Arriving in the United States, one is met with confusion and queues at the airport and then things smoothen out...
Dr. Uttam Kumar Das writes from New York
I never thought of to coming to the United States of America, at least at this stage of my life and career. However, I have landed here, in the “Land of Fortune.” The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Award brought me this opportunity. I am scheduled to attend a 10-month academic program and related professional experiences in the USA.
Humphrey Fellows are selected based on the potential for leadership and commitment to public service in either the public or the private sector. The Fellowship is named after the former (late) Senator and Vice-President who had been promoter of civil rights and international cooperation.
I believe that my fortune has brought me here. I never believed in fortune when I was younger, especially as a young student.
Since I had been a student of law, a job in the judiciary was my dream. However, I did not get that job and did not try for any other government job. I had been in the final stages (i.e. appearing in the viva voce) twice in 1997 and 2003 having passed the preliminaries, written examinations, psychological tests etc) of BCS exams, but for unknown reasons, somehow success eluded me. Perhaps the controversial Dr. Ershadul Bari, then Professor of Law, University of Dhaka, had been on viva boards both the occasions.
The ‘failure’ made me frustrated (especially in 1997 while I just got married). I owe much to Professor M. Badaruddin, my teacher, guide and philosopher for his guidance and care during those days. I got new motivation and commitment.
I got serious on my ongoing research work at the Institute of Bangladesh Studies (IBS), University of Rajshahi. Subsequently, I earned a Ph.D. degree in Law and Human Rights in 2002.
This pushed me further: I got a further motivation to prove myself. The outcome: I got place in International Civil Service in late 2003 through joining as a National Professional Official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). I had been in that job until 2007. Though I switched over to another job at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2008, I remained in the same (UN) service system.
Having being selected for the Humphrey Fellowship program, I finally decided to leave that job with effect from July 1, 2009.
My flight to the USA was via Hong Kong. I boarded on the Dragon Air-Cathy Pacific joint flight in Dhaka on the early hours of July10, then boarded the 15-hour Chicago-bound flight of the United Airlines. Our flight landed at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago at around 2:00 PM local time same day.
As we were about to alight from the aircraft, we were barred to get down. A disappointing announcement come through: the server system of the “Immigration Department” was down, therefore the passengers had to wait in the aircraft until further announcement. I was totally exhausted after a journey of more than 24 hours. However, there was nothing to do; just wait.
After around half an hour or so, we had good news. We could off-board. Immediately, we rushed to the arrival hall to proceed for the immigration formalities. I had a fear with the reported complexities as immigration process in concerned, as heard from previous travelers. That presumption proved wrong. However, hundreds of travelers stood in the queues for how long, none could say. Like others, I was confused about where to queue. Feeling foolish, I thought, "Did I make a mistake coming here?"
An attending officer was mechanically and loudly announcing: “Those who have American Passports or Residence Card proceed to the bureau; others join the queues.” There was no special arrangement for the elderly people or mother with babies.
I just stood in one line - hundreds of male and females mostly from Southeast Asia stood in front of me. I found that there are 68 desks/booths. Though four of the booths were reserved for the crews, however, more than 200 of them were also queuing in lines. Some were apparently very angry, speaking in languages other than English.
I had nothing to do but, like others, gradually move up with the queue. After around three hours of waiting I reached an officer at a desk. The smart officer was kind enough and did not take much time. He roughly spent 10 minutes to review my J1 visa and related documents and take my photo and thumbprints. I got my passport back with the American stamp of arrival.
I came out of the area, but one of my two checked-in suitcases had not arrived. I was scheduled to complete the immigration formalities and customs clearances in Chicago. The attending person from the airline was not approachable; so busy that I could not even report my point. Then, I reported the issue at my final destination at Buffalo International Airport. The luggage reached me four days later. Anyway, it was in order, thanks to United Airlines.
I have passed just one week at the State University of New York at Buffalo, a city close to the Niagara Falls. I will be here for three weeks, and then move to the University of Minnesota.
I am yet to venture out in the USA. Some people have already made me cautious. The Americans themselves are passing hard times due to the ongoing economic recession. They are angry and frustrated. The younger generation is concerned with employment and the future. I will write separate piece on the issue.
If there is no change in the situation, this may bring misfortune to President Barack Obama for his next election, pro-Democrat academic Dr. Stephen C Dunnett, Professor of Foreign Language Institute and Vice Provost for International Education at the University at Buffalo told a group of 16 Humphrey Fellows gathered here in New York on July 20.
The writer is a Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and researcher; however, presently, in the USA as a Humphrey Fellow. E-mail: udas1971@yahoo.com
*Published in the PROBE News Magazine (Dhaka, Bangladesh), July 24-30, 2009; link: http://www.probenewsmagazine.com/index.php?index=2&contentId=5394.
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