They had to go from Shanghai to Narita, then Narita to Detroit, then Detroit to Albany.

They spent at least 24 hours at Narita. They slept on the floor. The airline gave them pillows and blankets.

They're at the mercy of the airline. We're still waiting on most of the luggage, which didn't arrive with either group.

They left China on Saturday and were due to arrive in America on Saturday, since they're 12 hours ahead in China and crossed time zones.

Pain is something that's common to human life. When we ignore it, we aren't engaging in the whole reality, and the pain begins to fester.

At 20 and 30, we are like travelers in a foreign country, reading the guide book to learn how to behave, to learn when the post office is open. Trivia looms important; critical issues fade into a pastel background, unrecognized.