First Impressions – Part Two: Arrival

It was around 4:30 AM in late August, when I arrived by train to Changsha– with way too much luggage and jet lag. “Tc, where the hell are you?” and similar thoughts crossed my mind…but mainly adrenaline was rushing through me as I took in the setting.

The Changsha train station? Sketchier than New York’s back alleys. Darker than that parking garage scene where the serial killer is about to come out at any moment. There was the overpowering smell of urine, the screeching of the departing train, and the suffocating humidity.

ACT 2

SCENE I: A dark train platform illuminated by one light. Two other shadowy figures stand nearby.

Enter TC VU and PASSENGERS.

COMMENCE monologue.

TC VU: I think I had a moment of panic when I first stepped off the train -- I mean… I must have… right? But to be honest, I don’t remember how I felt at that moment in time. Bewildered? In a state of shock? Maybe, just sleep deprived... Too tired to care that there were two men in front of me getting into a fist fight over who would carry my luggage to the exit.

Enter WOMAN.
TC VU walks towards her.

I walked past them and entrusted my luggage with another woman who helped me carry my belongings – she seemed sane – at least she wasn’t on the floor fighting with the other two scraggly old men.

Exit WOMAN.

Yes. Definitely a state of shock, I’ve decided. Yet, there was silence beyond my immediate surroundings and my immediate shock… the silence that comes with any place after people quickly exit -- leaving you standing alone, on a platform, by yourself.

Exit PASSENGERS.

The silence that signals that you’re alone.

END monologue.

Scene.

Luckily, a not-so -familiar face was there to greet me at the exit. My Chinese teacher’s student’s student or 我的老师的学生的学生 -- who happened to be a good friend’s ex girlfriend’s student. Oh, the connections…

Withy – a cheerful, optimistic, and warm hearted Chinese-Indonesian girl with the biggest smile that legitimately could fill the Grinch’s heart with warmth – waved enthusiastically as I stepped past the exit gate.

What would I have done without her?
To this day, I still don’t know. She was my perfect welcome.

Welcome to Changsha.