Primula

From reading the posts here, some of us have been here a long time, whilst others are fresh off the boat.

So what was the date of your emigration, where did you embark from, and where did you arrive in the States?


I emigrated on Saturday, December 4, 1976, I was 25 years old, I embarked from London Heathrow and arrived at JFK. My first experience was lighting a cigarette in the subway and being informed they were smoke-free.

kimilseung

end of April/start of May 2006

I still find words like expat and emigrate uncomfortable. I just moved (with complications).

Primula

You came at a nice time of year. I was shocked at how harsh the New York City winter was.

Uncle Ebenezer

June 26, 2002.

robin1234

I don't know the exact date but I think we came over about two weeks before you.. we travelled from Southampton to Boston on the QE2 in November 1976. The QE2 was scheduled to arrive in New York, but after an accident during the voyage they could only get as far as Boston ... they wanted to bus us to NYC, but we (well, my wife anyway) kicked up a fuss and demanded a one-way rental car, since we had so much luggage with us. We drove from Boston to New York in a blizzard.

rpjs

I'm a newbie - Jan 2011

RICH

June 24 2004 Gatwick/Detroit/Tampa. Went to a restaurant for Dinner with USC Fiance - fell asleep at the table!

avanutria

My DH came (and I re-patted after 5 years abroad) in December 2009. We came from London.

SultanOfSwing

September 15, 2005. Seems like much longer ago now, though. Weird, that

Wibblypig

September 22nd 2011, Manchester - Orlando.

My eldest daughter talked non stop on the 3 hour drive to the in-laws on the west coast of FL....this was a godsend as I was nearly falling asleep driving, despite the 7 thunderstorms I had to drive through!

Edit: Although technically not emigrated as here on H1B/H4 visas

Jerseygirl

18th June 1996...Manchester to Newark.

Pombat

Arrived on July 1st 2006 Melbourne to San Francisco, only to find the entire country appeared to be shut down for the 4th of July weekend....

Noorah101

My husband immigrated to the USA on April 21, 2004 (he just had his 8th year in the USA, woo hoo!).

I went to Turkey for his K-1 visa interview, and we flew back together from Istanbul to JFK, nonstop flight. Changed planes at JFK and flew to Los Angeles, nonstop again. Spent the night in LA at the Radisson LAX airport hotel (they were sweet and upgraded our room to a "honeymoon" suite at no extra charge). I remember both of us being exhausted, but hyper at the same time. Sadegh stood at the big glass window overlooking LAX, in awe, shaking his head and saying "I can't believe I'm really in the USA". Ordered room service...just tea and a fruit platter...and then crashed out like a light.

Next day had breakfast at the hotel (Sadegh was not impressed...US breakfasts are SO different from Turkish ones), and got an early afternoon flight to Phoenix. Finally arrived at HOME in Phoenix on April 22, about 3:00 pm.

Sadegh and I love to reminisce about those first days.

Rene

SultanOfSwing

Oh I forgot to do the from whence and to where ...

Belfast --> Newark --> Chicago O'Hare. A long day's travel lengthened significantly by a four hour delay at Newark due to thunderstorms in the area. Never again will I fly transatlantic on a 757 and I will always try to avoid a connection inside the US. It just always seemed much easier to connect Belfast/London/Manchester than it was to do the Newark/Chicago connection.

Primula

Robin, so far you are the one who has been here the longest. How funny you don't remember the date. I admit I did look up the day of the week though that I left.

How very exciting to come over on the QE2. I never once considered doing that, probably because of lack of funds. I bought the cheapest plane ticket I could find.

Do you like San Francisco better than Melbourne, which I hear is lovely?

I hear you; I hate any kind of connection, even a train. I like to get on and then when I get off, I am done traveling.

I will never fly across the Atlantic again on coach. It is going to be business class (or better) for me in future.