Yesterday was my freak out day. It happened several times while getting ready for the trip. I had driven to Chicago and stayed with my brother and his family. Elise was going to be staying with them while I was gone. I had re-packed my suitcase several times just in the time I was there and was becoming a bit overwhelmed with the logistics.
Spreading out the goodbyes was probably a good thing for me. I said goodbye to Perry and Carson on Wed and then Elise on Thursday. What seemed like a great idea in March when I signed up for this trip wasn't seeming like such a great idea when I said those goodbyes.
Perry called when I was waiting in the international security line and I literally fought back tears. That is so unlike me. Perry's calm nature usually counteracts my overwhelming anxiety and knowing that I was going to have to put my big girl pants on and do it alone was terrifying. (I traveled with a group from work last year but our group was so knowledgeable about international travel that I never felt anxious.)
It was reassuring that Lara, our team leader, was having much the same emotions. She's a mom to 6 and left 5 of them behind for this trip (her daughter Miranda is one of our team members). I thought I'd juggled a lot to get my husband and 2 kids ready for the trip. I can't imagine adding 4 more people to that mix!
Once we met in person, all worries just melted. It was good to have that moment of anxiety because it solidified what the trip means. It's not just a vacation, we're going to work with kiddos who have no moms and dads.
I didn't think the flight was terrible. I did none of the work or reading I brought with me, I just watched movies. I think there is a Reese Witherspoon movie playing every time I fly to China (this time it was the June Carter movie). I was hoping to sleep a lot on the plane but had a hard time getting comfortable and falling asleep. Interestingly, I was the only non-Asian in my section of the plane. No English was spoke around me (there were several large family groups in my section) and I found that comforting. Smiles go a long way in the universal language of kindness. One time as I walked back to my seat, the little older Asian woman sitting behind me was standing on her seat struggling to get something into the overhead storage. Most people were asleep. I steadied her and shut the compartment back up when she done. She gave a huge smile and that was the highlight of the flight.
We arrived in Beijing EXHAUSTED! The flight arrived at 6:30ish pm. We met up with our guide and checked into our hotel. We headed out for dinner at 8pm. Traffic is horrible here. It took forever to get to the restaurant but it was well worth it, DELICIOUS Chinese food! We all fell asleep in the van on the way back to the hotel, however. We were TIRED! Once back in the hotel, we enjoyed a brief time of connecting to the internet and our families back home.
Overall, it was a really good travel day. Miranda had some problems with ear pressure but that seems to be better today. We're still foggy but looking forward to getting out sightseeing a bit today.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I Peter 5:7
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