Leaving China

May 20-21, 2011

Our last day of class was a half-day. After our last couple hours of instruction, we each received a course-completion certificate.

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For lunch, a group of us went to a restaurant called Big Pizza. It was kind of like a Chinese version of Cici’s, except with beer: all you could eat buffet plus all you could drink beer from their flat, dirty keg for about $7. Neither the food nor the beer were any good, but we had a blast and stayed for hours.

Big Pizza beer

The gang at Big Pizza.

Megan had a pirate patch as part of her treatment for Beijing pollution-induced corneal ulcer.

That night, the entire group of Americans headed downtown to see an acrobat show. A mixture of poor planning, tardiness, and bad traffic made us late. Since I wasn’t there for the beginning of the show and any introductions or instructions, I wasn’t sure what the rules for photography were, so I didn’t take any pictures or videos. The show was impressive and fun. My favorite part was when 13 women all climbed onto one bike and rode it around the stage.

After the show, Megan, Ashley, and I traveled back to our favorite streets near our old hostel by the Drum Tower. We hung out in some of our favorite bars and I did some last minute souvenir shopping. It was a great last night in China!

Ashley is angry that I'm leaving China.

I was very sad the next morning as I packed up my stuff to leave. Megan and Ashley were staying in China for a while longer, but I had to go home to start my summer job. I thought by the end of 3+ weeks I would be ready to go home, but I truly was not. I had such a great time and was disappointed I’d be missing out on the next leg of travel with my friends.

I had one last bit of Chinese excitement to deal with for my departure. After I climbed in my taxi, the driver asked which terminal I was flying out of. I didn’t know, and didn’t know I needed to know, since I’m used to American airports where the airlines/terminals are listed on big signs as you approach the airport. I ran back inside the hotel to ask the front desk which terminal carried Air China, and they assuredly told me Terminal Two.

After I was dropped off at Terminal Two, I made my way through the first security line with my big bags. Once I was inside, I looked and looked for the Air China ticket desk but couldn’t find it. I finally asked someone, and she told me Air China was at Terminal Three! She told me to go back out through security and take the bus to the correct terminal. I lugged my big bags (now extra heavy with both my souvenirs and stuff Megan and Ashley were sending back) outside and looked for the inter-terminal bus. And looked and looked, and was waved away from several bus drivers I tried to ask for more information. I thought I had left for the airport with plenty of time, but as the minutes ticked away I was getting more and more nervous. Perhaps my time in China was going to be extended….

Finally, a kindly porter came over to help me. We had some trouble understanding each other at first. He kept trying to get me to follow him, but I didn’t know where he was trying to take me. I finally figured it out, and he led me to the right area for the right bus. It was far away – back inside and downstairs and a long walk. I was so grateful! He got the biggest tip I’d given anyone yet in China.

I’m happy to say my Beijing-New York flight was a million times better than my New York-Beijing flight! No delays, no screaming baby, no middle seat, no puking neighbors. Flying should always be like this! I was able to read and sleep in peace, and just like that, I was home.