Take Off by Emmanuel Domingo

Thank you David for your compliment on the blog.

I hope all of us could continue to communicate through this blog so that we can strengthen the friendship we had bonded during the Seminar. Just like what Mr. Liu said, the Seminar is only the beginning, the first step to making our making our friendship last forever.

Maybe most of us now are already in their countries, in their homes, and with their families. But I heard that there are still some participants who will be leaving Qingdao on Saturday like Brenda and Roselyn (from Zimbabwe).

It was hard to leave Qingdao. I was lucky that I share the plane ride with Terozita (from Samoa). We had to go through a tedious inspection procedure especially for Terozita because the airline staff cannot find her name in the list of passengers.

However, life can be really funny at times.

When they finally found her name, they gave her the business class/first class seat. Well, how lucky can you get! She got seat 1C and I got seat 27A, in the farthest end of the plane. I had to squeeze myself through given that I have gained some enormous pounds, and was carrying a heavy load of luggages as hand carry. When I arrived at my seat, there were people already sitting on 27C and 27B. Thinking logically based on experience, I thought that I could just ask the two persons to move to the window so that I could just take the aisle seat. But no no no! The woman said that the man on 27C is old and needs to get to the bathroom as easy and as fast as possible. So, sorry Emmanuel, no aisle seat for you! Heheh.

So to get to 27A, I had to squeeze myself once again towards the window seat which was really cramped and there was so little space to move in. When I finally settled, I called and texted some friends because I knew that when the plane begins its ascent, I will have to close the cellphone. While deep in conversation with Ms. G, I felt someone throw a piece of crumpled paper on my head. It was Terozita.

"Hey Emmanuel! Do you still have balance on your phone?" said Terozita.

Without blinking, I said "Yes, why?"

"I have to call Mr. Liu."

I learned that she called Mr. Liu to report that she had indeed been given a first class seat. Good for her, I thought. No squeezing necessary, plus the best food on the plane, plus first class service, plus and best part, a warm towel to put on your face. Hey, did I tell about the wine? hehe.

I was not able to call my friends again because I already saw the plane moving. It was moving like slow motion in my mind. I did not want the plane to leave, I did not want it to take off, I did not want it to move. I hope the strong rain the nigh before would spew down a torrent of rain and thunder so that the flight would be cancelled.

But the plane still moved at its own pace, it positioned itself in the runway, and started to rev up the boosters. The plane was moving fast now as I felt my body jerk toward my back seat. The plane run faster and faster and faster. I hope I had an anchor like that of a ship so that I could anchor the plane to one lamp post or something. But it sped faster and faster until I felt that the plane was slowly leaving the ground.

I felt like I never felt before. It was like my umbilical cord to Qingdao was slowly and carefully now being broken. Memories suddenly flooded my thoughts like rain, I saw my first day in Qingdao, faces of friends from different countries, factories and tourist spots we have visited, happy moments with the ones we love, a day at the beach, sweet lasting smile and laughter of people who touched our lives.

I closed my eyes but I could still see them very vividly, they were very real as if I could touch them, I held out my hands to reach out when I heard...

"Barbeque beef, or noodles?"

I opened my eyes and said, "What?"

The lady beside me said "Barbeque beef, or noodles? They are serving breakfast. Do you want barbeque beef or noodles?"

I picked barbeque beef. There was no rice. No rice for breakfast. My first breakfast with no rice and no companion but myself. I felt alone.

We are now above the clouds speeding through the wind and turbulence, leaving paradise.

But this is just the beginning and I know we will see each other again. To Mr. Liu, Mr. You and all the organizers of the Seminar, we thank you, all the participants thank you for efforts in making this seminar successful. We love you all! Xie xie!!!