Oh…
It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening.
"I'm so sorry…" I whispered softly, quickly lifting my foot.
Only then I notice that I had been stepping on someone's clothes the whole time.
They weren't mine....
They belonged to the passenger sitting beside me.
I looked around in surprise and finally understood— I was sitting between two people.
How had I not realized that before?
My face immediately felt warm with embarrassment, and I looked down, trying to hide my smile.
Inside, I couldn't stop laughing at myself...
The entire flight, I had been completely lost in my own world.
I had been dreaming, thinking, remembering everything I had left behind—my parents, my home, my friends, my old life.
So lost in my thoughts that I had forgotten where I was and who was around me.
I shook my head softly and smiled to myself...
"Get yourself together," I whispered.
"This journey has only just begun."
Soon, the announcement came, and it was time to get off the plane.
I slowly stood up, picked up my bags, and held them close to me as if they were my only support.
My heart started beating faster again. I followed the other passengers, walking quietly toward the exit.
Everything around me felt unfamiliar.
The airport looked bigger, brighter, and more crowded than anything I had seen before. Every step felt strange, as if I were walking into a completely new world...
As I walked past the flight crew, I finally noticed them properly.
The pilot stood near the door, smiling politely at every passenger.
The air hostesses stood beside him, welcoming everyone warmly.
They all looked so confident, calm, and graceful.
So beautiful and handsome in their own ways.
For a moment, I admired them silently and wondered how many places they had traveled to, how many people they had met, and how many stories they carried in their hearts.
And there I was— just beginning my very first journey.
But suddenly, a thought hit me.
I froze for a second.
I wasn't at my final destination yet.
I still had another flight...
One more hour.
From Guangzhou to Chengdu.
My heart skipped.
"Oh no…" I whispered under my breath.
I quickly checked the time on my phone, and panic slowly started spreading inside my chest.
Without wasting another second, I tightened my grip on my bags and walked quickly toward immigration.
I wanted to move fast...
I wanted to be on time.
I wanted everything to go smoothly.
But there was a problem.
I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.
Where should I go?
Which line was for me?
What documents did I need to show?
Everything looked confusing and overwhelming.
People were moving quickly, confidently, as if they knew exactly where they were going.
And there I was— standing in the middle, feeling completely lost.
For a moment, I just stood there, frozen.
Then, I did the only thing I could think of.
I started observing others.
Quietly...
Carefully...
I watched how they filled out their forms.
How they opened their passports.
How they spoke to the officers.
And little by little, I began copying them.
Step by step.
Trying my best not to look nervous and scared.
When it was finally my turn, my hands were slightly shaking...
The officer took my passport, looked at it, typed something on his computer, stamped it, and handed it back to me.
"Next."
That was it...
I had passed.
I walked away slowly, hardly believing it.
Then I smiled to myself.
"I did it," I thought...
One more step closer to my new life.
Just when I started feeling relieved, another realization came to me.
There was another problem.
A big one...
The language...
I had believed that people here would speak English.
At least a little.
But I was wrong...
Almost everyone around me was speaking Chinese.
Every announcement.
Every conversation.
Every sign.
Chinese...
And to make things worse, my phone battery was about to die...
The screen was blinking red.
Low battery...
My heart started racing again.
I still had another flight.
I still had to reach Terminal F.
But how?
Where?
I felt stressed, confused, and helpless...
I couldn't speak Chinese well.
Only a few simple words— "Ni hao."
"Xie xie."
That was all...
And I had only learned those from watching Chinese dramas.
At that moment, I wished I had studied harder.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
"Don't panic," I told myself...
"You can do this."
I followed the signs, asked questions using gestures, pointed at my ticket, and tried my best to communicate.
After walking for what felt like forever, I finally saw it....
Terminal F.
I almost cried with relief.
While standing there, catching my breath, I noticed someone nearby.
A young man...
He looked like an international student. He also seemed a little lost, looking at his phone again and again...
When he saw me, he smiled...
At first, he thought I was Chinese.
Maybe because of my appearance.
I laughed softly and shook my head.
"No… I'm not," I said in English.
That was how our conversation started...
After talking for a few minutes, I finally gathered my courage.
"I'm sorry… can you help me?" I asked gently.
"My phone is dying, and I need to contact my parents."
Without hesitation, he smiled kindly.
He lent me his power bank.
He shared his network.
He even showed me the correct gate.
In that moment, he felt like an angel sent by fate.
I quickly charged my phone and sent a message home:
"I'm okay. I arrived safely. Don't worry."
Only after sending that message my heart finally feel calm...
Soon, the boarding announcement was made.
I thanked him again and again before saying goodbye. Then I walked toward my gate and boarded my next flight.
As I sat in my seat, I looked around quietly.
Everyone was speaking Chinese....
Surprisingly, I could understand some words.
Some phrases and expressions.
Thanks to all those late nights watching dramas.
I smiled softly to myself.
"Maybe I'm not as lost as I thought."
And maybe…
this country was slowly starting to feel like home.