This is the day I have seen the dream I had for more than a year come to reality. Dec. 18, 2011 A.D. I have been working to get a visa to the United States to continue my education. As most of Ethiopians, I used to wish to come to United States for whatever reason. Weather it is for visit or education or by getting an Immigrant Visa by winning Diversity Visa Lottery. But Again As most other Ethiopians, I know this is probably never going to happen considering how hard it is to get a Visa to the US. But while working in one of the biggest Agricultural Companies in Ethiopia, back in 2010 A.D, I came to know a very generous, loving, compassionate, Self-Less couples (Alan and Shelley Baum), who changed my life forever for good. Using the hope they gave me as an ammo I started the battle of getting a Visa to U.S.A to continue my education. I know it is hard to get that Visa, but Man I have never thought it would be this difficult. I came to a lot of low points in my morale and hope while working on it. Being a 3rd World country Citizen didn’t helped at all. I was given the big task of convincing whoever the Visa officer that I have every intention of coming back when I am done with school. But the problem?? Well there is no real evidence. I am 22, Young, Never married, No children, No Money in Bank, No house, No valuable whatsoever. The first thing that will pop up to the Visa officer mind will be ‘Why in the world will he come back when he finishes school’? Well that’s a good question to be asked. But unfortunately on my first Embassy interview I wasn’t able to convince the Visa officer with my answers. After the little research I have done online I had the knowledge of showing a job offer in any organization is a plus, So I was able to get that letter from Wallace S. Odd II (Wally), Who is CEO of Morrell Agro Industries P.L.C., the Company I used to work at. But that was it and that was not enough to the young and absolutely careless visa officer. It took merely 2 minutes for her to shatter my dream, The Ethiopian Dream’. I was so devastated, When she told me I did not showed enough ties to my country and for that reason I am denied a visa, I felt a shiver in my whole body. I literally felt my legs shaking. But, I said thank you, got my documents and left the Embassy Compound. I just couldn’t believe all the hard work is washed away in 2 minutes. Just 2 minutes!! Finally, I started talking to myself and tried to lift myself up. When I started thinking clearly, I Called Wally and talked to him about it. He was perplexed because he knew I have every necessary document that is enough to get me a student Visa. He then told me to come over to his office and talk about it. Wally is a great guy with enormous experience and outstanding personality. He tried to cheer me up and he told me to take this as a bump in the road. His words really calmed me down and I said to myself, God had brought me all this way and he will give me what I wanted for a long time one way or another. I also contacted Alan and Shelley as well as Morgan (Alan and Shelley’s Daughter). They were also very sad to learn the news. We had high hopes it will work out. But it didn’t. So now we were supposed to think and act fast on what needed to be done. First thing was to get documents that the Visa officer wanted to see and I couldn’t show her on my first visit. This includes Affidavit of Support forms, Bank Statements from Alan and Shelley plus authenticating my high school certificate. By the way I had no clue that my high school certificate was supposed to be authenticated by the National Examination Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The most un-professional thing the Embassy does is not telling exactly what needs to be done prior to coming to the Embassy for a visa interview. It seems like they want to discourage peoples by telling them there is another paper to be filled out or to bring. But Anyways We took care of these parts and the rest is just praying to God. Lucky me, I have lots of peoples telling me to hold on and keep trying. Peoples who are praying for me. People who, when I am sad with their kind words warm my heart and make me feel loved. It’s a blessing to know these people. Alan and Shelley and their family stood by my side on that trying time and told me to keep my faith in Jesus Christ. So after two other continuous and unsuccessful tries with Wally, then finally I went to the Embassy alone for another interview. This time I have to nail it. Nothing less is acceptable. But speaking of the truth I was so in doubt knowing the fact that I have been denied just a month and half ago and also I have no considerable change to plead my case. But this time, I had more prayers both from Ethiopia and the U.S. Sometimes When I think about how the visa officer understood me and listened to what I have to say carefully I say it’s God’s way of answering our prayers. After asking me what new documents I have brought this time and about the School I am hoping to Join (Brigham Young University-Idaho), He jumped into the main and crucial question. ‘Why would you come back to Ethiopia’? My Answer was I think a little different than he expected. I didn’t tried to list reasons that will make me come back but instead I just showed him with my little speech how this opportunity arose for me and how it will change my life in the future if I can take full advantage of it. I honestly told him looking straight into his eye that I have no money in my bank Account or I don’t have a car or a house. I told him “I have nothing valuable to show you as a reason for me to come back”. But I also showed him the meaning of getting a University Degree from U.S.A from internationally accredited university from my angle. I also told him how close I am with my family and how much they meant to me and how I dream of helping change myself and my family’s life and be close to them. Finally I concluded by saying that I don’t want to picture perfect about life after graduation but told him it will be brighter. He listened carefully and checked every document I gave him. One quality the first Visa Officer didn’t have. He was mature on handling every interviewee and gave time for the people to say what they want to say unlike the first visa officer. He then with a smile congratulated me on getting the visa. At this time there was a tear in my eyes. He even joked about how I will freeze out in Idaho. I then Said thank you and started to walk out of the Embassy to pay for my Visa. A million things were running in mind. I wanted to cry but as the same time I also wanted to just laugh out loud. I started thinking about how my family will be happy when they hear this news. I just started thinking about how proud my mom and dad will be by this achievement. I also started thinking about the miracles of God. How he is able to pick you up from your lowest point and put you to a place you could only hope for. I also was thinking how Shelley, Alan, Morgan and every other people that were eager to listen to the news would react. I had a dream and it came true. What else can I ask for? I really believe our Lord have a way of doing things for us in a way we couldn’t imagine. I sometimes look back on the important decision I made in my life and see God’s plan for me. But Now, Everybody is happy and more than anything I am happy. Next was telling everybody the news they have been waiting for. Knowing somebody is happy by my success is another piece of heaven. So I spread the word for some of my Ethiopian and American friends. I also told the news to my American Dad, Mom and Sister (Alan, Shelley and Morgan). They are my family and helped me in thick and thin as if I were their son and brother. I knew this would make their day and it sure did.
I was given the Visa on Dec. 12/2011 and I received my passport 4 days later. My ticket was booked for Saturday. A week ago , I was asking myself ‘Do I have any kind of chance on accomplishing this?’ and now I am getting prepared to fly out to America. It’s astonishing how things could change in a matter of days. Actually for that matter, even in seconds. I am so excited to be with my American family once again. I am also looking forward to see all the things America has to offer. Starting from the winter snow to the big stores like Wal-Mart. From the nice food to meeting new peoples and talk in English the whole day. From visiting nice cities to celebrating Christmas the American way. But more than that, I am looking forward to my life as a student. I constantly ask myself ‘Will I fit in?’ It sometimes makes me nervous but luckily there are lots of peoples who will help me and guide me through.
After finishing packing and saying goodbye to some family members I then went to Bole International Airport. My Parents, Brother and Sisters all came just to say goodbye from Nazreth. They all headed with me to the Airport. It makes me sad to leave them and go all the way to America but I know and they know it’s for good. Especially I feel sad to leave my Dad because he recently doesn’t feel good health wise. He has some serious health issues and unfortunately the health care in Ethiopia is below poor. He needs to be treated consistently in a Hospital but he couldn’t get the health care he needed. So thinking about that and realizing I am not going to be with him for a while made me want to cry but I hold on and told him to take care of himself. I also told him I am trying to accomplish the promise I gave him when he gave me a ring as a gift for my first graduation in Ethiopia. He made me promise to try and continue my education and not stop by what I had on that moment. I saw his face light up when I said those words and he just came over quietly and kiss me on my forehead. I am so proud to keep my promise and I am blessed to know Alan and his family to give me this opportunity. I then said my final goodbyes and headed to the passenger gates. I have flown before but only domestic flight in a very small Airplane. This is a whole new experience for me. But Shelley already taught me every detail on what to expect from the first Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to my final destination in Salt Lake City, Utah. I made sure I have every document I need to show for the officers and then proceeded to the gate. I went through security and went straight to the place where I will get my boarding pass to the plane for my flight from Addis Ababa to Washington D.C. At this point I have checked my two suitcases. So I don’t need to worry about it up to Washington. After securing my boarding pass, I then went through customs and immigration office inside the airport. It all was an easy process and run smoothly. After that I went through another security checkpoint and I was told to wait on the Gate where all the other passengers on my flight were waiting at. Being inexperienced on flying and since I was nervous I forgot to eat something before coming to the Airport and now my stomach started rumbling. To make matters worse, for some reason our flight got delayed for an hour and half. After so many hours of waiting finally we were told to board on the plane and we did. My first time on a Big Airplane!! I was hoping to get a seat by the window side just to look outside when we take off and arrive in Washington but my seat was in the middle. But it didn’t matter as long as I am inside the plane. The Airplane is sooo big. Next to me were two white peoples who were also going to Idaho. We had some chat and I told them how excited I am to go over the United States and study in BYU-I. I am not sure their purpose for visiting Ethiopia but other four or five people were with them. After everybody was on board our plane took off. Since I had an experience flying in the small Airplane I did not felt anything weird taking off on the big airplane. It just feels so nice. Finally an hour after taking off the flight attendants brought us our dinner my stomach was craving for. I knew this was the start of ditching Injera for a quite a long time. But the chicken they served me was tasty. We flew north of Ethiopia and through Sudan, Egypt passing through Mediterranean sea to Rome, Italy for a brief stop to refill Fuel and change plane operators and flight attendants. We remained seated and I kept watching movies and playing games. Everybody seems to sleep without problem the whole way but I managed to sleep only for about 30 minutes at one point. I think maybe I am so excited or may be it’s because I usually can’t fall asleep while I am seating. I have never been in a flight which takes more than an hour and half so this one started to wear me out a little bit when we were about to reach Rome. But on our second flight to Washington I was so exhausted. Why is Ethiopia in the opposite side of the world from America?? I just wish if it wasn’t this far. I managed to sleep for an hour or so on this flight too. But my mind was up and running after sometime because it is still in Ethiopian time and it is day light there at that point. Good thing is these big airplanes have lots of movies and games loaded in the screen in front of each seat which are enough reasons to distract me from thinking about the flight. But still the final 2-3 hours of the flight were a nightmare. Because of the delay in Addis, we were delayed an hour and half from our expected arrival time. The guys who sat next to me barely missed their flight. But I had about 11 hours of layover in Washington before my next flight to Atlanta so no worries for me!! I wanted to make sure nothing will go wrong so I asked the guys if I can join their group and process the custom and security check together with them. They were nice enough to help me find he Non-US citizen immigration checkpoint and I passed through that. I was afraid may be there will be a problem here for some reason but nothing went wrong. It took only a minute for the officer to check my documents, take my biometric scan and photo and then it was done. I am officially allowed to pass through the U.S.A border!!! YAY for me!! I have done it. I then checked in my bags for the next two flights and went to the Gate where I will catch my next flight. I used to think the terminal in Addis was so nice until I saw this Airport. Everything is so neat and technologically advanced. I even took a fast mini-train to go to the domestic flight terminal. My first time ride in a train by the way even though its short. I also for the first time tried the real American burger from Five Guys as recommended by Shelley. It was the best burger I ever had in my entire life. This is the high life!! J For the first time in my life I also bought something with a dollar note. The coin the waitress gave me for change was kinda funny though. I am looking forward to a lot of first times in this great country. The story continues and it will get better and better. But in the mean time I am enjoying my 10 hour layover in a terminal in Washington D.C. with a fast internet, a French fries and a coke.
