Find your faith

Chapter 21: Let's go overseas!

Lucas' POV
Today we had a briefing about international trips. We were given five options: Germany, China, Japan, Canada and Malaysia. They were open to all Secondary 2 and 3 students, but I'm busy with my external orchestra work, and I never know when they need me, so I'm not going to be safe.

However, Crystal, Chloe, Ethan, Anika and Nicole all seem to be extremely excited. They were chattering about what places they wanted to go to. I guess YZ, John and I would have to bear with their super animated discussions over what country they would go to. Not like we're interested anyway.
Ethan's POV
"I'm going to Japan for sure!" Nicole declared with passion. "The anime! The sushi! I really want to learn more about the intimate details of the whole Japanese culture! And yes, the Japanese language! But I'm going to play clueless in my application. I'm not going for just the anime y'know."

"Hmm," Anika replied, tapping her fingers with skepticism. "Maybe I'll be going to Germany. I want to learn more about a new culture."

"There goes Chloe, tapping furiously in her iPad to convince the admin to send her to Japan," Crystal replied. "I'm definitely going China. Not just to appreciate a culture I already know and see what it means to be Chinese in mainland China, but also in hopes of reuniting with the people that saved me when I thought I was going to die."

Crystal talked about her experience nearly dying in China after jampacking two overseas trips to a temperate country...
Flashback
Crystal was forced to backpack herself without any parental supervision, and that's because Mrs Teo decided to send her to China to backpack for her badge. And after a family holiday, she went straight to China because her parents thought it'd be easier for her that day.

Bad decision.

She woke up at 4.30 am that morning to pack and was out by 7. Everything went as she planned as she took pictures of her hiking on Suzhou West Hill. She made it up and was able to take a picture of the scenic views. But after that, she felt a piercing headache and managed to convince herself it was just the altitude. As she climbed down however, her legs were aching and her body felt heavier and heavier. Hearing her teeth chattering, she knew she wasn't going to survive on the mountain if she kept walking. To add insult to injury, the blue sky was turning orange. Shivering, she reached inside her coat and blew her whistle with all the strength remaining.

"Stay where you are! Help is arriving!" Crystal's legs gave out, heaving a sigh of relief, and the rescue team managed to get her. They carried her bag and helped her up to the nearest medical tent.
-
"Influenza results are negative, fever 39.0oC," the nurse reported. "Do you have medicine with you?"

"I do, I got some on standby. They're in my hotel room," she was telling the nurse weakly.

"Ok wtf? You're traveling alone?"

"I don't have a choice."

"Alright, I'll help you back to your hotel, and I'll help you get some groceries because you're going to need hot food especially with a fever this bad. Do you intend to go back tomorrow?"

"In a few days. I planned in such a way I have some buffer in case I get hospitalised."

"Alright, where's your hotel?"

"It's a 10 minute drive. I walked here."

"I'll help you back."
-
True to her word, the nurse brought her back to the hotel. Crystal managed to freshen up, stick that fever patch on (thank the receptionist for having a box for her) and take her medicine. She then told me, she got 45 minutes of restless sleep when she heard the door open, and yes, it was the groceries. Crystal snapped out of her useless slumber which felt more like cosplaying like a log rather than actually sleeping.

"Ah yes! Your groceries are here. Don't worry, you should go get some sleep, I'll pack the groceries for you, ok?" She nodded, then coughing a few times and that's when she actually fell asleep. Until the next afternoon, she added.
Present day
"I didn't know that," I admitted sympathetically. "That's so hard to bear. I hope we can thank the nurse that helped you back then. Actually, I could help you."

"Really?" She asked in denial.

"I want to go to China too! I want to properly appreciate the Chinese culture. We can go together and I can help you thank the nurse. We're going to find her and thank her for everything."