Over time more random students arrived, within an hour of flights consistently arriving there were over one-hundred students from a diverse cast of countries. Most were quiet, or shy, some hardly even knowing the local language or english.
Tinhe Ahwakon walked into the airport, with a long stride and clipboard in the hand. She was an overwhelmingly tall woman, a former Hipball player for Chanal University and currently the Director of the Foreign Exchange program. She was spry and hopped up on coffee, excited to greet the new arrivals. Mrs. Ahwakon was followed closely by several student body representatives, one of them was Akatl, a fit young yet tired looking man of average height with long silk black hair, pinned in a bun on the top of his head. Tinhe wore more formal attire for the occasion contrary to Akatl, who wore more foreign clothes like a plain t-shirt and shorts. She had more old-fashioned dress on, a flowing dress and robe, plain white with red and yellow trim.
The lobby where the foreign students has awaited was set up with a small stage, a microphone sat on a nearby table and tens of nameless Chanal University staff had arrived to direct or help the students with their luggage.
Tinhe and Akatl found their way to the lobby where the foreign students were directed to wait. Tinhe was pleased to see a few chatting among eachother, years before she had a group that didn’t get along right off the plane. As the students stopped from the middle of their chatting, and looked at Tinhe as she walked in, she introduced herself with a smile and slightly bow of the head. She grabbed the nearby microphone and stood on the stage in front of the large gathering bunch. “Good morning everyone.” she spoke in pristine english, perhaps from her years at Northfort. “I am Tinhe Ahwakon, Director of our lovely Student Exchange program, and i welcome everyone to Chanal.” she lifted up her clipboard for a quick roll call. “Just doing a roll call real quick to make sure everyone is here, forgive me if don't pronounce your name right.” she fumbled through the name call, despite her travel she could never land foreign names.
Akatl had remained to the side, somewhat disparaged that this boring task ended up being his mandatory civil duty, he had regretted not completing it in high school, I’m just tired, he thought to himself, trying to hide his yawn, though he couldn’t hide his red watery sleepy eyes. He briefly scanned the room, wondering where each person was from.
“Akatl” Tinhe said. He snapped up from his daze, he didn’t realize she had been talking this whole time, orienting the students briefly on Chanal and what they should expect, it seemed he lost time. Akatl sat up straight, trying to present himself as he was told to, “Yes?” he asked. He stood up as motioned by Tinhe.
“This here is Akatl.” Tinhe introduced, “He is studying mechanical engineering.” she then went down the line, introducing other student guides. “Everyone will be split up into groups per guide, when we get the campus you will introduced to a secondary guide, Akatl and the others are more like city guides.” So then Tinhe went through her list, it was perhaps everyone’s first taste of how tedious Ahkabnilians were with most things. Akatl got his very own list, and going down the line called out the names of students he was assigned to.
“Ririshasha, Alice, Katy, Micah, Karlos, Andrea, Nathaniel, John, Syura, Yui, Blair, Evelyn and umm… a Cascadian but there’s no name, just says ‘the only cascadian here’... so yeah.” Akatl called out each of their names one by one, queuing them up in a strict organized manner and leading them to the buses with all the other groups. The ride would be short, as the buses would simply ferry the students over the nearest canalway. Finally, a full picture of the city was coming into view as they left the more international feel of the airport.
The Canal was wide, with several small and large boats drifting by. Finally, a large double decker boat arrived, pulling up near the canal port where all the students were shuffled into. Ahkabnilians were seemingly obsessed with the queue, organizing each group to a particular sections of seats on the empty boat. It rocked steadily in the waters until it took off, with the steady and slow hum of its engines which paddled away in the canal waters, leaving a gentle wake in its path. As the Canal opened up so did the city in the full view and the traffic picked up.
Tinhe mentioned that transportation by water is one of the most used in Chanal over a loudspeaker as the boat bumbled along, she had reserved puke bags just in case. She was smart for doing so as a Tokulelese student nearly threw up all over the floor and a Toshikawan wanted to dip over a ledge to projectile, he appeared shamed after that ordeal.
The boat bus stopped a few more times along the way, near wide stone and metal staircases that touched the canal waters, where many Chanalites waited to be picked up. Many were dressed for work, most in formal attire, and quite a few highschoolers who took precedence at the top deck and quickly jumped off dangerously when the boat passed their school. Most people were polite however, a few asking questions, testing each student’s conversational ability in the local dialect.
The city so far was stunning, there weren’t many highrises which stained the sky and most buildings were venerable in their appearance, made mostly of stone, metal, concrete and other earth. The city mostly appeared old, containing many stories dating thousands of years, with modern accessories and amenities. Each building and structure, was chiseled with colorful sculptures and murals of religious nature, pronounced public artworks stood in many areas. Chanal was lined everywhere with flat and pagoda-like rooftops. At the center of a canal ‘roundabout’ the bus boat reached, was a statue of the ‘Great Sun’ which stood 30 feet tall, it depicted a man with an eagle headdress and steel armor over a skin-tight thylacine skin suit, with a sword at his side. The figure lifted his palm to the sky, where a real fire was fed to keep burning in his hand. Finally, the distant step-ziggurats known as Ahkabnilian pyramid temples, came into view. The iconic structures were the last few of their kind still maintained, a mecca for the followers of Ohkantuy.
The pyramids were the most pronounced and colorful thing about the city, beaming lights shot from their apex straight into the sky, slowly faded by the continuously rising sun. The central pyramid of the three, and the tallest, maintained a wide cauldron of fire at its top.
Cars bustled at the top level of the city, though it didn’t seem as busy as the canals. The city that was organized to be a perfect grid in its first settlement, was now a confusing bustle of roads, canals and streets. Most people biked along the canal as well.
The campus of Chanal University was nearing closer, in fact the Canal crossed into it without anyone really noticing it. The area around the university was the most extreme mix of old and new, the university was ancient yet the new, foreign-influenced styles and young culture has profoundly modified it. But what made it unbelievable was how large the campus was. Tinhe explained to the students that, “Buses or boat.” has to be taken around the campus, Chanal University was effectivity a city within a city, even more vibrant the rest.
As the the boat pulled up to the Canal steps leading to the central square of the university, Akatl attempted to gather his group, which may have been on other parts of boast sight seeing at this point. “Alright, we’re here, i’ll uh- just take you to the rooms.” he motioned for them to follow, taking them through the central and open square of the university, surrounded by several departement buildings. It was rather active, with students everywhere either conversing or rushing to class, some stared, observing the obviously foreign people who has stepped off the boat. Tinhe had run off to other duties, giving a few last words to the student guides as they continued on their way.
“So, welcome to the rooms.” Akatl said, as they finally reached the dorms after a long walk. “These are mostly reserved for us and all the foreign exchange people.” he informed, as he guided everyone inside. The building was large and surrounded a central garden plaza with pond. There were elevators and several floors, however Akatl and the group of students he led were only on the first floor, perhaps the best smelling as well. Each room was large and housed multiple students, they were rather open and clean, there was a central bathroom that Akatl referred to as the ‘station’ for all the students on the building. On each bed was a set of uniforms on for each student, which were light robes and cloaks, “You can wear the cloak, its required.” Akatl said, as he put his on. “The robes are more for formal academy occasions.”
“Breakfast is in a few in the main hall, pretty sure some of you are hungry…” Akatl wasn’t sure if any of them understood him, he hoped they knew the local tongue, as they should. “Anyway, get yourselves settled in. You guys can choose your roomies.” (4 to a room)
