Arrival

"Attention passengers, we are preparing to land in about 30 minutes."

My mouth was dried and my knees were aching by sitting in the same seat for hours.
I was very tired, but could not sleep well in the plane and still had the drowsiness and headache.

Now I only need to focus on how I survive to get to the hostel which the English school in Chicago has reserved for me.

I was standing in the waiting line for the immigration gate. I was very nervous because I've heard so many negative stories about the immigration gate in the US. They are not the friendliest people to greet foreigners coming to their country.

"Next"

I moved by the counter and showed my passport.

"Hi, how are you?" I made a big smile and made myself as friendly as possible by presenting him that I can easily communicate in English.

He looked at my passport with the student visa.

"...so, you are studying here."

"Yes."

"What are you studying?"

"I'm studying fine art. I'm a painter. I paint with oils."

"That's interesting. Have a nice day."

"Thank you!"

Phew.... luckily he was very friendly to me unlike the rumors I've heard.

- Alright, now I need to find a baggage claim.
This was my first time to fly by myself, so I was nervous for every single process I had to go through at the airport.

"Welcome to Chicago!" I saw the big friendly sign.

I decided to take a taxi even though I was really scared of taking a taxi by myself in the US. I thought it would be safer and easier than taking a train to go to downtown Chicago from the O'Hare airport.

I stepped outside. It was a beautiful sunny day. The air smelled different.

I saw the taxi waiting by the gate. As I got closer to the taxi, a big black man came out and opened the trank to put my big hard suitcase.

"Thank you" I said nervously.

"Could you go to..." I showed him a printed map of the hostel I was staying. He seemed to get it. So I decided to stay in the taxi.

I felt the cold air coming out of the front seat and the big noise of pop music out of the speakers in the taxi. The seat was like a big black sofa. It was kind of comfy, but it did not remove a bit of my nervous feeling back in my head.

But when I saw the skyscraper of downtown Chicago which I used to see only in pictures, I was amazed.

- Finally I'm in Chicago!!! How long and how much have I yearned to be here???

After entering a small street, the driver slowed his car.

"Miss, I think we are almost there..."

"Ok, then please stop here. Could you open the trank for me?"

He stopped the car and opened the van to pick up my suitcase. I waited outside. I did not want to pay before I get my suitcase.

"Thank you." I smiled and paid him with few dollars extra as a tip.

I started to walk on the small street and looked around. Few minutes later, I saw some people standing by the gate of a house and saw the sign, "The Arlington House Hostel"

- Great, now I made to the hostel safely!!

I went inside and waited in a line to check in. I saw people who were sitting in the couch and watching TV. 2 or 3 people were standing by the gate talking and smoking.

"Hi, how are you? I have a reservation here for 2 weeks from today." again, I made a big smile and spoke as carefully as possible so he could understand my English.

He looked at me and talked to me gently.

"What is your name?"

"Mariko Koike"

He took a moment to look up my name in the reservation list, then gave me a key and the room number and explained about use of the hostel briefly.

I thanked him again and went downstairs to find my room.