First day in US

This post is about my experience when I first landed in US !! Before I left India, there were a lot of advices from my friends, relatives, collegues. The main issues that concerned me were African Americans and Vegetarian food !! Atleast food I thought I could manage. But everyone said "Keep away from blacks", "Don't argue with them they might shoot u"..what not !! Anyway compared to the excitement of my first trip abroad all these seemed trivial. After nearly 20 hours of flight travel, I happily landed in US. I got out of my flight and joined the long line for immigration check. I wasn't too tensed.. the HR in my company had already told me what all questions might be asked. I was prepared with the answers. There were atleast 15 counters and as fate would have it there was only 1 counter with an African lady and I had to report there..Hmm...I went and handed over my papers and passport. She:"Have you filed your new papers?" Me: Uh..I'm sorry ( That's the first time someone is speaking with me in American/African English) She: Ur petition expires this month.have u filed for a new one? Me: No She:U can't be here without a new petition .. file one. I was just going crazy..how was that possible. I did not understand what she was talking.. I thought H1B was for 3 years how could it expire so soon.. I saw the paper. I landed on Apr 1 2006 and the expiry date said Apr 30 2008 but my bad luck the 2008 appeared like a 2006. I tried to explain to her that it was 2008. She didn't want to give up. She : Ok .. I prayed all Gods that I should leave from there as soon as possible. But it was not my day !!After 5 minutes She : U were supposed to be here 6 months back. Why r u late? Me: ?? ( My HR didn't tell me this question. I blabbered everything possible) My petition was applied in Pune and I had to transfer to Chennai. Then I got married so my visit got delayed.. She : After 2 minutes ... stand there next to the wall !! I decided 100% that I'm going to go back to India by the next flight and was just thinking if I have my US manager's number. She started with the next person and happily stamped the I-94 for 5 more people. I just thought my bad luck. Then a senior official came and she said something to him, he asked me to get into a room. There were 10-15 people there... I waited for nearly 30 minutes.. then this smart guy ( he was really cute) called me " Paeveetra" that's how he pronounced my name. He was obviously puzzled as why I was escalated.. He found the papers perfect. He went out had a chat with the lady and came back..he was smiling.. He asked me the same question. But now I was prepared .. I told him though I got my papers I had to reschedule my PAI dates and that's why I got delayed. He asked my company ID card and stamped my I-94 . He: Where's ur husband? Me: California I was shocked because my papers say I'm single and how did he know? Coincidentally, we tend to speak the truth when we r tensed. Again a wrong answer. I realized I did a mistake. My HR told me 100 times .."Don't ever give him a clue that u r planning to settle in US..he'll reject u immmediately". I saw his smile change..next question He: So u'll go there weekends? Me: It's too far..may be I'll go once. He:"How long would u be here?" Me: may be 3-6 months.. He:ur husband Me: he's going back in a month. He: I don't think so...hope I'll see u both here after 5 years applying for a green card.. Ok.. All the best. Enjoy your stay here. Me: Thanks a lot. I felt so relieved and collected my baggage. Ok .. first thing I searched for a phone booth to call my husband and tell him I reached safely. So I wanted change and went all around asking for change. Atlast managed to get change for a dollar. Again bad luck, I didn't know how to use the pay phone.. I dropped the quarter dollar dialled the number no answer.. Saw 3 people (supposedly Indians) there..I asked them if they could dial the number for me.. one guy offered me his mobile and I already had enough tensions that my hands were already shivering.. He dialled the number for me and not again !! My hubby was another call so it asked me to leave a voice message.... I've never left voice messages before ..didn't even know what to do so I think I told my name. I thanked the guy and told him if he gets a call from that number its my hubby and asked him to tell that I'll call him back. Then I knew that's what I should have told in the voice message :-). As I was thinking, whether I should try the pay phone again or go to my apartment and then call my hubby..suddenly an African around 300 pounds was standing behind me and asked "Are you looking for a cab?". Again a wrong answer "yes".. come on he said and took my luggage.. I could not even imagine my horror .. first time in a foreign land and alone with an African who seemed too dangerous..but then how can I say "no" now.. So got into the cab and was just praying silently.. At last saw the street.. got down and my collegues said the cab would take $50 he asked $65. .. get lost I thought ... I had already had enough. This is an experience which I'll never forget.. saw a post on african Americans and remembered this incident...but then after that I've had a pleasnt stay here :-)