The news came suddenly. My boss at the China-Africa Institute informed me that I had been selected to travel — but the notice came very close to the deadline. I was overjoyed yet panicked. There was no time to waste. I rushed to prepare my documents, took my passport to the embassy, and make quick arrangements at home before leaving. Every step felt like a race against time, but my excitement gave me energy. I couldn’t stop imagining what China would look like — its people, the streets, the food, the culture.
When it was finally time to travel to the airport, I had mixed feelings — joy, curiosity, nervousness. I couldn’t eat much, though my darling had prepared me a delicious meal. I was too excited to have an appetite. Since the airport is across the sea from Freetown, I took the ferry from Freetown to Lungi, a one-hour ride. The sea was calm, and my mind was full o
f thoughts. At Lungi, I hired a motorbike (or okada, as we call them here) to take me to the new airport. A part of me felt a little sad that I wouldn’t get to travel through the old Lungi International Airport — the one I had so often visited to see friends and relatives off. I had always dreamed that one day it would be my turn to walk through its gates. But now, the new airport was the gateway to my dream.
I asked the
okada rider to drop me right at the entrance gate. I wanted to take pictures —
I didn’t want to miss capturing even a single moment of this adventure. I took
pictures as I walked toward the terminal, but soon realized the distance was longer
than I thought! I laughed at myself, a true first-time traveller. By the time I
got there, I was sweating and hungry. Thankfully, my darling had packed food
for me. She knew airport food could be expensive. As I sat and began to eat, a
few stray dogs appeared, looking at me with hopeful eyes. I couldn’t resist
sharing, even though I didn’t have much. It was around 8 p.m., and my flight
was scheduled for midnight. The wait was long, but I didn’t mind. I was too
eager, too curious. I took more photos — every corner, every light. When the
security officer asked for my documents, I proudly presented them. This was no
illegal trip — I was going to China, officially and confidently. ([nsert
picture of my flight ticket here)
Finally, the announcement came — time to board. My heart raced. The real moment had arrived. As I stepped onto the plane, I felt like I was stepping into another world. A flight attendant looked at my ticket and directed me to my seat — Seat 14B.
I was
surprised at how the plane looked inside. I had always heard that a plane is
“as big as a house,” but now I saw it was long rather than wide — two rows,
each with three seats. I placed my bag in the overhead compartment and took out
my coat and socks. The air-conditioning was too cold for a native Sierra
Leonean like me! I settled into my seat, observing everyone around me,
determined not to look like a total novice.
Soon, a
voice came through the speakers with flight instructions, followed by a safety
video showing how to use the oxygen masks and where the exits were. I watched
carefully — everything was new and fascinating. At that moment, I smiled
quietly to myself. From the small streets of Freetown to the skies above the
ocean, I was finally living a dream I had carried for years. ([nsert picture of
my tv in the plane here)
The engines roared to life, and finally, the big moment came — my
first ever flight. The plane began to move slowly, then faster, and suddenly,
we were airborne. The feeling was indescribable — both thrilling and
terrifying. I clutched the armrest tightly as the aircraft climbed into the
dark night sky. It was smooth most of the time, except for moments when it
shook as if it might drop from the heavens. Each time that happened, a flash of
fear ran through me. But seeing everyone else sitting calmly, reading or
watching movies, helped me relax.
After about forty five minutes, the pilot’s voice came over the speakers, instructing us to fasten our seatbelts again. We were about to land in Burkina Faso to pick up more passengers. The landing was rougher than I expected. My heart beat fast — that uneasy feeling when the plane shakes before touching down. But soon enough, we were safely on the ground. More passengers boarded, and in no time, the plane was full again. A few minutes later, we were back in the skies, now heading for Türkiye.
This leg of the journey was long — almost eleven hours through the night and half the next day. But for me, it was fascinating. I had boarded the flight hungry, but thankfully, the flight attendants soon served us food. It was my first in-flight meal, and even though it was simple, it felt like a feast. I was grateful.
There was a small screen on the back of each seat — something like a personal TV. I spent most of my time switching between watching music videos and exploring the flight tracker. I found the flight tracker far more interesting. It showed the plane’s route, altitude, speed, and the hours remaining to our destination. I followed every update closely, trying to understand where we were in the world. It was both educational and entertaining — a lesson in geography I would never forget. (Insert plane tv here if okay)
After eleven hours in the air, we entered the welcoming skies of Türkiye. From above, the view was breath-taking — wide stretches of ocean, coastlines, and clusters of lights shining in the distance. Although I wasn’t seated directly by the window, I couldn’t resist leaning forward now and then to take pictures and short videos as we descended.
The language barrier was also real — most staff spoke Turkish. Only a few could assist in English. I noticed that many of my fellow Sierra Leoneans had gone their own ways, so I held onto one man to help me navigate. He couldn’t help much — he was also in a hurry to catch his flight to America — but he showed me the flight information display system (FIDS), where I could check for my next flight’s departure time. That didn’t help much, so I found another Sierra Leonean who gave me better directions.
We sat together for a while as he guided me, but soon he had to go too. Just then, a young lady approached us. She spoke in French, asking for help, but since my friend couldn’t understand French he quickly dismissed her. As she turned away to leave, her physical features were telling me she might be a Fula, I called out in my broken Fula,
“Are you Fula?”
She turned back, smiled, and said yes. I continued in my
not-so-perfect Fula to ask what she needed — she was looking for the restroom.
Luckily, I’d just used it, so I showed her the way.
When my Sierra Leonean friend finished helping me, he left to board his flight. I was now alone, with nine hours to wait for my next flight to Shanghai, China.
The lady — Umu Bah from Guinea — returned and joined me. She’d been alone for three hours before we arrived, tired, hungry, and lonely due to the language barrier. It was easy for us to become friends during the long wait.
She spoke only French and Fula. I spoke Fula poorly, but we managed — she tolerated my broken words patiently. We talked for hours about family, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Paris, Islam, the airports, and much more. We strolled around the airport. She wanted us to go to the other side of the airport — she said it was more beautiful and that food was cheaper there. I didn’t understand her well at first, but later realized what she meant.
To get there, we needed to use the escalator. I whispered to myself, “Escalator again?” I wasn’t ready for another public embarrassment! I cleverly led her to the stairs instead — and silently rejoiced, “I won again!”
But when we had to go back down, there was no escape. She led the way to the left escalator, and I had to take the right one. I quickly prayed, recalled the YouTube videos I’d watched, and made my first attempt. It wasn’t perfectly smooth, but I managed — and I don’t think she noticed my fear.
My time with Umu was enjoyable, but soon I had to leave. We both felt a bit sad to part ways. I went to check my boarding gate, then returned to bid her farewell. We shook hands, she wished me a safe journey, and as I walked away, I turned back, our eyes met one last time — she waved, and I waved back, that moment stayed with me.
When I entered the boarding area, I immediately understood what Umu had been trying to show me all along — this side of the airport was breath-taking. The interior is adorned with shimmering surfaces that catch the light, reminiscent of precious stones, while the smooth, sleek pathways guide passengers effortlessly toward their journeys. The rhythmic hum of escalators adds to the dynamic atmosphere, transporting waves of people with ease. Shops line the concourses, offering a kaleidoscope of goods that reflect the rich culture and heritage of the country. The lively exchanges and the large population of passengers create an energy that is palpable, making the airport not just a transit point but a vibrant experience in itself. I managed to escape the escalator once again. I saw an old woman in a wheelchair entered a lift, and I waited until she was gone, then I quietly joined the next one. I said to myself, “this is great — there are lifts here besides the escalators. I can finally use these instead”. What a relief!
As the lift took me downstairs, I saw yet another world entirely — huge, bright, and marvellous, to say the least. I hurriedly followed the direction signs leading to my terminal. When I arrived, the place was already crowded with passengers waiting to be checked in. I joined the queue immediately, not much time to stand and admire this side of the airport.
After
check-in, it was time to board the plane to Shanghai, China. This time, it
wasn’t Turkish Airways but China Eastern Airlines. The first thing I noticed
when I entered the plane was the difference in size. This one was much bigger —
now I finally believed what people said, that airplanes could be as big as a
house. This one felt like an entire building on its own! It was both wide and
long, with three seats in each row and three rows in total. Later, I realized
that the plane from Freetown had been smaller because there were fewer
passengers travelling that route.
The second
thing that caught my attention once I settled in was that I seemed to be the
only black man on board. Unlike the flights from Freetown to Burkina Faso and
then to Turkey, where we were a mixed group of both blacks and whites in almost
equal numbers, this flight was entirely different. The passengers were almost
all Chinese. Apart from watching Chinese movies, this was the first time I had
seen so many Chinese nationals gathered in one place — and in such a large
number. It was a new and fascinating experience for me. It was another long
journey ahead — sixteen hours — but I was well prepared and alert this time.
The flight went smoothly, and soon we landed at Shanghai
International Airport — a place that took my breath away. It was massive,
bright, and beautifully designed. This time, there was no way to avoid the
escalators. They were everywhere! I had no choice but to learn quickly how to
use them. At first, I hesitated, but I told myself, the faster I learn, the
better for me. So I began using them until I became comfortable — and
eventually proud — of conquering my fear.
Just like in Turkeye, here too only few people could speak English, but I was lucky to find one, he was a hawker, selling just one mobile phone, but at least he could speak a little English — a rare blessing, because almost 99% of people there didn’t speak English. He directed me to my terminal, far away from where I found myself. I walked as fast as I could toward the terminal he showed me, using the travellators whenever I found one – the distance was long, and I needed to move quickly.
At last, I reached the terminal for flights heading to Hefei. Whenever I got lost, I tried to speak with the airport officials, who were easy to identify by their uniforms. They were smart enough to understand that this was an international airport and not everyone spoke Chinese. Many of them had translation apps on their phones, which made communication easier.
I arrived too early, so I had to wait. When the time came to start check-in, I joined the queue. It wasn’t long, and soon it was my turn. That’s when I made a small mistake — I handed the lady my handbag along with my other luggage, thinking I would get it back. Unfortunately, it was sent straight to the cargo hold. We communicated through her phone’s translator, and she directed me to another booth to retrieve it. I went, but it wasn’t there. She then sent me to a second booth, where I was asked to wait an hour.
I sat down on a bench beside a woman and her young son. We didn’t talk much, but I noticed they were watching the boy’s photos and videos from his Chinese martial arts school. He proudly showed his moves, and his mother’s eyes glowed with pride. Watching them reminded me of my own childhood days — the times I watched Chinese movies and dreamed of learning martial arts. I had always admired China and its culture. I had longed to visit this great country, and now that dream was coming true before my eyes.
After fifty five minutes, my alarm went off. I went back to the booth, and thankfully, my handbag was ready for collection. I picked it up and waited again for boarding time. When the time came, I joined the others as we moved to another section of the airport — again, vast and beautiful. It was hard to say whether Shanghai or Turkish Airport was more beautiful; both were breath-taking in their own ways.
Following the crowd, I hoped I was heading in the right direction. Still, I needed to be sure, so I asked for help. Luckily, I met a young Chinese man who could speak English — and he was very kind. He asked me to walk with him, and together we navigated the airport.
Then came another surprise — a train inside the airport! I was thrilled when he said we needed to take it to our terminal. I had seen trains in movies, but never inside an airport. This one wasn’t large; it carried only a small group of standing passengers and moved quickly between terminals. The speed was not too fast, but fast enough to reach our destination in a few minutes. That was one big difference I noticed between Shanghai and Turkish airports. In Türkiye, I had seen iGA Buggies moving people inside, but not a train. We arrived safely, and my new Chinese friend led me all the way to my boarding gate. He kindly offered to stay with me until we boarded, but said he was very hungry and needed to grab a meal.
After a long flight — nearly nine hours — we finally landed in
Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province. At the airport, I was asked to sign a
visitor’s form confirming that I would return to Sierra Leone after my visa
expired, That was also the first time I saw my luggage since we’d separated
back in Freetown. Everything was intact.
Outside the airport, I met Mr Qian Wenwu and Mr. Jang Yuanfeng waiting for me. Jang, a student volunteer, held a placard with my name written on it — so there was no confusion or struggle at all. I received a warm welcome, and we sat chatting while waiting for other guests to arrive.
Soon, two more participants joined us — one from the Central African Republic, and one from Kenya. We boarded a bus to the school (the Anhui Academy of Governance) where we would be staying. It was night, so I couldn’t see much of the city, but I could tell it was beautiful. The journey took about fifty minutes. I was extremely hungry, but thanks to the thoughtfulness of Mr. Wenwu, he stopped the bus at a shop and bought bread and bottles of Coke for the three of us.
When we arrived, the volunteers quickly arranged our accommodations. Each of us received a room key card. My room was on the 8th floor, room number 90. The room was neat and welcoming — a large double bed with white sheets and a soft white blanket. By the entrance to the left was the bathroom; to the right, a wardrobe and a small counter with a flask, cups, and a few provisions. There was an air conditioner, a 4×6 plasma TV (though everything was in Chinese), and large glass windows overlooking the campus and nearby streets. At night, I loved standing by the window, watching the endless flow of cars, the streetlights, and the glowing shop signs.
It had been a long and exhausting journey, but filled with unforgettable experiences. I ate the bread and drank the Coke — and I must confess, I loved that bread. I can’t quite describe it, but I had never tasted anything like it before. I wish I could find it back home in Sierra Leone. After a quick shower, I went straight to bed.
The streets were wide, clean, and neatly tarred. Traffic lights managed the vehicles smoothly — a big difference from the traffic police I was used to back home. Flyovers were everywhere — far more sophisticated than the few I’d seen in Guinea. I thought to myself, “if only we could have one of these at Jui and Lumely junction that can help ease the traffic congestion in those areas”.
Some of our colleagues wanted to shop, so we visited a few malls. I was surprised to hear that prices were high. I had always thought China was the place where people bought things cheaply to sell back home! Later, I learned that these were not the same markets where traders shop — these were modern malls, more expensive. The malls were big and full of beautiful goods. Even though I wasn’t ready to buy anything, I enjoyed simply looking around. And this time, I could proudly use the escalators — no more fear, no more shame!
We spent several hours touring, taking photos, and marvelling at everything. For me, everything felt new, exciting, and full of wonder. Unlike most of my colleagues, this was my first trip abroad, and everything amazed me.
We returned to the school just before lunchtime. More participants had arrived, and soon we were all introducing ourselves — names, countries, little facts about where we came from. By dinner, almost everyone had arrived. It was the perfect beginning to what would become one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
The seminars began promptly each morning, and one thing I admired was how time-conscious everything was. Speaker after speaker gave us concise and insightful lectures on various topics. The official opening ceremony was held on October 31st, 2024, graced by Mr. Liu Yixi, the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs. The fact that he travelled all the way from Beijing to Hefei to open the seminar showed just how important this program was to the Chinese government.
Several other distinguished ladies and gentlemen gave lectures covering a wide range of subjects — economic cooperation, agricultural modernization, industrialization, information technology, and China-Africa relations. Between lectures, we were taken on bus rides to visit various historical sites, research centres, and industries across Hefei and Anhui Province.
The entire ten days of the workshop were truly educational and
eye-opening for all forty nine participants representing forty nine African
countries. We witnessed first-hand how China had managed to progress from an
agrarian society to a modern industrial nation, and now into a thriving
information-based economy.
I was deeply inspired. What stood out to me was that it all began with the right leadership, a deep sense of national allegiance, hard work, and a strong emphasis on education and human development. The difference between this great country and mine was vast, yet I remained optimistic. The Chinese have set the bar very high, but I believe that with determination and vision, we too can overcome our challenges and transform our countries for the better.
After ten days of lectures, presentations, and field visits, it was finally time to say goodbye to Hefei. I had mixed feelings—joy at the thought of returning home to my beloved Sierra Leone, and nostalgia for leaving behind the new friends and experiences that had shaped me. Of course, we took several memorable group photos before departing.
The organizers provided a departure timetable showing when each group would leave. I was among the first batch of participants—from Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, Madagascar, Cote d'Ivoire—scheduled to leave on the morning of November 6th, 2024. As our bus drove to the airport, I couldn’t help but reflect on how much I had learned and how deeply inspired I felt. The flight back home was quieter, filled with gratitude and reflection.
We departed from Hefei to Shanghai, then connected back to Türkiye,
then Burkina Faso, before finally heading home. It had been an extraordinary
journey that began at Lungi International Airport on October 28th, 2024, when I
took my first-ever flight, and concluded on November 7th, 2024, when I landed
safely back in Freetown.
At the airport in Freetown, I was met by my family, and the joy on
their faces said it all. We embraced, laughed, and shared stories late into the
night. I told them about the beautiful airports, the travellators, the advanced
technologies, the kind people, and of course, the lessons I had learned.
My trip to China had ended but it left me with never to be forgotten memories and a strong bond with the new friends I made in China. I stayed in touch with some of them, we often exchanged messages, pictures, and reflections about the experience. It wasn’t just a trip—it was a journey of learning, growth, and inspiration that I would cherish forever.
My journey from Freetown to Hefei was more than a trip; it was a journey of the
mind and spirit. It taught me that progress begins with a vision — and that no
nation or individual is too small to dream big. I returned home inspired to
contribute, in my own way, to Sierra Leone’s development and to encourage
others to see beyond borders.
Every flight begins with a single step — and for me, that first flight changed
everything.
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