Typical first meeting question: where did you grow up? I have always been curious about how other people live. How others uproot ties to move across the country, and those who leave families travelling 6,604 miles to immigrate to America like today’s podcast guest.

What kind of internal drive and determination does it take to immerse yourself in a new country, the United States? If you arrive here through a DV Lottery program where 50,000 people are chosen, annually, from random selection among all entries to individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States, how long is the process? How do you plan for it? 

You will hear from Giscard Ayissi and his surprising journey to the United States from Cameroon, Africa. He arrived in Minnesota during a cold November 10^th, 2010 day. Reading about the cold weather and feeling the cold on your skin and the chill of the wind to your bones makes it real. You can get frostbite if not dressed properly.

How long did it take for Giscard to get his first job? How did he prepare? Six years later where is he at? What has he learned?

Mike Kabeya of Kabeya Media, and my sound engineer and photographer, also joins in on the conversation. He left the Republic of Congo in 2006. His life was threatened for being truthful as a journalist; and he needed to get out of the country. You can hear his journey in a prior podcast at Mike Kabeya Podcast Episode. Kabeya Media

Learn how Giscard found friends to live with and where he got his first job before founding Humane Humanity, a non-profit organization for new immigrants. The passion, the drive, the courage. He has dreams that keep him going.

Giscard openly divulges his past launch failures never being distracted from applying what he has learned and trying again. He never asks the three questions millions of us ask that Deepak Chopra says we shouldn’t ask when things go wrong, such as: (1) What’s wrong with me? (2) Whom can I blame? (3) What’s the worst-case scenario?

Giscard’s six learned lessons from failure:

1. Do not let others trash your dreams. Believe in your dreams and yourself.
2. Always have ideas. Hurdles are inevitable. Adversity accompanies every worthwhile project.
3. A positive mindset and belief in God is critical. Every day you live, Giscard says, is a new day.
4. With a lot of pressure, you can discover your potential.
5. Persistence, perseverance, keep pushing and moving ahead.
6. Always be happy to help people.

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 Mentoring Tips:

3 Questions to Ask When Things Go Wrong (according to Deepak Chopra)

1. Is this a problem I should fix, put up with or walk away from?
2. Who can I consult who has solved the same problem successfully?
3. How can I reach deeper into myself for solutions?

“Challenges are part of everyone’s life, but there are dark moments when a challenge turns into a crisis. The outcome of our lives depends on the choices we make at those moments. Will they be breakthroughs or setbacks? What we call wisdom is a crucial tool here. Without it, people usually make their most important decisions based on impulse or its opposite, habit.

It might seem impossible that any three questions can-and should-be asked anytime things go wrong, but the sad truth is that millions of us dwell on the three questions we shouldn’t ask, questions such as: (1) What’s wrong with me? (2) Whom can I blame? (3) What’s the worst-case scenario?”

• In Canada immigrants are called New Canadians. A welcoming phrase. Invite a New U.S. Citizen to your house and hear their story. What do you know about the immigration process in the United States?

My Home Town is 6,604 Miles Away, Episode 58   www.humanehumanity.org  http://usafricabiz.com

Next Monday’s Mentoring Conversation:

Dean Hyers of SagePresence.com will join us for a second mentoring conversation.