by Addie Canady and Evan Jones:
This morning was an early one, to say the least! We woke up at an astounding 5:00 AM with a taste of disappointment in our mouths as our thrilling trip to Taiwan was finally coming to a close. With that being said, there was also a tone of excitement on the bus that transported us to the airport, each one of us itching to see our loved ones again after the almost two week long period.
The long and daunting baggage check line was the only challenge that we came across in the first airport.
However, the incredibly interesting waiting areas and stores in the airport itself provided us with many opportunities to stay entertained while we waited to board our flight which made the long baggage check line even more worth it.
Once about to board our flight, reality set in that these were our last moments in Taiwan. We quickly became eager to enjoy the time remaining that we had all together while we began boarding.
Once on the flight, we took our seats and selected movies to watch while we waited for our first meal. Once we ate, we got to enjoy a long lights out period in which most of us took the time to get some rest, our wish by doing this was to help us adjust back to the time zone in Raleigh. We were awaken by another meal that served as breakfast; sausage and rice with a side of a blueberry pastry.
Although most of the duration of the flight was filled with extreme and scary turbulence, the landing in America was very smooth.
While waiting for our flight to San Francisco, a group of students explored the airport, coming across a racing simulator. Additionally, students came across multiple computers that were available to play video games on and a video game console with the new Hogwarts game. All in all, it was a cool experience that you wouldn’t expect from somewhere as random as an airport.
After a long 12-hour plane ride from Taipei to San Francisco, students arrived back in the US after 10 days of exciting action throughout Taiwan.
After landing, students traversed long lines and security to reach our gate for the final flight of our travels. However, before boarding, students craved something to quench their hunger. As a result, students branched off in groups to search for food throughout the airport. With a large group coming across a Burger King, where they bought and brought back burgers to the gate to eat.
Then it was time to board our final flight back home to RDU. The trip flew by quickly because so many students fell asleep shortly after boarding due to a mix of the lack of sleep and the lack of airplane entertainment on the 5-hour flight.
After traveling from the opposite side of the planet, students finally made it back home to North Carolina. Students rejoiced when seeing their family for the first time in weeks, told stories of their travels throughout Taiwan, and said bye for the summer to the new friends they had made.
