The New York state of mind :: Mmegi Online

NEW YORK: This has to be some of the world’s stunning arrivals. A view from the window seat on the grand Airbus A350 airplane making its final approach on to the JFK International Airport, from across the Atlantic Ocean, in the horizon I could see the Manhattan skyscrapers protruding above the clouds. Then the poetry of the huge aircraft touching down on the JFK tarmac, announcing our safe arrival in New York – the city of dreams.

I wanted to listen to some rap music. Jazy Z and Alicia Keys, New York State of Mind, that is what I wanted to hear, but I decided to hold up the celebration, there was that small matter of Immigration. That ‘Admitted’ stamp is sometimes never easy, especially on this Trump administration times. He could have tweeted something that morning and blocked all Africans from entering his ‘Great America’.

After the long queue with immigration, I got that coveted ‘Admitted NYC’ from Homelands department – it is time to party. At the JFK arrivals we are welcomed by a beautiful bunch of Batswana living in the US. They were carrying their Botswana flags and ululating loudly in the airport. They had volunteered to pick us from the airport incase we did not have a ride to the hotel. So these women travelled over 30km just to make sure that their homies are not stranded at the airport – Batswana are so courteous to their own.

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