the airport
You arrive at the Canberra International Airport, finally, after a long long journey from home. You're in a new timezone, the weather is different, the language may be different... but most significantly, you are meeting all seem different. Then, as you proceed to collect your luggage, you see a person holding a sign bearing the ANU logo with the words "Meet & Greet". He seems to be looking for someone, probably someone that is new to Canberra and Australia. Maybe I should try to make contact, I might get lucky. Our eyes met. "Welcome to Canberra!". And the rest is history.
Working at the airport is so interesting. On a busy day with many new arrivals, time flies really quickly and you are occupied with work almost all the time. On a quiet day, you can read a book, drink coffee, and get paid for doing that. Then there is the occasional random person turning up at the airport desk and claiming that they are new to ANU and need a lift to their new accommodation place.
The most interesting part of the airport is when you are waiting for the new student to arrive, then you just observe the people around you. There is SO much emotion there - people crying because they don't want to leave their loved ones, lovers kissing each other as they meet, children jumping in excitement at the sight of their parents.
And then there is the expression of the new student as he/she arrives at a new environment. Initially, all I saw was tired, some excited faces. Then once they saw us Meet & Greet staff, you can immediately feel that sense of relief from their change in facial expression. New friendships begin! I've made new friends from the USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, German, Colombian, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam...all over the world!
If meeting a new person at the airport is so comforting, it's even better to be received by those close to your heart. If I'm on the receiving end, I want to make sure that I am standing out and be the first person to greet my loved ones. I always wonder, "Am I the first to reach you?"
New semester began today. Another chapter unfolds. During church yesterday, Ps Mark made a very important statement:
There are times when God conceals His face from you, but it doesn't mean that His heart is hidden from you.
Sem2 '08 here I come!
Working at the airport is so interesting. On a busy day with many new arrivals, time flies really quickly and you are occupied with work almost all the time. On a quiet day, you can read a book, drink coffee, and get paid for doing that. Then there is the occasional random person turning up at the airport desk and claiming that they are new to ANU and need a lift to their new accommodation place.
The most interesting part of the airport is when you are waiting for the new student to arrive, then you just observe the people around you. There is SO much emotion there - people crying because they don't want to leave their loved ones, lovers kissing each other as they meet, children jumping in excitement at the sight of their parents.
And then there is the expression of the new student as he/she arrives at a new environment. Initially, all I saw was tired, some excited faces. Then once they saw us Meet & Greet staff, you can immediately feel that sense of relief from their change in facial expression. New friendships begin! I've made new friends from the USA, Netherlands, Denmark, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, German, Colombian, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam...all over the world!
If meeting a new person at the airport is so comforting, it's even better to be received by those close to your heart. If I'm on the receiving end, I want to make sure that I am standing out and be the first person to greet my loved ones. I always wonder, "Am I the first to reach you?"
New semester began today. Another chapter unfolds. During church yesterday, Ps Mark made a very important statement:
There are times when God conceals His face from you, but it doesn't mean that His heart is hidden from you.
Sem2 '08 here I come!
thoughts of tanoshi at 3:10 AM
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