My friend, coming to America, in 2007, in one's 40s/50s, wishing you the best...
* Hopefully, life will be easier now, comparing to 27+ years ago, when we did.
* Please don't think of it, as an up-rooting experience, as we did in the early 1980s. However harsh of where you came from, and how tough the reality one is facing, from the distance in the future, comparison ofthe two is quite insignificant.
* Willie Nelson has a song, "Angels Flying Too Close to the Ground", it may capture the notion here.
Chheers..