How about a daylight one on an international flight?
One evening last summer I downloaded a free program from the Internet & started an incredible chain of events. First I checked the program for a virus, then I searched for a 'read me' note containing any special instructions. What I found was a message from the Author, Alex Shovkoplyas, saying he was midway through the process of immigration to Canada from the Ukraine and looking for a job. It brought back a lot of nightmare memories from 1984 when Dee & I finally succeeded in immigrating to Canada. We couldn't offer him a job but, maybe, we could help in some way. I E-mailed Alex offering help and the 'adventure' began!
He replied very quickly. He'd had many good luck messages, ours was the first, & only, offer of help.! E-mail was almost daily as we got to know each other. Yes we could help, there were many similarities - Alex had no phone of his own, his funds were limited, he did not live in the same City as the Canadian Embassy, the bureaucrats were driving him mad - Yep! Been there, done that, worn the T-shirt.! He also had NO friends or family in Canada whereas we'd had both & it was still a nightmare! The big difference was that because Alex is a top level Computer programmer/analyst immigration had 'fast-tracked' him. What took us eighteen months took him three. His biggest problem was needing a Canadian bank account into which he could transfer his money.
This seemed to be an easy one for us to solve. Yeah right! It took us three months! The 'Big' guys have their ways - can't use fax or E-mail, just snail-mail him this & have him mail it back! Well IF the mail gets to him & IF it gets back OK it could take six months! Fortunately we asked our local Trust bank. The manager & all his staff deserve the highest praise! They asked what was needed & then THEY DID IT.! No fuss, no problem. The account was set-up & ALL the paperwork was dealt with by E-mail including the letter required by Immigration! Not one expensive overseas phone call or fax.! How about that?
Having decided that Alex and his family would stay with us when they arrived we were hoping they would be here for Christmas. However, they were working through the maze of bureaucracy to be able to leave. Police permit to sell their apartment. Permit to export their money, only one transfer allowed & only in US dollars. Application for exit visas and passports meant giving up ALL existing ID. Alex was also told he must quit his job first & supply proof of that too. Then one piece of paper wasn't right. Finally all the papers were OK & it would take about two weeks to process! THEN they could get their Canadian Immigration visas issued.!!
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