₦airaland Forum

Small town America is notorious for its numerous one way streets. Likely holdovers from the old days when horse buggies were the prevalent mode of transport. Be sure to look for this type of sign...

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State street is one of the popular streets here - plenty of mom and pop shops, bars, restaurants...

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Before the trip, it was needful to fuel up (both literally and figuratively). Here i stopped at my favorite place to grab a bowl of hot soup (you'll find a panera bread in practically every American town you get to - well almost). My favorite food is the Greek salad and chicken and wild rice soup (the tomato bisque with bread is also worth a try). The car had to get some gas too!

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https://c4.staticflickr.com/1/776/31697444331_8902f43a26_k.jpg

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NA

First spot - Doylestown, Pennsylvania - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doylestown,_Pennsylvania.

I stumbled into this town quite by accident while looking for an audio store and loved it instantly. For those who have been to Philly, the town is less than 30 miles north.

First photo is the rough map of my ride to the town. Other than the I-78, all the other routes were back roads, which are fun to take because you get to see other small towns on your drive (these trips are more fun in the summer or fall, when the weather is warmer). From route 33, it took under 50 minutes to get to there.

So months after starting this photoblog, i finally get around to posting on it! Its been a long work year but at last, i have a few weeks when i have absolutely zero to do other than wake up, eat, clean the house and then do the one thing i love best - driving to find the best spots and eats around me.

When you ask many people what places they like most about America, they are likely to tell you a lot about the popular places - New York city, Chicago, Los Angeles etc. While all these places are great, the areas i find most intriguing are the areas you probably have heard referred to as "real America". These are typically small towns with small populations which you probably would never hear off outside of America. However, i find these places the best areas to visit if you want to really learn about America's history, its people, culture and foods. So since i had a few days to burn on vacation, i decided to spend a few days chronicling my foray into small town America.

By the way, typical characteristics of "small town America":
1. As the name implies, most of these towns are small in size, with populations usually numbering in the hundreds to a few thousands.
2. There is ALWAYS a main street!
3. Other things you will find - courthouse, funeral home, US post office and fire stations (Americans don't joke with their fire services).

baby124:
It is a picture for God's sake. I would like to take a picture of just me and my siblings with my mother too. With none of our inlaws or even our kids. Those are memories recreated. The fact is she is not your mother's child. Not even marriage can make that possible. So she needs to chill and stop forcing things. After all if there is trouble she will be quick to remind you that your mother is not her mother. Please she needs to find work or more serious things to engage her mind than looking for trouble everywhere. Or doing photo bombs when she is not called. You must humble yourself to be elevated. At least she should have waited to be called before volunteering herself into the picture. Her mother is also a trouble maker and irrational just like her. Take note.

In the name of God, please disregard this type of "advice". These are the type that do more harm to marriages than good.

Your wife was right. Even the bible says that when a man is joined with his wife, they become ONE FLESH. What's the point excluding her from a picture with the "children" of your mom? Is she not her daughter too? Once you get married, your wife becomes your number 1 priority over your siblings... her needs/feelings/emotions must take precedence over theirs at all times. She wasn't giving you attitude, she was simply upset to be excluded from a family she assumed had accepted her completely as one of theirs. It must have hurt her to realize she was still being treated as an outsider. How would you feel if the tables were turned and your brothers in-law excluded you from family events because you were not considered a sibling? Sometimes we need to put ourselves in the shoes of others before we complain.

lol your wife is willing to give you 2ce a week and you're complaining? Most men are lucky to get it once a month... you better thank your wife and buy her roses and jewelry in appreciation.

Ariel20:
I also enjoy travelling..I recently opened a travel blog. No content yet though. I've been incredibly busy. Where have you been to? We could work out something together

Haha nice! I've mostly done more travel within the US. Outside, i've done the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium - hoping to extend this to Sweden in the next two months. Well we can work something together, let me know.

OGreene:
Say what!

You could have FIRST congratulated the poster. And then corrected her. Not saying she doesnt deserve the visa. Who are you?

Don't you know tension makes ppl mix things up or she could hv been misinformed. Havent you seen ppl who answered perfectly get denied.

Only in Nigeria do you congratulate people for mundane things like getting a visa. Bizarre.

femi321:
well.. we noticed but you shouldnt have said 'if I were the Vo'. people take things differently,you could have said that to your friend in real life and you people will laugh about it. but on here,nobody can see anyones facial expression, things can be misinterpreted easily. there are some things I will say and my friends will know its a joke without seeing my facial expression while reverse is the case when it comes to strangers.Just move on. cheers

Thanks. I understand but frankly its bizarre how "sensitive" people are when it comes to foreign visas. Its almost like a life and death issue.

sobastical:
irrelevant trying to be relevant. pass

That's just silly. You should pay more attention to your visa interview.

Denvan:
Signs of over-self-confidence and pride. Beware, there are gurus here.

Hmm where? on threads looking for visas? yeah sure.

nellyalph:
We need to be corrected and better ourselves. But the 'if I were the Vo' part was not necessary. From a layman perspective, he made sense and also related it to some problems.

It's just like when your teacher gives you mark for attempting a question

if you all noticed, there was a "lol" at the beginning of the comment - meaning it was an intended joke. Obviously i'm neither a VO nor do i have the power to rescind his visa. Please spare us all the pretentious preaching. Surely there are better things to do than hang your hat on a two sentence post.

LagosismyHome:
same way you were free to ignore the transcript post .....

Circular logic at its best.

LagosismyHome:
feedback so unnecessary .......

You're absolutely free to ignore it, just the same way i ignore a lot i also consider "unecessary". Its a free world.

OluDare01:
I have exams. I will PM you on saturday

Sure.

OluDare01:
I can actually fault his argument but I don't wanna derail this thread.

Since i do that for a living, i'd like you to give it a try... PM me if you'd like.

larmeedeh:
its funny wen someone shares his/her success story n some Almighty VOs will just quote to feel bad or write their bad belle comment *rollingmyeyes* I wonder how such people relate wit others in d real world..
if u wanna criticize someone's success story , just b quite about it u don't av to post it ..
not all opinions r needed , go apply for VO job since u know best.
night!!!

I'm not sure when obtaining visas became a "success story". Only in the land of the desperate.

poshestaunt:
Please guys ! Answers. ...

Won't you have to get a new visa stamp though? Ask your International student advisor.

femi321:
Thank God you are not the VO. You know it all? Who doesn't make mistakes? I am sure you don't get 100% in your exams, so they should have given you an F for getting some questions wrong?? Your post was unnecesary

Happy not to be the VO either.

seriki1563:
visa issued on monday(6:30 am)
me- good morning sir
vo- pls give me a litlle time
me-ok sir(he was typing and concentrating and also chilling with his coffee and I was also admiring his mustache and beard)
vo-good morning
me-morning with a warm smile
vo-ass me ur document (passport and I-20)
me-i gave them to him
vo-so what do you want to go and do in east tennessee state university
me-I am going to ETSU to pursue my bachelors degree in chemistry
vo-ok, which city is ETSU
me- johnson city
vo-how many schools did you apply to
me-3( na just one I apply to ooooo but u wont say one if u are truly looking for a visa)
vo-how many gave u admission
me-2
vo-name them
me- ETSU and uni of ARKANSAS
vo-which one rejected
me-Idaho state uni
vo-why ETSU
me-(this is where I finish the job) When I google searched using princetonreview, usnews.com and chemistry.org then I streamlined my researches on schools that perfectly match my area of interest which is chemistry and ETSU seems to be one of them.Though I was accepted to other schools but ETSU became my top priority above others because chemistry is offered as a major while other uni do not do it as a major
vo-u mean uni of ARKANSAS dont take chemistry as a major
me-yes( even though I was not sure)
vo-ok, ok, ok. What will you do with chemistry
me-It will give me the opportunity to work as an analytical and industrial chemist when I return to Nigeria and also it will give me the indepth knowledge and scientific skills to head my father's newly set up food testing laboratory as well as working with the federal government research institutes in Nigeria and in this way, I will be able to contribute into the improvement of human's health in my country Nigeria.
vo-so you will work for the govenment
me-no mainly my dad's food testing laboratoy
vo-so your dad has a laboratory
me-yes( i think he didn't hear it when I mentioned it before)
vo-who will pay for this in your i-20 (tuition fee)
me-my dad
vo-what does he do
me-he is the CEO of al-mubarak travels and tours limited and also the founder of AL-mubis food testing LAB
vo-did your dad study chemistry
me-no
vo-When did he set up the Food testing LAB
me-2013
vo-How was it easy for him to move from a travelling agent to a chemist
me-He his only a founder and not a worker sir and actually my dad has built the LAB all because of me because he has always promise me a LAB right from when I was young because I have always tell him my career prospect is to be an analytical chemist and he also made a promise to send me to the US to study due to their good quality of education.
vo-ok,ok,ok why did you choose chemistry
me-I chose chemistry because when I was in high school, a teacherof mine do ask for our carieer prospect and mine has always make him give an advice to study chemistry.
vo-what do u understand or what have U experienced about the food testing LAB
me-All the expertise in the company do make sur that all food are well tested against contamination like what was discovered some weeks back are people coocking beans cake with plastic which are very dangerous to our health because thos plastics are not ideal for cooking because they are made from hydrocarbons which are made from waste of crude oil.......
vo-ok,ok-I will be issuing ur visa now and bla bla bla which I did not even wait to here.no document was asked. It is not by my power but God alone. I fasted for 30 days and pray mostly in the midnight. My advice do not be appaled on whatever question that is asked because all they want to hear is a reason for u to return to Nigeria and do not be disturbed by the processes taken before getting to the consular officer and neither must u feel aghast if someone's visa is rejected just mind ur business and try to chill with some people before getting in for screeniin just to gain confidence.

lol if i was your VO, i would have denied you the visa on account of the above. Plastics are not made from crude waste. Adhesives yes, but not plastics... also the most dangerous parts of plastics are the additives, not the monomers used in making the plastic.

Cookie104:
Good day house, I have been a guest long enough, I have been following silently long enough, so today. I will share my experience.
I applied for B1/B2 visa for me, my two sons (6, 4)and my sister, (14years) and we were scheduled for interview today. Below is my transcript.

First when we went in after all the clearance, we were directed to window 5.(abuja embassy) the lady there only took my little sister's finger print. and said that's all she needs. We then went to line up.
Unfortunately for them(not me shaa) against all my prayers there it was that very wicked VO in window 6 that was dashing yellow paper out like it's some naira bills that we were lucky enough to be in front. OK.. .

Vo:.... Ma'am... Please give me your passport
Me:.... Here: Good morning (gave her all four)
Vo:..... You are with them all... . (can't remember how ... ... she actually said it)
Me:..... Yes, my two sons and my sister, I touched them
VO... (looks at her system) mentions my sister's name' .. ...... .. is your sister, and 'mentions my sons name' are .. you sons..?
Me:..... Yes ma'am.
Vo:....... Have you travelled before?
Me:...... No
Vo:..... Where are you going to?
Me:. .. .New York
VO:..... who are you going to see
Me:..... My cousin, (mention's her name)... (though I mistakenly choose 'sibling' while filling the DS 160. ....... form, didn't tell her this though but I guess she .... .... .. can see that anyway

VO :........ What does she do?
Me:..... .. .Errmmm... I think she is a nurse (in the form I ticked do not know)

Vo:.. ..... Are you married?
Me:....... No
Vo:.......... Why are you going to New York.?
Me:.. .. .... Well first of all its Christmas holiday, I want to take the kids on a vacation, at lease let them not feel the vacuum of a father in their life, and again. In my office, our private aircraft is going to the US for maintenance, so I thought it'd better I used that opportunity too as it's gonna cut down on my spending much. (can't remember word to word, exactly how I responded. But I these were the points I stated clearly for her. (while I was speaking she stopped whatever she was reading to look at me. Her face lit a bit.)

Vo:..... What do you do?
Me:.... I am a geologist
Vo:..... Which school did you go to
Me :.. .I told her
Vo:.. ..What is ignous rock
Me:... I chuckled, (in my mind I was like, Haba naa, so elementary) I answered.

Vo:..... Where are your parents?
Me:..... My dad is late, my mum is here, at home.
Vo:... . You don't have your finger prints taken..
Me :... yeah. She didn't ask me, she only tool my sister's own, she Said it's the one she wanted.

VO... Ok, sorry, go back and get it done, then come back. Leave them here.

Me:.. .. I went, it's just next window. The lady attended to me immediately, while I was gone, she started interviewing my Lil sister

VO:....................How are you
My sister:... .. . Fine, thank you
Vo:..... ... ... .. .. What does your father do?
My sister :...... .He is late
Vo:...... ... ..... ...Owh. Sorry for your loss
Vo:... ... .. ....... What does your mummy do.
My sister :...... She is a teacher but she is retired now
Vo:..................(pointing towards my direction) is she your only sister, same parents?
My sister:.. . Yes

I now came back to her window. Gave her back my passport.

Vo:.........Ma'am what did you say you are going to US with your sons and sister.

Me: I repeated same things I told her initially. Not words to words though. I think it's this time I stressed the fact that joining our jet to US will greatly bring down cost for me. And the kid's always asking to travel on holidays like their mates at school...

Vo:.... Unfortunately ma'am... You are not qualified for a visa, go through the paper, bla bla blah... Gave me a yellow paper.

I almost froze, after all the plenty questions? Thought we would have broken the jinx of her not giving out visa this morning, after all the Visa fees for 4.? I ve been so sad since morning though. Didn't wanna talk to anybody. Didn't wanna eat. Been sleeping since then. Just woke up and decided to share this with you my wonderful family.

Please tell me where I went wrong, what could be done to right it. I really want to go with our jet and crew,.. They will be leaving by 2nd or 3rd week of December. (by the way..two of our pilots are Americans, they were begging me to have them send an invitation for us. And be our contact person. Cause I don't know, maybe it's cause I used my cousin or what.) and if I can go with my family, I will be the happiest person on earth. I love my job. And can't even think of leaving my mum here, that will kill her. I and my sister (adopted though) are her only kids. If I can reject every marriage proposals just to be with her and take care of her, why then will I even think of leaving her. If I am ever gonna relocate anywhere, I have to take her there first. no way.

I am just baring my whole heart to you people as I don't know what else to do, who else to talk to. My mum is happy somehow though. I won't mind her.

Cc: AbujaNIV, Mayflowa, Justwise

It was easy to refuse you:

1. As others have said, you're going with all your ties - kids with no dad to return to, only sister.
2. The only reasons you gave for traveling - free flight and your kids wanting to experience what their mates experience. Doesn't seem like you had a focus.
3. Most important, you seemed to have very little idea of who you claimed to be visiting.

Best advice, try the UK and then in about a year or 2, re-apply to visit on your own. Go and come back once or twice then apply for your kids.

bezimo:
Is this a question or you are been confused even on nairaland if you search you would see threads showing how Bishop Oyedepo sent relief materials to the needy, one case was starving workers in osun state, another was the construction of roads around Ota and environments, Bishop oyedepo foundation giving scholarships to a large number of indigent students worth hundreds of Millions of Naira.just to mention a few.
I am sure but not surprised that you would claim ignorance of such noble efforts by Bishop.

The church has a welfare system to meet needs of its members , that you are not aware of this doesnt excuse the advertisement of your ignorance.

If Winner members give in church.How is that your concern or problem.
If Bishop flies a private jet, how is that your concern. Members are giving and prospering as a result yet you here talking nonsense.On what basis?

Abeg. I dont have your time to be responding to fruitless fables.

It is our concern, because it exposes the hypocrisy in the type of "christianity" you follow. I'm sure you can point us to the verse where apostle Paul (who wrote majority of the new testament) rode golden chariots about. Your bishop reminds me of the rich young ruler in the bible.

With regard to the charity you claim about your bishop... the bible is clear - you do not hide a candle under a bushel. No one needed an auditor to understand what the apostles did in Acts 4:34. It was known abroad! You run one of the most expensive private schools in a country of poor folks... the same school built with the tithes and sweat of millions who now have to watch as the children of the rich attend. Contrast that with the free schools that the early missionaries gave to those same fathers of yours.

lol "noble efforts of bishop" - spoken like a true gullible devotee. There is nothing noble in giving the people their tithes back.

alaura:
Morning session is 7am -10:30am. Then specialized classes for healing and deliverance, mother of nations, etc is from 1pm to 3 pm. Then business summit and youth alive holds 3-5pm at the same time. Evening session is from 7-10:30pm

Nigerian churches love "programs"... most of them useless. Business summit, in a nation that is deep in recession, cannot pay its workers, is as corrupt as any other nation and has one of the worst exchange rates in the world? Youth alive? Which youth? The ones who can't find jobs, have to turn to crime to survive and are busy on travel section desperately searching for visa to anywhere to escape grinding poverty?

You people pray and pray and pray... year in year out and your situation remains exactly the same or worse (oh wait, i guess your case is different this year). Isn't it time you started asking why this "god" of yours is taking forever to hear you?

bezimo:
You are just spewing inconsistent and empty rhetoric contradicting yourself, while trying to muddle up scriptural truths and making one wonder if you understand what you just stated.
Oh I Forgot Satan also quotes the Bible perfectly while trying to mislead!!

What is a church? What does the Bible describe as Mout Zion in present day Christianity? Who are the Apostles, Prophets given to the church by God? Whats their functions? What should they teach? Who should tell them what to preach?
Understanding what these means from scriptures should help clarify your confusion on all that confused talk of "religion, deadly cult, teaching of our bishop"

The gospel of the Kingdom is well stated in the scriptures , it's preached.If you accept, good, if not. Not my problem neither is anyone even begging you to be saved or to join the Kingdom of God- Rev 22:12

After all it's a choice, nothing with God is done by force.

How can an ignorant folk like you make me insecure. You must be funny!!

Your entire response is a chronicle in obfuscation and blind deceit. Not a single thing you said responded to anything i raised. For example - i pointed out a verse that expressly dictates that the church is obligated to help the poor among them. I quoted Isaiah 58. I also alluded to Acts 4: 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Lets stop with the useless dodging... the above in bold was what the early church did... what does yours do? Your bishop flies in private jets and is worth over $150m, in a church where there are many who have to fast because they have nothing to eat.... and you're there quoting revelation? You people are most confused.

Shiloh 2015 was "heaven on earth"... where is the heaven? Do any of you stop to ask why you pray the same prayer points every year for 30 years and the only people "god" seems to answer are the very people you pay tithes to? The bible is clear - by their fruits we shall know them. What is the fruit of your church... even in the tiny community in which it is domiciled? Does it provide water, electricity, roads and food supplies to its neighbors? You're there quoting verses you obviously do not apply to your lives.

robosky02:
another one

yeah... your "holiness" is probably what makes you start threads about big women good in bed. Your hypocrisy is appalling.

slap1:
Please who knows the time for the morning, afternoon and evening sessions? I need to make out time for at least one session daily.

Why? Read a chapter of the bible a day and speak to God on your own... let God speak to you directly.

furezra:
My Case is Different.

Your case is different from what? What was the catch phrase last year? Can you honestly claim that it worked for you? What was the slogan Jesus used when He was here on earth by the way?

Shiloh 2015 was the year of "heaven on earth"... lol i guess "god" forgot about Nigeria. What's the exchange rate now?

robosky02:
another atheist spotted

hope you don't stay blind too long

Why is he an atheist? Because he spots the complete folly of what Shiloh and all other ridiculous religious money-making schemes have become? He asks a key question - why is it that we hear more about "seeds, covenant, anointing oil, prosperity, poverty, liberation, shiloh, riches, tithe, papa" than these - "Jesus, repentance, godliness with contentment, helping your relatives"?

Please read Philipians chapters 1-4.

bezimo:
You are deeply ignorant person who needs salvation and can be described as the modern day Pharisee or Saducees who confronted Jesus when he walked the earth, who pride themselves in how wise they think they are not knowing their foolishness is leading them to damnation.

Your insecurity shines through. If you were secure in your own salvation, you would not be so "angry" that someone challenges your "god". I am equally saved... but i can't find your "gospel" in the bible. Here's the funny thing about your analogy, the pharisees and saducees of Jesus' day where the rich, well-respected, star religious leaders of their day. Jesus was simply an itinerant traveler who challenged their hypocrisy. They rose to crucify him - exactly the same way you mobs rise to crucify every voice that rises in opposition to your pharisaic "gods" whose words are of more importance to you than the very bible you claim to read.

bezimo:
The gospel of the cross, is also the gospel of the kingdom which includes among other things the prosperity of the redeemed saints of God, principles of victorious christian living, holiness, wisdom, faith, love, power with God etc. The Genuine pastors can preach any dimension as instructed by God who called them from time to time and not by you telling them what to preach.

Apparently Jesus forgot all about this "prosperity", neither did the apostles seem to remember it at all. Where in the bible did Jesus promise you "victorious christian living" in terms of naira, land, houses and cars? Genuine pastors preach the undiluted word of God, not the false gospel of money changers in the temple.

bezimo:
The teachings of Bishop Oyedepo has transformed the life of many with proofs to show, I am one living example just like very many others out there. You are not a member of the church and as such have no right to make unfounded statements bourne out of stupid ignorance on members who choose to worship God in Winners Chapel Worldwide. So take your misguided and ignorant opinion to the trash can where it belongs.

When a religion becomes more about "our church" or "the teachings of our bishop" rather than the bible, it has become a dead cult. The bible is what transforms, not the earthly vessel. Read 1 Corinthians 3:6.

bezimo:
The least saint in the Kingdom of God is greater than prophet Elijah as said by Jesus himself, not to compare with the present day genuine God anointed prophets.

As they say, pride goes before a fall.

bezimo:
If many in the land lack food to eat, is it the responsibility of Bishop Oyedepo or the church of God to now feed them, where government has clearly failed in its responsibility to improve the welfare of the people.

It was not the responsibility of Jesus to feed 5000. It wasn't the responsibility of the apostles in the church to ask that people sell their lands, give of what they had so no one lacked among them in the book of Acts. The statement above is one i would expect from fleshly merchants of doom, rather than people who genuinely exhibit the fruits of the spirit in the book of galatians 5.

bezimo:
Offcourse the church can do their part as God empowers them to and meeting the material needs of people who lack in the land to the capacity it can as has been shown by Bishop Oyedepo many times both publicly and privately, but its bourne out of Love and not by obligation.

Actually the bible OBLIGATES the church to help the poor. I'm sure you forgot your bible. Isaiah 58:10

You've said a lot, but simply exposed the truth - Winners is basically people by greedy, selfish, cult members. Your church is the largest in the world and yet it has borne zero fruit in a country that still remains the most corrupt in the world.

bezimo:
I am not surprised at the mockers afterall the word said

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God-I cor 1:18.

Those who mock prophetic words must end their journey as a mockery-Bishop Oyedepo

If you dont understand what is happening in Canaanland that has made Winners all over the world to gather in Shiloh then keep quiet, insteading running your hands to type nonsense and attract divine discipline.

Not all who say to me Lord Lord will enter into the kingdom. Judas also cast out demons and healed the sick... the donkey spoke with Balaam too...

Here is the point, the preaching of the cross is truly foolishness to some... but what is being preached in your churches is not the cross but a gospel of greed and covetousness. What is happening in Canaan land is not about making winners but about making one man a millionaire many times over in a land where >70% have no food to eat. If prophet Elijah came down today, he would curse your "prophets".