My first and only trip so far to the United States was amazing. I left a piece of my heart in Denver.
But getting there was tricky…
First I had to pay a decent-sized amount to get an interview with the US embassy. Security was predictably insane. I had to leave my cellphone, car keys, grenades and chewing gum in a plastic container at the entrance.
Luckily I didn’t get awarded the embarrassing “pink slip” and got my visa.
The guy who I dealt with was a middle aged bald-shaved guy. The second time I wanted to go to the USA, it was for business. The only difference was that my application was for a business visa instead of a holiday visa.
That same guy then rejected me. I told him he was the guy that let me through the first time and he advised me that he was new at the time and had become a lot wiser in the mean time.
Yes, I went to the USA the first time, came back, proving that I’m not planning to run away and live there and that there’s also something to love about my own beloved homeland, and then denying my second visa was deemed wisdom.
You can just feel the wisdom oozing there. Apparently it’s not likely that someone in their early twenties would do business internationally.
Anyway, back to the successful attempt… I first went to a conference in Florida where I had the absolute honour of meeting Glenn W. Turner. He changed my life. I sat down next to him not knowing the incredible man I was sitting next to (i.e. the Tony Robbins of the 70′s)
Glenn Turner was as poor as it gets. He was busy plowing in the fields one day and suddenly fell to his knees and prayed. He asked God to help him become successful and that if God did that he would give to others generously and make a difference in the world.
At the time he had only a few dollars in his pocket. He grew his company, Koskot to a $100 million dollar powerhouse in 36 months.
So anyway, at this internet marketing seminar, with his harelip speech and his strong almost Texan accent he asked me, “How ol’ r you now young man?”
“Twenty-two sir,” I replied.
“Twenty-two??? You got the world by the tail! You’re gonna be famous in South Africa in ten years time.”
He continued (remember the Texan accent), “When I was younger I was driving in my Mercedes Benz convertable, I had my beautiful wife next to me and I stopped at a gas station. The attendant came to me and started cleaning my window and asked me how I came to have such a beautiful car and such a lovely wife. I told him someday you gonna be even more successful than me. Five years later I stop at the same gas station and this young man pulls up next to me in a Mercedes convertable, beautiful woman sitting next to him, and a poodle in the back seat. I said I told you you’d be more successful than me some day. I have a Mercedes and a beautiful wife, but you got a poodle as well.”
He also said something to me that made a tremendous impact on me; he said, “Always treat a woman like a lady, even if she doesn’t act like one. Cause if she doesn’t act like one it’s because someone made her that way.”
After the seminar I went to Disney World where there is no chance of dying from a heart attack because there are defibrillators everywhere!
Since I was alone, I pretty much stayed in my room for two days straight. I hated the pizza and the cold drinks are much sweeter than in South Africa, but you could eat said pizza off the road. It’s just amazing, beautiful, and clean.
So then I flew to Denver, Colorado where I had the time of my life with the family of one of my favourite ex-school teachers, Christine Dell. She’s married to Rodney Dell, one of the smartest people you could ever meet in your life. They have two children, Jason and Trevor. Trevor became a US Army Ranger. In the video below you will see myself, Jason and Rodney.
America really is an amazing land and the people I met there were absolutely incredible and a lot friendlier than the visa guys.
P.S. By the way, if you live in Germany you won’t be able to see the above clip, but I would like to thank the songs’ copyright holders for allowing it everywhere else.
P.P.S. President Obama I was just kidding about the grenades just now; please don’t deny my next visa.
P.P.P.S. My ex-South African friend Jason Dell very quickly, yet very brilliantly made this video of my trip to show me the power of a particular video editing suite. Thanks dude, I treasure those memories until next time.