The Final Goodbye [Day 9]

-August 21, 2009-

At around 5 in the morning, my father and I were at the hotel waiting for the Chengdu Youths to come down from their rooms with all their luggage. When we arrived there, three of the Chengdu Youths were already down there with their baggage and ready to go. I said good morning to all of them and they seemed less perky then usual ( can't blame them though!). Eventually everyone came down with their luggage and we all walked to the side where our bus waited. We formed an assembly line to bring all the baggage through and it went by quickly, so we were off to the airport on schedule.

Everyone on the bus appeared tired and sleep deprived! At first, everyone was talking and interacting, then the food was given out and they ate fast, then the talking stopped and napping started. Before you knew it though, the food was done and everyone was asleep on the bus. I found the silence on the bus odd for I'm use to the bus being a party bus full of fun and conversations. Seeing everyone sleeping also made me very tired and relaxed.

The night before, I went to sleep early but I got a phone call from the Chengdu Youths (since we exchanged contact info, they wanted to talk I guess)! It was a good 45 minutes of chit-chat and debating about everything. I asked them if they were going to sleep and they told me they weren't going to! They said they would drink coffee to keep themselves awake and perky for they could sleep on the plane. I just hoped they wouldn't crash and burn. So when I saw the people sleeping, it was mostly the ones who didn't sleep at all; All the other Chengdu Youths were somewhat awake. As we neared the airport, I sat with one of my Chengdu friends whom I was very close with after the 9 days we spent together. She was so tired but she held on to my arm very tight because we all knew our time was running short.

Riding the bus that early in the morning seemed unusual and different because it was very dark out and you could see all the streetlights in Edmonton lite up the dark and mysterious city. Everyone (who was awake) thought it was beautiful and they loved the sky once the sun rose. There was a pink-ish tint to the sky that seemed very suiting for a day like today.

The ride that we all didn't want to end, arrived at it's destination in tip top condition. We all stumbled and fumbled out with the bags and we went through getting all the baggage checked. It took awhile to get all the tickets and bags checked so we all sat around waiting. I noticed that one of my friends that I made wasn't talking to me much and was very solemn. I knew she didn't want me to come, because the night when they called she told me not to because it was going to be too early for me, but the real reason was because she found it hard to say goodbye and she didn't want to.

After everyone go their tickets, they sent their checked baggage through and it was time to go through security. My friend who didn't talk to me began to walk beside me and I grabbed her hand trying to reassure her that everything was going to be all right (through actions not words). She didn't say anything but held on to my hand tightly, feeling slightly better.

Going through security took a bit of time, but once everyone was through (after some went through double checks), it was time to walk towards the gates. Once again I was united with my Chengdu buddy and we held on to each others hands even tighter because we knew what was going to happen. Most of the Chengdu Youths were silent along the way with the occasional little blurb or randomness they usually say. Finally we walked to the gates and after a little turmoil, it was time for them to go. Most of them filed through quickly and easily, saying goodbye and thank you with a couple of tears rolling down their cheeks. Then the Chengdu friends whom I had spent the most time with remained with me. I hugged each and everyone of them telling them that I will see them again and that this isn't the end. Two of them were strong and teared up slightly, or not at all. Those two left with smile on their faces and through the gates. The other two that remained were the twin sisters who I conversed with and learned the most from. When I said goodbye and hugged both off them (individually), they began to weep and cry. I hugged them even tighter then! I told them not to cry and to be happy because I want to remember their happy faces and not their sad faces. Seeing them like that made it hard for me, but I remembered that they probably want to remember all of us with happy faces, not sad so I kept on smiling and wiping the tears from their faces. Honestly, I didn't want to let them go or say goodbye, but they had to leave. Instead of calling it a 'goodbye', I call it a 'see you later'. Goodbye is forever and and never again; where as a 'see you later' is letting them know there is a future and that it really isn't forever that you won't see them again. As they walked through the gates, they waved at us till the very moment we could no longer see them. That was the last that I saw of my friends from Chengdu.

I think they left with an experience that they will never forget, and people too that they will not lose sight of. Even though we are miles apart (or days), we are still connected because of the memories and experiences we have created together. This has been the time of our lives!