Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin [62]
I quickly slipped the paper into my pocket. Before we stepped into the jeep, our friends, teachers, everyone came forward to shake our hands. Teacher Xiao was very emotional. “Yi lu ping an!” He wished me a safe trip and shook both my hands hard. “Cunxin! Cunxin! I know you will make China proud! Bring back new knowledge! I can’t wait to share all your discoveries when you return!”
The last to say good-bye was the Bandit. Tears filled his eyes and he couldn’t speak a single word. “Six weeks will disappear before you know it!” I told him.
As the jeep pulled away from our academy buildings, the last thing I saw was the Bandit’s tearstained face.
I’d never been to an airport before, except the abandoned military airport near our village where I’d tried to dig up half-burned coal as a small boy. Beijing Airport was strangely quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of Beijing Station. Everything was orderly.
We were hours too early. The check-in counter wasn’t even open, so Zhang Shu took us to a little canteen and bought us each a Coca-Cola. We’d heard all about Coca-Cola—the most successful invention of the Western world. I took a big mouthful and swallowed it eagerly. Too eagerly. I nearly choked with all the fizz. So did Zhang Weiqiang. We looked at each other and laughed. Our first Western experience, an American icon, and I didn’t like it at all.
We said good-bye to Teacher Zhang before we checked through immigration. Zhang Weiqiang and I were now on our own. We sat in the waiting room. We hadn’t a clue what to do. We looked out of the window toward the huge airplane with “China Airlines” written on it. I had never seen a plane so close. It was gigantic. How could a heavy thing like that ever get off the ground?
When the time came to board, we walked up the steps and entered the plane as a pleasant cool air seemed to cover me completely. I wondered where on earth it was coming from. I couldn’t believe how big the inside of the plane was! Rows and rows of seats.
We found our own seats and waited nervously for something to happen. When it did, I nearly suffocated with excitement. As we took off I looked out of the window. My stomach churned—I didn’t know whether to laugh or to scream. My heartbeat raced faster and faster, and my excitement flew higher than the clouds! Here I was, leaving behind our great nation with its steadfast beliefs forever supporting us. I felt unbelievably proud.
Our plane leveled out and once I was over the shock of the takeoff I began to explore and investigate everything I could. Movies to watch! Music to listen to! And a hostess to serve us beautiful meals: rice with fish, Japanese noodles. The hostess asked us what kind of drinks we would like. I chose something called Sprite this time.
We were treated like royalty. I felt bad just sitting there being waited on and letting someone else do all the work. What would my niang say? So I offered to help the hostess wash the plates. She just looked at me with a very strange expression. “No, thank you,” she said.
This must be a dream, I thought. Too good to be true. But when I pinched myself it hurt. I was like an ant in a hot wok. I couldn’t stay still for a minute. I went through the contents of the seat pocket in front of me and found a little bag that contained unbelievable luxuries: a miniature toothbrush, toothpaste, a pair of socks, and eye covers for sleeping. Zhang and I even kept our safety cards as souvenirs. They carried a picture of the plane! What would my niang and her sewing circle think of this!
I looked around and noticed that most of the passengers on the plane seemed to be Chinese, government officials most likely. Many of them gave us rather surprised looks. Very few government officials were allowed overseas, let alone students like us.
With all the excitement of the takeoff I had forgotten about the Bandit’s note. I opened the white envelope he had given me and a small piece of paper