Immigration

---

We have to buckle up and the captain is starting to bring the airplane to lower levels. He also begins to fly curves. One to the left, one to the right, one more to the right and so on and still sinking. Talking about (th)inking -- this reminds me of a funny Berlitz commercial which was send around the globe just recently by email. If you don't know it here's a brief summary. A German coast guard novice is hearing a SOS call from an apparently sinking boat. While the call is “We are sinking!” the coast guard with his German accent replies with a shaking voice: “What are you thinking about?”. Just hilarious! To see this commercial just go to video.google.com and search for the term “Berlitz”. You will receive quite a few links to that commercial. Promised! OK, what am I thinking about now? It is just strange. I have never been to this place, Dallas or even Texas, but I felt some kind of coming home.

The landing is absolutely normal to me. I just wonder what Lucky is felling right now in the belly of the airplane. He must be scared to death. After the captain had docked the plane most of the people begin to leave immediately but I have to wait and take a glance at the kennel and my dog. The plane is almost empty and just me, the Texas girls and some other slack passengers are left as I could see my dog come out on the conveyor. He seams to be alive - he made it. "YEEE HAWWW!"

I arrive at the border and say good-bye to the girls. Hmm? I don't know where I have to line up. There is one counter which is named Immigrants but there is no corresponding row, though. So I followed all the other aliens. To may understanding I am still a foreigner or an alien or whatever the right term is. Just that I have an Immigrants Visa in my passport and I have plenty of time. A woman in a uniform is in the row and is obviously checking the forms so the officer's at the counters don't have to correct the false forms. As she flips through my passport she is speaking in German to me. Before I noticed that she spoke Italian and Spanish, too. Must be a genius. As soon as she sees my Visa she is sending me directly to the Immigrant's counter. There is just one couple currently at the counter. Must be immigrants from Asia.

When they are finished the officer waves at me to step forward. After looking to my passport and checking the Visa he asks me: “Don't you have anything else to show me?” “Oh shit, the X-ray!”, I thought. But it's in my suit case. I am a little puzzled right now because from other sources I expected to be sent in a room were the whole process will take place. Then suddenly it came to my mind, that there is a yellow envelope I was told to present at the immigration as well. And maybe there is not a room at all here in Dallas and everything takes place here on that counter, with Officer Hunt. He seams to be nice and very friendly. “Oh yes, of course!” I replied, “the yellow envelope!” I start to fumble for my immigration stuff which I neatly prepared. How could I be so unprepared now! Suddenly I realize that this is that special moment, why the heck I'm not nervous. I'm just fine, I'm cool! While Officer Hunt goes through the material there is no talk. “Don't you have a picture with that?” Again, the X-ray I thought but before I could give an answer he found the small passport picture which I had to give at the Consular Office in Bern, in November last year. After a few questions which are more like small talk he says that we are coming now to the funny part. “And luckily you do speak English very well!” -- “Oh, really?” was the only thing I could answer to that. How do other people immigrate into the states, I ask myself. The funny part after all is rather strange or peculiar than funny. And it's not because I have to give my fingerprint and signature - it's the way it has to be done. I guess it's from the envelope where he has a sheet or more a stiff sort of form which he has to place in some positioning device. In this device are two small rectangular open spaces. Now one frame is for the fingerprint of my right forefinger. “Just give me your finger, I will do all the work!” says Officer Hunt. First he presses my finger on the ink-pad then he tries to position my finger over the frame for the fingerprint. Frankly, I don't know what they were thinking when they made that device! Even a baby's finger will use all the space. I think I don't have big hands or fingers but from a man with hands like a shovel this fingerprint will show only a quarter of those fingertip. And do you have problems to fit your signature on the small strip on the back of your credit card or other similar locations. The space you have with this positioning device is first of all shorter and second because it is made of solid metal you are not able to run over the edge with your signature. Now my signature is special and begins with a wide loop which is the letter A - never mind. Normally, this loop is about an inch (or 2,5 cm) high but there is only space for a third of an inch or even less which I can use. So, no one will ever believe that my signature on this form is the same as my regular signature. Maybe no one will ever care. I really wonder how Arnold Schwarzenegger made his fingerprint and signature. After a little sorting Officer Hunt handed me over my passport and the Customs Declaration Form 6059B and asks me to get my luggage and go to customs. With a little surprise I ask him: “This is it?” -- “Yes, this is it!”, he replies. “Well, then thank you very much and good-bye”, I said while I grabbed all my staff. I am almost one step away when he shouts: “Oh, and welcome to the Unites States!” On the two words “Thank you” I nearly choked. I start to hurry now I want to see Lucky!

At the luggage claim I have problems to find the flight number but finally see it. I still wonder where I will get my dog. I grab a trolley and load all my luggage on it. Then I take another look to find some counter where I could ask someone about my dog. I don't know why I didn't saw it the first time but the counter was basically just behind me. And all at a sudden I see the kennel next to the counter behind some of this stretched bands forming a locked area. Through the grids I see Lucky, starring at me, his ears folded backward, I hear his tail hitting the wall of the kennel. I whisper some comforting words into his direction. The man behind the counter is currently occupied with another customer. When he's finished I ask him what I have to do next to get my dog and if I can let him out. "Oh no, you cannot let him out but you can sure take him with you now”, he answers friendly but I must go through agriculture customs first. We lift the kennel on a second trolley but before I could go to customs man even shows me a way to manage two trollies by myself. Splendid! This was very helpful. Imagine one person by himself with three large suite cases, heavy hand luggage and a dog kennel with a jumpy dog in it. I'm so happy someone invented wheels and such trollies.

I really wonder now what will happen at customs with my dog. I take the agriculture customs as told so. A large room, four officers, me and my baggage. To my surprise there is only one question and one thing the are checking. Dog food! Some how I was prepared for that and took only food for one day with me and some cookies. A little stunned, the cookies didn't made it far into the US. He couldn't define or know what they are made of or contain. He asks me if he may destroy these and gives back the empty container afterwards. That was it! I was cleared and finally in the United States.

Last destination on the airport is the car rental station. Because of that I could take a separate exit where a shuttle bus was waiting. Load 4 pieces of luggage and a kennel into the bus and a little later again out of the bus -- I will be so happy when I'm in my car. The reservation went all well and for an additional 12$/day they offered an upgrade to a SUV. Well, I had to think for at least half a second before I said yes. I made all my initials and signature where ever it was need (as always) and pushed my trolley (yes, all on one trolley now!) out of the rental terminal. Luckily my car was only a minute walk away. A woman even helps a bit and tells me that I can leave my dog out of the kennel and give him a walk here behind the terminal on the green. I hurried up with stuffing all my baggage into the car and then finally it was time for Lucky to get out the kennel since almost 15 hours. He is furiously jumping all around me. Despite the fact that they gave him some water into the cup of the kennel it is also the time to allow him to drink some more. All the time I was carrying a bottle of mineral water with me for him and now I give him something to drink. He is sipping almost a whole half liter. Still exhilarated he has to jump into the car and we leave Dallas and drive south. Hillsboro, TX will be our first stop.

At Hillsboro I have a reservation at a Motel 6 for the first night. Going straight to Austin on the same day wouldn't be wise I thought. And I was right! When we arrive I am really happy to know that I will have a bed for me and a place for Lucky to have our well deserved sleep.

---

Photos

Approaching DFW
Dallas Airport DFW in the lower left, downtown Dallas under wing.

Dallas, TX
Approaching Dallas Airport DFW we have a beautiful view on downtown Dallas.

My beloved poor dog
The kennel with my beloved dog Lucky was just released from the belly of the airplane

My exhilarated dog
Finally out of the kennel he is still rather jumpy.

Hillsboro, TX
First stop and first night at Motel6 in Hillsboro,TX