I’m writing this while on a 13 hour flight to Tokyo where we have a 24 hour layover. We will get to go on a bus tour of Tokyo and fly out for Beijing the next morning. While all that sounds grand and simple, it was a real struggle to get here.

Remember when I mentioned that stupid things like having a virus would happen to me? Well some more fun things have been happening to me all day, and all before it was even 8 am. I don’t even get up that early. Ever.

After the kiosk would not work, I had to use another, which made me the first person to receive a boarding pass that said, “We are unable to assign you a seat right now.” I later found out that that meant I did not have a seat because the flight was overbooked. Naturally I had a panic attack. Immediately following, I had forgotten that I put my hair products and face wash in my carry on, and it was too much liquid for the carry on. I went downstairs to put it in my checked luggage as I was instructed, and to my dismay, the lady wouldn’t let me! The nerve of some people….

Dr. Chin from UNA was checking her luggage at the same time I was having my crisis. In tears over having to possibly throw away my face and hair products (you just don’t mess with that), I yelled “Is anyone else going to Dallas?!” One lady said yes, and then Dr. Chin said “Oh, put it in mine,” which I had asked her to do three times. There was a language barrier so I am not being angry when I say that. I was just thrilled that she said she would. Shout out to Dr. Chin. I then sprinted up the escalator to figure out my seating situation.

After waiting in line to ask about my flight, I looked down to notice the busted zipper on my bag. I again began to cry. Some of the other students came to comfort me about my misfortune with the flights, and I tried to stay positive. (I was not very successful). I did get a seat on the flight to Dallas with the rest of the group and went through the same process to get on the Tokyo flight.

After all that, I am on this plane until it touches down in the land of Japan. I really hope my luck on the trip goes up from here. None of my fortune cookies told me this would happen.

Kaitlin Chappell

Ni hao! My name is Kaitlin Chappell. I am a junior (soon to be senior) at the University of North Alabama. I am majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in marketing. My dream is to be a news reporter and eventually an anchor on Good Morning America. I love to talk and I love to meet new people and hear their stories. I love love and laughing. Coffee shops are one of my obsessions. Traveling is another. I will be studying abroad in China for three weeks at Tian Jian University. I will be exploring several different areas of China, learning the language and customs, and meeting the people. I will blog and post pictures and videos to capture my trip. Join me on my adventures in the great land of China.

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