![Making new friends outside Boston University](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IE2LNQITB6ZMUC2FAYC3OXU3VQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=22e04c91112d0cd2535e67ed8287fe32241689295da10d0fd88d5e270f2543a4&width=400&height=225)
![Ali Alghfeli poses with his 2014 UAE-registered Land Cruiser, called 'Shaheen', in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos courtesy Ali Alghfeli](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WN72B3RD25WEYCKA6IIC2G3QJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=59937f4f1441cf3b56983f39843ec99a5acca774280f56bc685107cb60dc38a0&width=400&height=225)
![In Times Square, New York City, where the journey began](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WU2VYFLOQAGJKLSJSJDNGEG33U.jpg?smart=true&auth=48620df53bc37082387e302ed8af74bcad695c6e5d4ba0903058352bbbb8b017&width=400&height=225)
![Outside the oldest lighthouse in America in the state of Maine](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FBWC73JUWT4R6LT6AMR5KXH4FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4bb011cd0d0192e1e2f74cd70ee092167097fc991621e8d1139fe16f737e59c8&width=400&height=225)
![At the Daytona International Speedway racetrack in Florida](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G42OCE2HU2IJQHDC5BZRQUQMJU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a6d6ad26bca709122dd4fadce8ab39af7c098ffe67aae26fc4aa55945dd8f7be&width=400&height=225)
![Ali, left, and Travis in Charlottesville, Virginia](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TSTTIHECUNPHGUMZNGSPPSV3WE.jpg?smart=true&auth=61c2250e52a90f2c085f03c330814bc95b1e59ec53a18520a03fb27a76a1b0af&width=400&height=225)
![Making their way through roads in the south of America](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R24RTSCNLVLOXPCYR4CSDYC5AM.jpg?smart=true&auth=56091c87af37ee2723b2e834e78e5053bc765064b97ddc47bf86b0d3648ceaea&width=400&height=225)
![By the Mississippi River, where Ali met Larry](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JSZGSEHIKWKSVWFU3X2K67FSU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd5d3c7879e9a7d0dd1bd5772e38bbb6b6be65568e176d9cd19c5b0c4a5fe7b9&width=400&height=225)
![Ali takes in a tour of the history of slavery in South Carolina](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MFCGV4OTKCOIKDRB6T7D5A7EXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=386462ce6f35a632bd2066944c2e354459a3cea2effbed5cd8f031b35b792877&width=400&height=225)
![In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BE5XQJQT4HVCC6MHJQMWZ2PGH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=8715f60e01f234710388c3832546d7c7f0a9e96f1605b2dc75115c1284114658&width=400&height=225)
![Making new friends outside Boston University](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IE2LNQITB6ZMUC2FAYC3OXU3VQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=22e04c91112d0cd2535e67ed8287fe32241689295da10d0fd88d5e270f2543a4&width=400&height=225)
![Ali Alghfeli poses with his 2014 UAE-registered Land Cruiser, called 'Shaheen', in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photos courtesy Ali Alghfeli](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WN72B3RD25WEYCKA6IIC2G3QJY.jpg?smart=true&auth=59937f4f1441cf3b56983f39843ec99a5acca774280f56bc685107cb60dc38a0&width=400&height=225)
![In Times Square, New York City, where the journey began](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WU2VYFLOQAGJKLSJSJDNGEG33U.jpg?smart=true&auth=48620df53bc37082387e302ed8af74bcad695c6e5d4ba0903058352bbbb8b017&width=400&height=225)
![Outside the oldest lighthouse in America in the state of Maine](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FBWC73JUWT4R6LT6AMR5KXH4FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4bb011cd0d0192e1e2f74cd70ee092167097fc991621e8d1139fe16f737e59c8&width=400&height=225)
![At the Daytona International Speedway racetrack in Florida](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/G42OCE2HU2IJQHDC5BZRQUQMJU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a6d6ad26bca709122dd4fadce8ab39af7c098ffe67aae26fc4aa55945dd8f7be&width=400&height=225)
![Ali, left, and Travis in Charlottesville, Virginia](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TSTTIHECUNPHGUMZNGSPPSV3WE.jpg?smart=true&auth=61c2250e52a90f2c085f03c330814bc95b1e59ec53a18520a03fb27a76a1b0af&width=400&height=225)
![Making their way through roads in the south of America](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R24RTSCNLVLOXPCYR4CSDYC5AM.jpg?smart=true&auth=56091c87af37ee2723b2e834e78e5053bc765064b97ddc47bf86b0d3648ceaea&width=400&height=225)
![By the Mississippi River, where Ali met Larry](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JSZGSEHIKWKSVWFU3X2K67FSU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd5d3c7879e9a7d0dd1bd5772e38bbb6b6be65568e176d9cd19c5b0c4a5fe7b9&width=400&height=225)
![Ali takes in a tour of the history of slavery in South Carolina](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MFCGV4OTKCOIKDRB6T7D5A7EXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=386462ce6f35a632bd2066944c2e354459a3cea2effbed5cd8f031b35b792877&width=400&height=225)
![In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BE5XQJQT4HVCC6MHJQMWZ2PGH4.jpg?smart=true&auth=8715f60e01f234710388c3832546d7c7f0a9e96f1605b2dc75115c1284114658&width=400&height=225)
![Making new friends outside Boston University](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IE2LNQITB6ZMUC2FAYC3OXU3VQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=22e04c91112d0cd2535e67ed8287fe32241689295da10d0fd88d5e270f2543a4&width=400&height=225)
From Al Ain to America: why one Emirati student is taking his UAE-registered Land Cruiser around all 50 US states
Ali Alghfeli shipped his 2014 pick-up truck from Abu Dhabi to New Jersey this summer
Stephen Starr
December 12, 2019
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