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Journey Bound - My unforgettable adventure at the airport & Things to be aware of when managing the flight

Hey guys! This is Angela, a sophomore here at U of M majoring in biomedical engineering. As most of you probably have guessed - I am beyond excited to announce that I will be traveling to Singapore for a semester-long study abroad experience! For this post, I am going to share one of the most MEMORABLE travel experience about flying internationally (and I hope you guys will never encounter that). Let's begin!

As an international student originally from Taiwan, flying is not a brand new experience to me. From taking a family trip to China, Japan, Thailand and Australia, to coming all the way from Asia to U of M as a Michigan Wolverine, I have done countless times of flying and been relatively comfortable with the process including check-in, security check, customs, etc.

(picture: depart from Taiwan to Los Angeles!)

However, the unexpected always happened. On my way back to Michigan after a pleasant winter break spent with my family and friends, I hopped on a 13-hour flight to Los Angeles and prepared to take a connecting flight to Detroit. I got through the customs surprisingly fast (it usually took me at least 1.5 hours!) and headed over to the luggage claim - Unfortunately, issues about luggage arose and out of my expectation, I waited for my luggage for 2 hours! I grabbed my EXTREMELY heavy suitcase, with a backpack and duffle bag on my shoulders, and sprinted all the way from one terminal to the other (international to domestic). It was super chilly outside, yet I could not stop sweating from all the physical work, stress and nervousness I was going through. I still failed to catch the flight - with the lines at the security checkpoint being incredibly long, I eventually arrived at the gate A MITUTE LATE. And you guys might have already guessed what happened next - another 2-hour walk trying to find the airline company and rebook the tickets.

I was fortunate enough to have someone (who happens to be a Michigan Wolverine from Taiwan as well!) to miss the flight with me (is this fortunate?) and get through this overwhelmingly stressful time. It was already 3am after receiving our new tickets for the next morning. We sat inside the terminal by the window (couldn't even find a seat) and chatted, waiting for the check-in line to be opened. We finally got to U of M campus at 5pm the next day - safe and sound - that's all that matters, right?

(picture: finally at the gate at 5am!)

(picture: a person sleeping over at the airport)

From this experience, there are a few things about flying experience (especially when you are at the airport) I would like to share with all of you:

Always be prepared: more clothes (to keep you warm), more food/snacks and phone chargers, any carry-on items of personal needs as long as they are not too heavy to carry, just in case accidents happen.

Strike up conversations with people around you: be friendly and approachable (this is also useful for interacting with people from various backgrounds when you are abroad!), the person you have a conversation with might be your life saver when you encounter issues.

Stay CALM, always ask for help: this is easier said than done, but please do remember everything will work out. Missing a flight is possibly going to happen due to inevitable issues. Take a deep breadth, stay connected with your family and friends, and ask for airport staff or other people for assistance.

And that's the end of my adventure! I learned an invaluable lesson through the experience (despite being exhausted), but dealing with emergencies is a crucial skill while traveling. I am both proud and excited for all of you who have decided to take on an incredible journey abroad. Now, after a safe flight, get excited, and let the fun starts!

Angela Chang

2024/11/16