Mistaken identity

Following an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast at our Hotel, John and I decided to take a final look around Niagara Falls and purchase a few souvenirs from the area. As always Niagara Falls and the shopping didn’t disappoint.

We then headed to the border control security check point to re-enter the United States and that is when the fun started...NOT! The traffic at the border crossing was moving freely and even John was surprised how quick we were able to position our vehicle near the front of one of the processing lanes.

Just prior to entering the security check point, you, your passenger and the vehicle are photographed. As instructed we stopped our vehicle next to the booth and handed over our passports with a traditional G’day.

Our passport information was then keyed into a computer and a series of questions followed:

• When did you first arrive in the United States?
• What are the conditions of your visa?
• Who is your host institution?
• What is the nature of your research?
• When did you enter Canada?
• What was the purpose of your visit?
• Why only an overnight visit?
• How much money are you entering the United States with? (Due to an unlucky night at the Casino, not much was the response)

By now John and I were getting worried and then...

• How do you two know each other? And my response was “We are Father and Son”. Unfortunately we look nothing alike.

When suddenly, “Sir, please turn the ignition off, do not make any sudden fast movements and hand the vehicle keys to me.” OMG, we then looked up and saw two armed border security officers approaching the front of the vehicle and another officer clamping the vehicle from behind.

Further instructions followed, “Slowly step out of the vehicle to the front and do not touch anything inside the vehicle.” The two armed border security officers escorted John and I to a holding area in the Homeland Security Building at the crossing.

In the mean time, our rental vehicle was impounded and inspected. Our luggage was also searched. I kept going over things in my mind, what could we have done wrong? I submitted a request to the International Student Exchange to leave the U.S. which was approved. Our passports and visas are accurate. Oh no, I just remembered the plastic bag of Metamucil was still with my toiletries.

John was quick to cut a deal with the authorities and we joked about movies such as Midnight Express and Papillon. We had forgotten the area may have been under surveillance...another mistake. Forty-five minutes later our surname was called. As we moved towards the doorway to the interrogation rooms the officer said we only need to speak to Mark Harris. I noticed John had such a relief on his face, I then realised he had sold me out!

To my surprise, the border security officer then apologised for the detainment. A person of interest on their wanted list is using the same name and has a near birth date as me. He explained, “They were just doing their job and had to be certain”. I replied, “What about the Australian accent and the passports? He responded, “They could be fake”. Again, he apologised for being detained. I was then provided with a release pass to exit the building...happy days.

After this experience, there was only one thing left to do and that was to release some stress. John and I then decided to stop at the fashion outlet again and do some more shopping. We also stopped at Ontario Orchards for some blueberry pie and ice cream.

What a weekend and one that will never be forgotten.

Mark

PS: Stay tuned for our last week in Oswego
PSS: A tourist in Washington and New York
PSSS: Our journey home

Niagara Falls

This was our last weekend in Upstate New York, so John and I decided to go out with a bang and visit Niagara Falls in Canada. O.k. and maybe we’ll do a little bit of shopping along the way at the Fashion Outlet Niagara USA . Once again, Erica and Megan from Enterprise Car Rentals were so kind to provide us with a limited edition Ford Escape for the weekend. It has all the bells and whistles a man’s heart would desire including heated leather seats. Which by the way we’ll need...brrr.

After scraping the frost off the widescreen we left Oswego around 6.00 am heading West through Rochester and Buffalo. To past the time we participated in some friendly Father and Son banter with the satellite radio being the primary point of entertainment. Eventually we had an appreciation for each other’s music...not! You just can’t beat someone who has the entertainment controls mounted in the steering column. Sorry matey. As we neared Buffalo, we were lucky enough to drive through a snow flurry. This was a first for both of us to see falling snow flakes, albeit for a short time it was still impressive.

On cue we had timed our journey to perfection arriving at the Fashion Outlet a minute before opening. With one hundred and fifty retail stores offering discounts up to 75% off the recommended retail price, I knew we were going to be in trouble. Sorry I forgot to mention earlier that John has already purchased four pairs of sneakers...like Father like Son. Two and half hours later you could say that John and I have played an important role in stimulating the American economy.

Early afternoon we arrived at the United States and Canada border crossing. As we played twenty questions with the border control officer she advised us that she had forgotten her visa stamp today and we would need to drive to the administrative building located to the left of the control booths to be processed. About fifteen minutes later we were officially in Canada...yippee!

We pulled into the Embassy Suites Hotel and were provided with a Falls view room, complimentary drinks, nibbles and breakfast, and a $50 Casino voucher.

Sorry to disappoint but words fail me when trying to describe Niagara. Worse, maybe my photographs fail too! I let you be the judge on that one. Niagara really is one of the great natural wonders of the world. Nonetheless, I hope that I have been able to capture some of its beauty, splendour and power.

Dinner (all you can eat buffet) and drinks at the Casino were scrumptious and the $50 voucher was paid back in to the slot machine. Unfortunately John was still a bit jet lagged so it was an early night for him and I decided to kick on to experience the Falls at night which also included a Disney light display.

Hoping you enjoyed the pics.

Talk soon.
Mark

Dinosaur BBQ

After experiencing Dinosaur BBQ earlier at the NY State Fair, I immediately organised a dinner for John and I at the original home of this carnivore delight in Syracuse. Being a Friday night the place was packed and the waiting time for a table was over an hour. So the next best thing was to go to the bar and get a drink. If only you could see the bar that is. The line was ten people deep.

We slowly made our way to the front squeezing passed a group of ladies sitting at the bar celebrating a birthday. Picking up on our Aussie ascent they invited a conversation. Their names were called shortly after for a table and they were kind enough to offer us their seats. The waitress then asked if we would like to eat at the bar. Our response was, “You bet!” Surprisingly our order came out very quickly. We ordered a whole rack of ribs and four sides for $25. Sorry John has the photo of the food. The taste was amazing and once again, I was not disappointed.

Our side dishes included mac and cheese which was sinful, fried spicy beans, two servings of golden fries and two slices of cornbread. A few cold ales (Blue Moon) also hit the spot. If you ever find yourself in the CNY Dinosaur BBQ is a must. Overall Dinosaur BBQ holds its own because, where else can you harmoniously suck the meat from the bones of your mael and lick your fingers and feel right at home? That says a whole lot coming from this hardcore carnivore!

Yum,
Mark

Work and my Son’s arrival in Oswego

Oh man, I’m still struggling with the interview transcripts. I’m such an overachiever and now I realise that maybe I visited a few too many Community Colleges but I couldn’t say no! I only have two weeks left in Oswego and John (my youngest Son) arrives at midnight Tuesday. I’m very thankful for John’s surprise visit and it will be good to see family.


Work wise I have a site visit to Fort Drum’s Educational facility scheduled for Wednesday morning, another meeting with the SUNY Oswego Provost, and finally a meeting with the Director of SUNY’s Continuing Professional Development Unit on my last day in Oswego. Somewhere along the line I must also organise farewell gifts for my hosts and start packing. Therefore you must forgive me for the following dot points:

• John arrived safely and on time.
• Like me, John received a warm and friendly Oswego welcome. He was so jet lagged for the rest of the week.
• The visit to Fort Drum provided an invaluable perspective of the partnership between Jefferson Community College and the military.
• John experienced margarita night at Azteca...another Oswego tradition for visitors.
• And yes! I’m still working on the transcripts.

The perfect antidote to the stresses of work is TGIF.

Ciao,
Mark

In true Seinfeld fashion, goodbye and farewell for now

It is with mixed emotions that I post this comment. As some of you may know, I am finishing my Fulbright Scholarship and will be leaving SUNY Oswego on Friday 12 November. I truly have enjoyed being part of your college community. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to my host Professor Susan Camp, newfound friends and colleagues.

Even though I will miss you all, I am looking forward to the new challenges and responsibilities of being awarded an Australian-American Fulbright Scholarship. I have learned a great deal from visiting and conducting research within the SUNY Community College System. It has been an invaluable experience and a great pleasure.

Best wishes to you all for a happy and safe festive season.

Sincerely,
Mark

Postscript: The blog will continue up to my Oswego departure and throughout my holidays in Washington DC and New York City...the excellent adventure continues.

Post Postscript: Coming attractions include my son’s arrival, a visit to Fort Drum’s educational centre, Dinosaur BBQ and a weekend at Niagara Falls, Canada.

Happy Halloween

They're creepy and they’re spooky and in true American custom this weekend I celebrated Halloween. Naturally it’s really a big thing here with all retail outlets selling a huge selection of bite size candy, costumes and decorations. It was great to participate in the joy and tradition of Halloween. I opted out of the party scene and decided to play trick or treat with some of the district school children visiting the campus. Beside the door of the apartment I had a bowl filled with Candy Corn and bite size candy pieces.

I waited patiently for the little knock from our guests. I only had a couple of treats but it was so much fun.
Boo,
Mark

Stormy weather and it’s not just the climate

Overnight it has been bucketing down and across parts of the United States strong winds have created havoc. I awoke around 5.00 am to a rainy and dark early morning in Virginia. The unpredictable weather was a nuisance, but it didn't dampen my spirits because I was heading back home to Oswego...yippee. I had a quick breakfast and then hitched a ride on the courtesy bus to the airport. Once more you can feel the heightened level of security at the airport and the long line of passengers zigzagging their way through three TSA check point areas.

Forty-five minutes later I passed through security and eagerly headed towards the boarding gate. All looked well and despite the rain the aircraft was already at the gate for the 8.20 am departure to NYC. But where are the crew? And then I heard the announcement, “Due to a compulsory rest period for the flight crew there will be a delay in departure”. Because of the bad weather from yesterday the crew arrived late last night and are required to rest for a minimum number of hours before their next shift. Oh well, it was only an hour and a half delay.

It’s a short flight to NYC and I arrived with plenty of time to spare before my 12.15 pm flight back to Syracuse. By the time I arrived at JFK Airport, the authorities had closed all Washington Airports due to some incredibly heavy rain squalls. They were also tracking a tornado which may cut across the Washington area. So it was really awesome to be safe and sound at JFK Airport or so I thought.

Surprisingly the aircraft was on time and the departure came around quickly. As I was about to board two TSA officers approached me and requested a word. The TSA officers informed me that when my checked-in bag was scanned and then inspected, they found an unknown powered substance in a plastic bag with my toiletries. I quickly recalled that I had decanted some Metamucil into a plastic bag because I didn’t want to take the large container...oops. What a price to pay for maintaining a balanced diet.

Mind you, it was the same day the authorities arrested an individual in Washington in a “sting” operation and the day before the printer cartridge parcels were found on international freight and passenger flights. Undeniably, what a different world we now live in, but it was a very important lesson to be learnt. With a gentle warning I was allowed to be on my way.

I was elated when the wheels of the aircraft finally touched down in Syracuse and without a doubt the trip to Washington was an unforgettable adventure.

Ciao,
Mark

Embassy of Australia Fulbright Event

In reality I’m feeling a bit more positive today, this is despite the long journey into Washington via Dulles International Airport. And do you know what is most excellent?, getting to meet Frank Chong, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Colleges, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), Department of Education, United States of America. The OVAE is located adjacent to the Department of Homeland Security so you can imagine the level of security. The meeting was scheduled with the assistance of the Embassy of Australia and was supposed to be only thirty minutes.

However, once the dialogue started we ended up speaking for nearly two and a half hours. Seriously, I could have not asked for a better meeting. Probably the wisest decision I ever made next to applying for a Fulbright Scholarship. I wish I could time travel and freeze time, because it was one of the most rewarding moments in my career. I think my media mentor (Peter Beattie) would have been proud and what topped it off, were the gifts from home.

After stopping at a few of the local attractions, I made the long walk to the Embassy of Australia. The warmth of the company at the Embassy went a long way to making it a pleasant reception. Again it was fantastic to catch up with the other Fulbright Scholars who were unable to attend the NYC event.

The conversation and networking flowed easily and I guess being a Fulbright Scholar is an extension of our desire to communicate to all, and as such it was an enriching experience. Regrettably I had to miss the dinner and make the long bus ride back to Dulles International Airport and then the courtesy bus to the Comfort Inn, Sterling, Virginia. Understandably a tad weary I fell into bed but I survived or so I thought.

Ciao,
Mark

Washington or bust! (Part2)

I awoke around 5.00 am to one of those chilly and breezy fall days and after the hiccup yesterday with accommodation, it was a last minute pack. Walking to the Campus Center bus stop I was rugged up in my winter coat, scarf and leather gloves and I was still cold. The chill of the winds off Lake Ontario cut right through you...brrr. With daylight saving nearing its end, the days will be steadily marching towards their shortest and coldest. Because of the extreme winter weather, everybody still comments that I’m leaving Oswego at the right time and how true they are! I’m continually thinking of the summer past and how enjoyable the warmer temperatures were.

The Syracuse bus arrived as scheduled at 7.30 am and once again the route took in the picturesque colours of fall. Although it was only a few weeks ago when I travelled the same route, you notice that many of the trees have already lost their leaves. I arrived two hours later at the Syracuse Regional Transportation Center (RTC) and to save a few dollars I booked a taxi to the airport from the RTC.

This time the cost was $21, a saving of $4.90 instead of the pre-paid flat-rate taxi service at $25.90 for a 6 mile (10 minute) journey. The taxi turned up on cue at 10.00 am and everything was going to plan to catch my 11.30am flight to New York City (NYC). Even the check-in and security check points flowed well. And then came the announcement...”The flight to NYC has been delayed and we will update you when we have more information”. In other words, we don’t know how long the wait will be.

30 minutes, an hour, then two hours went by and finally a boarding time of 2.00 pm was announced. Numerous passengers had already missed their connecting flights, however, with a quick calculation I would still make the boarding time in NYC to catch my 3.30 pm flight to Dulles International Airport, Washington. But would my luggage make the trip? The aircraft finally departed from Syracuse around 2.30pm and yes, it’s going to be a close call to make the connecting flight.

Thankfully, the Chief Officer on board the flight had radioed ahead to hold the connection to Washington. We arrived at JFK Airport an hour later and just like the movies it was a sprint through the terminal to our departure gate. As luck would have it, NOT, the boarding gate is located at the other end of the terminal. I was seated above the luggage loading area of the haul of the aircraft, so it was with great relief when I noticed a JetBlue transport vehicle carrying my luggage. With a short delay of 15 minutes I was finally off to Washington.

Arrived at Dulles International Airport around 5.15 pm and boarded the Aero Train to the luggage carousel. It was an amazing space age journey just to pick up your luggage.

I collected my luggage and then made the important phone call to the Comfort Inn, Dulles International Airport, Herndon, Virginia for their courtesy bus service. So here goes their response:

• Based on their records I had no reservation
• The Inn would not send their courtesy bus to the airport to collect me, and
• They would not honour the internet price.

They weren’t interested at all and suggested that I had made a mistake and booked in to one of the other Comfort Inns in the area. But why did I record their number from the website and call them instead of the other Inns? Rational thought was out of the question. Also, the reference number from HostelBookers was no help. After several pleas for accommodation assistance it was to no avail. I then phoned the two other Comfort Inns in the area and they also had no booking. In the end the Comfort Inn in Sterling, Virginia, were prepared to come and collect me from the airport but naturally it was at a higher cost and about 28 miles from Washington.

Three hours after arriving at Dulles International Airport I had finally arrived at a place to rest my weary body and mind (what was left of it). It’s been a very long day and one great adventure. The lesson continues.

Zzzzzzzzzzz,

Mark