What a weekend!

[Mericet]

Thanksgiving was quiet as our move to NC left most of my wife's family (mine are all still in South Africa) in Ohio. We were joined by a very good friend of mine who just moved here from South Africa. His wife won a green card in the US diversity lottery last year and he came over just over two months ago to start a new life here in the US. In that time he has found work, bought a car and found a place for the family to stay. His wife and three sons landed on JFK on Friday. Unfortunately, his limited financial resources meant he could not book any flight tickets for them from JFK to NC.

So, bright and early on Black Friday morning he and I headed to New York City to pick them up at JFK. A slight detour in DC allowed him to see those parts of the National Mall that is easily visible and then up to NYC. We were early as I made sure we had extra time to account for traffic etc. Their plane landed on time( 3:25pm) but customs and immigration took some about 2 hours. He was finally re-united with his family around 6pm. While waiting, my friend was like a jack trying to get out of his box every time someone walked into the terminal waiting area. We loaded up and headed back home as soon as possible and I finally dropped them at their house around 4am on Saturday morning.

I think it was a day well spent.

[Hazcat]

Thanksgiving was quiet as our move to NC left most of my wife's family (mine are all still in South Africa) in Ohio. We were joined by a very good friend of mine who just moved here from South Africa. His wife won a green card in the US diversity lottery last year and he came over just over two months ago to start a new life here in the US. In that time he has found work, bought a car and found a place for the family to stay. His wife and three sons landed on JFK on Friday. Unfortunately, his limited financial resources meant he could not book any flight tickets for them from JFK to NC.

So, bright and early on Black Friday morning he and I headed to New York City to pick them up at JFK. A slight detour in DC allowed him to see those parts of the National Mall that is easily visible and then up to NYC. We were early as I made sure we had extra time to account for traffic etc. Their plane landed on time( 3:25pm) but customs and immigration took some about 2 hours. He was finally re-united with his family around 6pm. While waiting, my friend was like a jack trying to get out of his box every time someone walked into the terminal waiting area. We loaded up and headed back home as soon as possible and I finally dropped them at their house around 4am on Saturday morning.

I think it was a day well spent.

Absolutely.  You are a good friend to have!

Tell the new LEGAL immigrants welcome and let them know we wish them success and happiness!

[MikeBjerum]

What Haz said!

[tombogan03884]

Mericet, WELL DONE !

You and your friend are the type of immigrants America needs.

[ellis4538]

+100

Richard

[Sponsor]

[Dakotaranger]

Ditto

[Pathfinder]

Incredibly good news and a little something for them to remember every Thanksgiving for the rest of their lives.

Good job, DRTV brother, damn fine job in fact.

PS: When I saw the headline to the thread, I thought you had knocked out a straight 12-cylinder Merlin miniature to one-up the Italian dude's V-12!!!!!

[Mericet]

Thanks everyone. I can still remember what it was like for us to move here. It was not always easy as we had very little in ways of a support base. Anything I can do to make it easier for people in the same boat as me, I will.

I think my friend will make a fine addition to the country and that I can report in a few years about him becoming a citizen.

Incredibly good news and a little something for them to remember every Thanksgiving for the rest of their lives.

Good job, DRTV brother, damn fine job in fact.

PS: When I saw the headline to the thread, I thought you had knocked out a straight 12-cylinder Merlin miniature to one-up the Italian dude's V-12!!!!!

Path, knowing me, I would pick something like a BRM V16 instead. But I would like to build a few beautiful things that go bang before that.

[Solus]

Very warm and  heartening story, Mericet.

Makes me proud to be associated with you, this forum and the US..

 

[Pathfinder]

Path, knowing me, I would pick something like a BRM V16 instead. But I would like to build a few beautiful things that go bang before that.

The BRM V-16 is fine (more than fine, actually, that's a great engine, a cool reference and would be awesome in fact!) but as long as you're doing something as interesting, how about the Coventry Climax flat-16 they tried right before CC closed their doors? 

We all look forward to your friend's updates. Invite him around here - assuming he likes things that go bang too.