24 Hours on Board My family and my friend come to the airport early in the morning to send me off

because I am going abroad to study in the US for 2 years. I have to connect 3 flights from Bangkok to Raleigh. I check in at the counter of United Airlines. We have a little time to say goodbye to each other before I walk through the gate, through which the visitors cannot enter. My mother doesn't say much, but I know she will miss me a lot because I haven’t planned to go back home during my study in the US. The ticket from Thailand to the US is very expensive. When I'm on the plane alone, it's quite a weird feeling because it's my first time with a long stay in a foreign country. I did everything in my power for my chance to study in another land. It's like this journey is ending. I took several proficiency tests for travelling to the US. I passed them. Then, I got a scholarship. My family are happy. I'm their pride. I succeed in hitting each target until I can sit on this plane, but for a while, I realize that I'm in the beginning of this story instead of the final phase. Actually, the journey is just starting.

Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok)

After I pass all processes in the airport, I walk into the airplane and find my seat. I hope there is a display screen for decreasing boredom on the long flight. Thank God, it has a screen to entertain me. I sit on my chair. I don’t talk with anyone much, but just eat brunch and watch some programs on the screen. I have to transfer at the Narita Airport in Tokyo. This flight takes 6 hours. This is my second time in Japan. The first time, I came here to visit my friend who worked in Nagoya. So, I used that chance to travel in Japan. Before I got off the plane, I start talking with a woman next to me. At the first time, I think she may be Chinese. I’m not sure. Every Asian looks the same. Someone said that I look like Japanese sometimes. Now I arrive at the Narita Airport. I have just 2 hours in the airport before starting a very long flight to Chicago in the US. What I should do within 2 hours to make me feel that I’m visiting Japan. I walk to a toilet. I think Japan is the only place which utilizes the high technology of flush toilet in almost all restrooms. It’s comfortable and a little bit strange because I can just push a button to make it clean. Then, I begin to be hungry, but food in the airport is not low priced. I still have some food in my bag. So, I eat it instead. There are a lot of interesting beverages which attract me in vending machines. I want to try everything, but it’s too much. I use some remaining Japanese coins from the previous trip to buy a small bottle of green tea. I wait in front of the gate for a while before I get on the plane. Then, the plane takes off.

Narita Airport (Tokyo)

Fortunately, my seat is next to an aisle. It’s easier to move to a restroom. Two strong and hard American soldiers sit beside me. They look friendly. Their legs look quite uncomfortable because they are also tall, but that does not happen to me. I hear some conversations about their expression in Afghanistan. Oh! I would like to ask them about it, but I am quite afraid. I try to sleep many times, but it does not work. I have insomnia. I don’t know which meal I take, breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner I don’t know. I just follow what they serve. This flight from Tokyo to Chicago lasts 10 hours. I frequently look at a monitor to see where the plane is flying. Is it near the destination? Eventually, I reach Chicago O’Hare International Airport safely in the late afternoon. This airport is very huge. There are five terminals. I have to take an internal skytrain to go to another terminal. Chicago is a big city. I hope I can come here again to travel in this fabulous city. I have to declare my money because I take a lot of cash and traveler cheques on this trip. I’m nervous about this money since yesterday before this travel because I have to travel alone. My company gave me cash before travelling in case they cannot transfer money instantly when I arrive. So, I can have cash to pay for food and accommodation before I have an account in the US to get the money transfer from the company. After passing all processes, I wait at the departure gate. I try to call my friend via a public phone, but it doesn’t work. I lose my remaining coins with this device. I attempt to exchange my big bill to some coins, but nobody has it. Luckily, someone from Raleigh helps me and lends me her phone. Thank you very much. I hang around for 4 hours before getting on the plane. Travelling from Chicago to Raleigh takes around 2 hours.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Finally, the airplane is landing in Raleigh. I fall asleep during the flight from Chicago to Raleigh due to fatigue from a long voyage. When I open my eyes, it's dark at night. It's almost midnight. I see flat buildings which are the buildings of airport as it's different from the high buildings in Bangkok. This place where I have to live for 2 years. I have to do this mission around 730 days. I don't mean that it's a long time to live here or I would like to go back home, but I mean that this responsibility is important. Many people leave their hope with me. My company expects. My family are proud. I become their hope. I tell myself that please don't make them disappoint. I believe I can do it. I don't know whether how much I can improve my English skill or I can get from the master's degree. What will happen to me next? I don't know. What about my pocket? I bring a lot of money with me in this trip. Oh! it's safe. I get my bags from a baggage carousel and walk through the passage. Is that my friend who will pick me up? I'm safe now. I'm glad to meet you, Raleigh.

RDU Airport