Our arrival into Detroit was uneventful, but cold. We were taken from the plane to the U.S. Immigration station. We waited in a line for ten to fifteen minutes then were led to a waiting area. Just hours before, we had left the most pleasant, gracious, accomodating people we have ever encountered. And now, we were back in the United States of America, land of the free, home of the brave, staring at the grumpy faces of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and having to deal with their impatient attitudes and unpleasant dispositions. Unbelieveable.

The official handling our group was a real piece of work. He snapped at everyone and, if you can believe this, was totally impatient and down-right rude to the incoming Chinese people that couldn't speak English! He worked for Immigration, for crying out loud. What did he expect foreign visitors to speak?!! Perhaps he expected them to learn fluent English on the flight over??? I was appauled and embarrased. When it came our turn, I was ready to bite his head off, but bit my own lip instead and got through our check-in without speaking - I let Carolyn do what little talking we had to do. We were standing on the line between China and getting Emma home and I didn't, at this point, want to rock his boat. He assigned her an INS number, stamped her Chinese Passport and sent us on our way - to the next flight and back to Atlanta! We were home, and Emma was ours!