On October 10, 2010, my world was reversed, fast-forwarded 12 hours and completely switched backwards from everything I've ever known. "Don't freak out," was all I kept telling myself as I wandered my way toward the arrivals gate at Beijing Captial International Airport. "Don't look suspicous or scared. Just try to blend in." Armed with my passport and pre-stamped China Visa, I knew I was prepared. I was prepared, right? Wait. What was I getting myself into?
Alone. Nothing familiar. Different.
As I approached the arrivals gate, I took my place behind one of dozen counters that was marked "Foreigner". My flight was the first of many arriving at the same time, so I was lucky enough to be relatively close to the front of line. More travelers were filing in behind me by the hundreds, carry-ons in hand, speaking all different languages. I heard someone speaking English off in the distance. British English. Still foreign to me. People pushed and shoved their way into lines and stood on top of each other to avoid cut-ins.
With swollen ankles from my 13-hour flight, there I was, inching my way to the front, my heart racing with anxiety and fear of the unknown. After about a half hour, finally, it was my turn at the arrivals counter. The man took my passport without a word. I smiled. There was no return smile. He made a slash across my Visa, said "OK," and pointed for me to walk on through. I breathed a quick sigh of relief ... and I was on my way to baggage claim.
Surprisingly, retrieving my two checked bags and clearing customs were the easiest parts of my arrival. Baggage carts were available by the dozen, just like grocery carts, lined up along every wall. I grabbed one and booked it toward carousel #41. My baggage was right there waiting for me, neatly stacked side-by-side, with the green ribbons I'd attached streaming happily as identification. Customs was just a walk-through gate. No one even checked anything, as long as you weren't claiming any goods out of the norm. Phew!
Now, imagine you're a movie star on the Red Carpet with paparazzi lining the walkways holding signs, wearing fan t-shirts and shooting photos. That's what the arrivals gate in Beijing is like, except it's all Chinese faces staring back, and they're all waiting to pick up someone other than you.
Pushing my cart of luggage, I looped around to the far end of the "receiving" line and I heard someone yell my name. A familiar face! Pushing through the sworm of people, I could see my friend, Anne, there to pick me up. If it wasn't for her, I would have been doomed to somehow take a taxi cab by myself to a place that I didn't even know how to pronounce in Chinese. Thank goodness for Anne and her Mandarin skills. She was truly a lifesaver who put me at ease in this foreign place.
As if the airport wasn't an adventure in itself, I knew from that point on would be a great struggle to do anything that involved communication. Checking in. Eating. Working. Training colleagues. Getting from place to place.
I was overwhelmed ... but mostly humbled and intrigued. Much more to come!
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