Day 1: departure

TERMINAL 2, NOT TOM BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL: Our plane ticket stated that our flight departed out of Tom Bradley International, but after arriving at that terminal, we were redirected to Terminal 2. Thank goodness that some brilliant person invented luggage with wheels or that would have been very frustrating! So if you are headed to Shanghai in the future, you might want to check to be certain which terminal is the correct one.
 
TSA PRE-CHECK: This is the first time that Richard and I have enjoyed TSA pre-check, and WOW! This is the way to go. We didn’t have to take our shoes off, or take our laptops out, or stand in a long line. I highly recommend this, especially if traveling a lot.
 
CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE – AIRPORT LOUNGE ACCESS: One of the benefits of being a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card holder is complimentary access to airport lounges. You can check their website or app to see which lounges are available in your respective terminal. At Terminal 2, we were given $28 credit PER PERSON to enjoy food at Barney’s Beanery. We invited the two student Resident Assistants to join us, and we were all able to enjoy a delicious meal together before boarding our 13+ hour non-stop flight to Shanghai! We only had to pay tax on our food (about $7). What a deal!
 
AMENITIES ON FLIGHT: Delta provided lunch, dinner, and a snack on the flight. The meals offered vegetarian, chicken, and beef options. The snack was pizza and a Haagen Dazs ice cream bar. The beverage cart came around frequently. We were well taken care of on the flight! A wide range of movies and TV shows were also available for our entertainment. Well done, Delta!
 
WELCOME TO PEPPERDINE: William Wu, the Assistant Director of the Program, met us at the airport upon our arrival. It was very comforting to see a friendly face after landing and not having to worry about how to get to the Jia on our own. Once we arrived at the Jia, Charlie Engelmann, the Director of the Program, met us with our first Chinese dinner and showed us around the impressive facility.
 
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I am so grateful for many blessings on our first day: A safe flight that took off and landed on time. A free meal for our group because of our new credit card benefits. A pleasant flight full of many comforts, like food and entertainment. Friendly faces to greet us after we landed. Charlie’s thoughtfulness in providing dinner upon our arrival. A loving husband by my side to share in this adventure. My cup is already overflowing!