The Black Man and his Visa

5. A medical student at the Taiyuan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

37 5 5 A medical student at the Taiyuan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine aiyuan is the capital of Shanxi Province in China, and the medical school where I was to study is there. The foreign student department sent James (one of the staff) to receive me at the Beijing international airport. Our Ethiopian Airlines flight left Douala on Sunday, March 21, 2005 at 3:30 pm. My visa was valid until the next day, March 22. Because it was Ethiopian Airlines, we stopped over in Addis Ababa for about two hours. We took off and stopped over again in India for less than an hour. We took off and arrived in Beijing on Monday at 6:30 pm. This was already March 22, and I had just up until midnight for my visa to remain valid. I had never travelled before and was afraid. Because my visa had just a few hours of life left, I feared disaster. As I passed through various checkpoints, I imagined terrible things happening to me with an expired visa in hand. I regained my confidence as I passed through several checkpoints without interruption. Then I had my luggage with me. I helped another black woman who was carrying a big bag with difficulty as she carried her baby as well. At the exit of the airport, I spotted my name held by James, a young staff of the Taiyuan medical college. I went straight to him and greeted him. He understood at once and asked if the name he was holding was mine. I agreed, and we got into a taxi at once and headed straight to the train station. He had bought our train tickets already to travel back to Taiyuan that same evening. At the train station, it was windy T 38 and a bit cold because it was spring. Although I was wearing a short sleeved shirt, I still felt a bit comfortable. James asked me, “Are you cold”? I said, “No, I am ok.” We boarded the train and James showed me my bed. He also went to his bed. There the long journey to Taiyuan began at 8 pm that same evening of my arrival in China. We travelled all night and arrived in Taiyuan city the next day. We took a taxi to school and James showed me to my room. It was on the fourth floor. It was an air conditioned single room and had a toilette and shower. It also had an outside kitchen for all the foreign students. There was a nice bed and a TV set. I was pleased with everything. The school authorities were so good to me. Studies had begun since September. Therefore, I began my own classes in the second semester. The school wanted me to catch up, so they said they would arrange extra classes for me during the summer holiday to meet up with the work of the first semester and move on to year two together with the others. I began to attend regular classes with the school. I loved the classes. I had that good feeling within that I could be a doctor, and then I would return to Africa and help my people. I studied herbology, diagnostics, basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine and other courses. With my long interest in herbs, I found herbology very interesting. However, as a first time learner of Chinese medicine, the concepts were entirely new to me. I quickly realized that Chinese medicine was so developed and with in-depth study could make one an outstanding doctor. My studies were going on well. I quickly picked up the basic theories of traditional Chinese medicine. I was a stranger to Chinese medicine yet felt I picked up knowledge I had known before. Things were smooth. I never found the basic theories and general concepts of traditional Chinese 39 medicine strange. My studies were going on well, but I had no idea where I would find money to pay my fees. Entering China with just 90 000 FCFA ($180) in my pocket was something very difficult. The school authorities had asked me about paying my tuition and lodging. Mr. Thomson had promised that on his return from Europe that situation would be resolved. Therefore, the school was very satisfied with me. They did the best they could to see that I studied well and lived without any problems as...