. We loaded the bus, hopped into our seats just to have to wait longer because the bus' licenses plates only permitted it to drive from 5:00am to midnight. So we waited till 5 and then we drove off the lot. After a 15 minute drive we were at the airport. The only word I know that describes it is crowded. It took us a while to figure out where "check in" was located but once we did we realized how long the line was. There was no way we could get checked in, go through security, and find out gate in an hour and a half. So Dr. Chen (the director) talked to the security guards who were very nice and allowed us to go into the "priority" checking whose lines were practically empty. But it still took time to check in 30 plus students who have limited Chinese abilities. I went to row 3, which was a mistake. Apparently it was half broken but they still tried to check me in. I assume they tried to till me it might take a while but it went in one ear and out the other. So I stood there waiting while everyone around me was being checked in super fast. Finally Dr. Chen came over and told me to go to another line. After that I was checked in in less than 5 minutes. I went through security being one of the last kids in line. They checked my bag over and over looking for something the size of a rectangle. They torn it apart but still could not find what they were looking for. After the 3rd scan they realized it was just the binding of my photo book. After that I ran to our gate and was one of the last people onto the tram that took us to the airplane. It was awesome to walk onto the airplane via stairs instead of a runway styled entry. Once we got there we realized we had no chaperones and not all the students were there. They must of been held back in check in or security. So one of the girls called the chaperon and told them. They instructed us to still get on the plane. A few minutes later one of our chaperones arrived and told us that the other chaperones and participants would be on another flight later that afternoon and would meet us at Xiamen University when they get there. The flight felt so quick compared to the 13 hour flight we had taken the day before. We got a bread roll and chocolate bar and of course a drink on the plane. 

We landed in Xiamen around 8:30am. Xiamen is not what I expected it to be. It is filled with palm trees and makes me feel like I am not in China, but in Hawaii. The only thing different is the temperature. It is humid! Very very humid. You stand in the shade and the sun and there is no difference because it is not hot, but only humid. We walked for what felt like forever to the opposite side of the parking lot to a double decker bus that would take us to Xiamen University.

厦门大学

Once at the University, guess what we did? More walking. We marched through tons of tourists who stared, and we weaved through cars that seemed not to be worried that there was a high possibility they would hit us. Through the buzz of cicada and our dripping sweat, we could barely hear and see each other, but somehow we made it to the international dorms. Thank the Lord there was an elevator but you still had to climb 2 flights of stairs to get to it because the lowest level of the dorms is a restaurant. So I dragged my luggage up the stairs and nearly cried when I felt the AC hit my face. After that they collected our passports and we picked our roommates. I am now rooming with Sydney Chin. We got our room key and headed up to room #510 to rest and eat (our lunch was going to be delivered to our room). At first we weren't too thrilled with the room arrangement but once we kicked the AC up to full blast, cleaned the room with wipes, and unpacked, the room felt nice and cozy. 

Wild kitty cat

At 2:00pm we had an "optional" but strongly suggested "meet and greet" with our classroom TA's. I talked with a freshmen college student named Lexie (of course that was her American name, but I have no clue what her Chinese name is). Her English was very good and she was very nice to me by talking slowly so I could somewhat understand. After talking for a while, a couple of us played cards games like Crazy 8's, BS, and ERS. After 3 and a half hours of struggling to communicated and playing thousands of rounds of card games, we went to dinner at the University Cafeteria. I had rice, chicken, and veggies. After dinner we were free to wander and tour the University. Three of us decided to go with Lexie to see the infamous graffiti tunnel. On our way to the tunnel we stopped to pet a stray cat and dog, but do not worry, many people were touching them so I was not the only one. It was about a 2 minute walk from our dorm, but the tunnel seemed to be endless. Maybe it was the fact that they were walking so slow, but I felt like we were walking for hours and hours. We didn't even make it to the end of the tunnel because we got to tired and decided to head back to our dorms. When we made it to dorms I headed straight for my room, particularly aiming for my bed. That is where I am: in bed with legs that feel like spaghetti. It's like I just ran a cross country race. Dr. Chen was right when he warned us to get in shape for this trip. :)