Taipei to Atlanta - the longest day

in San Francisco Airport. (等待"轉機")

Schedule:
August 10 23:01 (Taiwan) take off from Taiwan
August 10 19:50 (San Francisco) arrive at San Francisco
August 10 22:25 (San Francisco) take off from San Francisco
August 11 06:03 (Georgia) arrive at Atlanta
--

Real Situation:
August 10 23:40 (Taiwan) take off from Taiwan

班機延遲了四十分鐘才起飛, 坐在登機門旁的我們竟然遇到了 Sam



這一定是個機緣巧遇. 因為我們是坐在這麼角落的地方!


飛機要搭12個小時...(光想就很累)
不過還是不免俗的要來比個YA <---這是留學生的口號嗎

(with 海寧)
當時,我們還不知道這趟旅程會有多曲折...

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12....

August 10 21:00 (San Francisco) arrive at San Francisco

為什麼會在San Francisco上繞呢? 子維問.(我根本沒有注意到)
可以開始往外走了, 出了機艙, 和海寧, 跟著子維的身影跑.
21:00
"離飛機起飛只剩下八十幾分鐘" 他喊.

21:25 終於出了海關, 後面的人龍排的長長

in baggage claim
行李輸送帶壞了!! OH, MY!!!!!
剩不到一個小時, 約十分鐘後, 終於開始運轉.


21:30~22:00
到了申報的地方,

"Who told you that you're able to pass?"

一個 officier 叫住我. 糟糕, 因為我以為自己可以過了.

"sorry, sir."

原來還要填表啊. 這位老兄應該看準我是第一次來到美國的笨蛋留學生.
他慢條斯理的劃著圈圈, 跟我說哪裡要填

"I'm pretty good at circling. I've done pretty well, huh?
God, I just have no idea why I 'm here, circling...."

幹幹, 我在趕飛機啊! 可素要怎麼跟你縮....
然後他把文件遞給我和子維, 花了一些時間, 我們終於寫好.

"Oh, No. You use the blue pen. How can you do this!"

明明, 子維也是用藍色原子筆寫的啊...這傢伙果真看準我是笨蛋留學生...QQ
He wants to make fun of me!!

"I only have ..blue...."

我英文超爛

"You know this is Federal document? You can't use blue pen in
Federal Docuemnts, can you?"

"huh?"

我說過, 我英文超爛

"Is this a federal docuement?"

"No....?"

"What?"

"Yes, yes it is"

他笑了. (幹!!!)

"Oh. come on. I will let you in......"

你說的輕鬆....QQ


三個留學生, 剛搭完12小時的飛機, 推著行李飛奔
達美航空的櫃檯在哪???


Delta 的櫃檯在最後面....

San Francisco 機場不小, 真的不小, 你可以說它很大...


飛機延遲起飛 + 到達目的地的莫名盤旋 + 輸送帶壞掉
+ 混帳officier XD + 最遠的櫃檯
= 最後,三個趕不上飛機的人...



還好出現了救星!!!!!

Sam's Sister!! A local in San Francisco!!

於是 15 元的晚餐券, 還有 10 元的早餐劵, 甚至是旅館的住宿.
她都幫我們爭取到了. 或許也不能說是爭取(fight)
事實上, 我們有權這樣做...諸多因素造成的趕不上
只是語言障礙(language barrier)和社會經驗的不足(the lack of social expr.)
學到了很多!! >Q<

讓我們向這位大姊至上最高的感謝之意!!


因為飛機改成明早的第一班, 所以經過討論之下, 打算不住旅館.
直接睡機場(自以為會有航站情緣XD)


三個人拖著六個二十多公斤的行李跑..


美國的第一餐: 親子丼+可樂+抹茶冰淇淋 = 15.000
子維真是高手!!


一起等待的老爹和他的蘿莉


我永遠忘不了, 這個在機場度過,搞不清楚時間的夜晚.
還有這老爹讀小說的神情, 幹, 他到底在讀什麼啊, 眼神超級凶狠的,
頭還會讀到哪晃到哪, 笑死我了.


不過其實真的很累......




06:20 (?) 撘上達美的飛機..
飛機上全是"外國人"...雖然剛剛在機場就已經發現自己才是少數,
不過這樣的感覺還是很奇特..

天終於亮了, 終於出現的太陽, 在遠方





最後的六個小時,
從西邊的舊金山 到 東邊的喬治亞 中間有片大沙漠


Atlanta!!! Eventually!!!











Schedule: August 11 06:03 arrive at Atlanta, Georgia

最後 到的時間是 August 11 13:30
七個多小時, 遮騰人啊..

原本以為這次的旅程將會永生難忘, 可是沒想到會是這樣難忘....


看到吳侃學長來接機的瞬間, 一整個感動和感謝!!!

如果從台北時間 8/10 23:03 在登機門旁開始算起,
喬治亞時間 8/11 13:30 也就是台北時間的 8/12 1:30 到達
近二十六個小時

from Taipei to Atlanta, the longest day.

8/10

It's August 14. The time is 7:32 pm.
However, the sky is still bright
- in summer, the night here comes at about 8 or 9.

i'm sitting on the chair in the living room and Andrew, my phd roommate is
watching TV on the couch. He just finished the presentation.

So see how relaxed we are now.
Eventually.


八月十一日
--
七點, 只睡了三個小時的我醒了. 印象裡, 那晚沒有失眠, 卻也沒有很快入睡.
兩百多分鐘, 半睡半醒裡過去.

"再躺上這張床上是多久以後呢?" 當時, 根本沒想過.


或許, 對於出國這件事情, 也只是意識到.
它到底是什麼?

"還是在地球上" 或許也只是這句話吧. No Big Deal.

機場, 打電話給阿媽, 她是當晚唯一打通的親戚.
只跟她講了幾句話, 很快很快, 通話是怎麼結束的, 不清楚.
但是能聽到另外那端的哽咽. 她不想讓我聽到.
嗯

Everything is just fine, grandmom.


"不哭", 也不是跟自己說, 只是想打這兩個字.
沒有感傷, 就算當時出國的時間一天天逼近, 也沒有.
懷念嗎? 或許以後會吧. 不過現在的我並不會.
其實沒有什麼情緒.
這樣的反應, 連自己也覺得奇怪. 或許也不奇怪. 因為我是現在的我(?)
不再是以前了.

24, 沒有時間了.

謝謝來看我的你妳們. 我不知道要怎麼表達. 可是我是真的感謝!
我的神情裡並沒有流露太多離別, 事實上

也沒有.

不知道為什麼. 只是很高興能看到你們.
卻不是高興看到你們來"送我", 因為沒有離開啊.
或許, 也沒有那麼複雜, 只是我始終不認為自己離開了.

Anyway, thank you so much. Again.
and i love you so much. really.

it's 8:30, and the sky turns dark somehow.

Friends

最近迷上(obsessed)了兩件事情。
糟糕(Oops)
在小說進度落後(其實是進入倦怠期)的情況下，
being OBSESSED is just NOT ACCEPTABLE！
--離喬治亞當公公的日子只剩下一個多月了啊......！

--
撇開該死的我，和該死的三國志11(終於把曹操搞定)
迷上了六人行，Friends，a old series.
抱著只是想要碰碰英文，順便多少窺究老美"習性"，的動機，
However, GOD! I love it!
真的是很棒的影集，好吧，雖然老了點
(反正我不否認自己是孤陋寡聞，跟不上時代的人種)
--

I'll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
我會一直在你左右 (就算天空開始傾盆大雨)
I'll be there for you (Like I've been there before)
我會一直在你左右 (就像我一直都在的那個地方)
I'll be there for you (Cause you're there for me too)
我會一直在你左右 (因為你也一直陪著我)

如果，有這樣的一群朋友，是多麼棒的事情！
--
棒(Amazing)
(很久沒有寫東西，詞已經窮到山窮水盡的地步，所以加個英文字增加一點內容)
好棒，太棒，棒棒腿(................)
不過，今天幾乎都是雞胸肉就是了。
嗯　抱歉我遲到了，遲到我抱歉了
六點到九點，三個小時，三張椅子，KFC 總共是三個字母。
謝啦。
不知道怎麼形容內心的開心，但是我想你們明白，
Because YOU are the FRIENDS , WE are FRIENDS.

NICE SHOOT, JOEY~


三國，小說....it's a question...
i really don't want to leave you guys.



ＦＲＩＥＮＤＳ　ＬＹＲＩＣＳ
－Ｉ’ＬＬ　ＢＥ　ＴＨＥＲＥ　ＦＯＲ　ＹＯＵ

So no one told you life was going to be this way (four claps)
沒有人告訴你生命將會是這樣的
Your jobs a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.
你的工作只是一個笑話,你破產了,而你的愛情胎死腹中 (註：D.O.A.=DEAD ON ARRIVAL 死在半路上)
It's like you're always stuck in second gear
而你一直無法突破瓶頸
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but
當你今天,這個星期,這個月,甚至今年一直都不走運時

CHORUS

I'll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
我會一直在你左右 (就算天空開始傾盆大雨)
I'll be there for you (Like I've been there before)
我會一直在你左右 (就像我一直都在的那個地方)
I'll be there for you (Cause you're there for me too)
我會一直在你左右 (因為你也一直陪著我)

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight
你的工作從八點開始而你十點還在被窩裡
You've burned your breakfast so far, things are going great
你已經把你的早餐弄焦了 到目前所有事都還真是太好(糟糕)了
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
你媽媽曾警告過你總會有像這樣的日子
But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees
但她沒有說過的是 這世界有一天會真的讓你這麼受煎熬

CHORUS

I'll be there for you (When the rain starts to pour)
我會一直在你左右 (就算天空開始傾盆大雨)
I'll be there for you (Like I've been there before)
我會一直在你左右 (就像我一直都在的那個地方)
I'll be there for you (Cause you're there for me too)
我會一直在你左右 (因為你也一直陪著我)

No one could ever know me, no one could ever see me
從來沒有任何人真的了解我 真的看著我
Seems you're the only one who knows what its like to be with me
看來你是唯一知道 跟我在一起會是什麼樣狀況的人
Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with
一個一起面對並陪我走過這一天的好友
Someone I'll always laugh with
一個永遠會一起歡笑的好友
Even at my worst, I'm best with you
就算在我最糟糕的時候 只要跟你在一起我就什麼都很好
Yeah!

新瓶裝舊酒

去年的這個時候, 當兵
前年的這個時候, GRE
--
今年的這個時候呢? 小說(?)
--
"創意其實只是新瓶裝舊酒"
兩年前練習GRE作文, 這是我還有印象的題目.
很像還挺有道理的 :)
I agree with it!
--
寫了三個月的小說, 雖然說後來的步調和剛開始時根本不成比例XD
不過跌跌撞撞, 一百多天也是過去了.
完全沒有看書的習慣, 書店只是買文具的地方,
這樣的一個人, 寫書(?)
總是藉口著, 不看書是怕自己受其他作家的影響,
靈感也好, 寫作風格也好, 用字也好.
--
其實只是懶惰吧...
--
步履蹣跚的, 終於寫到一半, 卻才要是重點.
沒法, 因為我不懂長篇小說的架構, 和短篇大大不同
喜歡短篇, 也習慣寫短篇的我, 卻決定了十萬多字的作品.
怎麼能討喜?
可是我知道我要繼續.
--
之前看了藤子不二雄, 小叮噹作者的另一部短篇作品
名為"異色短篇集", 總共六本, 每本都有約五個黑色幽默的小品.
藤子不二雄先生真的是個很有想法的人.
我被他的作品深深吸引.
卻在他的某個短篇"平行同學會"裡看到了自己小說的類似想法.
--
還是...........重覆了啊我
--
並不沮喪, 創意只是新瓶裝舊酒
其實我挺高興的. :)
要繼續寫了.
--
還剩下兩個多月就要出國.
或許我應該唸些數學, 唸些英文, which seems to be more pratical
但是大多數的時間, 我, 寫小說, 想劇情.
because it's really something to me.
something like a goal, a mission, as a mark on my road.

so far so cool

已經是夏天了吧!
昨天下午的大雨, 到底醞釀了多久呢?
在公車出信義快速道路隧道的那一剎那, 霹靂啪啦.
我回神.
--
總是讓我想起高二的夏天,
宛如瀑布般的大雨, 在零四年的五月,
拿著用塑膠袋包好的會報初稿, 踏著無士兵幫我買的藍白拖鞋,
走在往資訊大樓的路上.
這樣的畫面, 稱不上經典, 卻可能是永生難忘.
我的大二下.
--
今年的夏天似乎比以往涼快.
so far so cool
--

24

24, Kobe's number, and my age.
--
it's said that the best way to relax your brain is to keep it busy.
That is, once you don't have time to think, you don't have the worries.
It does make sense like one of the principles for lieutetant to manage
his soldiers - never let them idled, or they would do some crazy and
stupid things, which really are beyond your expectation.
I never followed that though.
It has been 5 months since my leaving from military.
Clearly, a part of me will stay in that stage forever -- my 23.
--
And now I was 24.
"24 already...," I repeat those words on bed, on the recent nights.
I put my arms front of my chest quietly, like an old man rest in peace,
confessing himself to the God perahps.
I have no religion, but do so on my way to 25.
--
24
My mom gave birth to me when shw was 24.
And now as a 24-year-old "boy", I'm still in her shelter.
--
"24? am I 24? And what's all about it?"
these words frequently emerged in my mind and sometimes a "fuck" followed that.
--
2 years from my university graduation.
I decided not to shorten my duration of military service.
The salary was approximately 19 thousand dollars per month, which had been
stored possibly and carefully. 14 months passed, however, the fact is that
it still could hardly cover my one-year housing amount.
--
My parents provide me fully to study aboard regardless of the tremendous risks.
They say it's an investment ever worthy. Maybe they believe in their son more
than himself does. I don't know. I am not that confident, and smart.
Few weeks ago, in a rainy day, my grandmom gave me an red envelope,
saying that she may pass away in any minute, hoping to give her grandson
a little support.
The notebook I'm typing is my aunt's, who is another big patron to me.
ATO wanted to give me the lucky chain from 信, but was rejected in that
I think he has already done too much for me.
--
"Sir, honestly, I'm jealous of you," one of my soldier once told me.
True, I should feel grateful, and I do.
--
24, on my way to 25
Two months later, I'll be in Atlanta.
Two months is short, I know.
--
"A flower in greenhouse." The phrase prefectly describes myself
, even I was 24 already.
I felt no fear about the unknown coming days, but indeed there are lots of
things which should be learned for me.
I have to pick them up quickly because there is no time to be wasted.
Because I was 24.
--
No more excuse, no grumble, and no frustration.
Ya, I'm on my way, where marked 24.

Friendship

(點圖，放大來看!!!!)
Stupid, but touching...I really like it!!