Thanks for all of the replies (even the smart arse ones).
As I said in my opening post, THIS IS RESEARCH.

My intention was to always move to the USA.

The way SOME posts are written on this bulletin board suggest that bulk time off was available for travel, obviously not the case.
To the poster who suggested I was too lazy to go back to school & do the subjects required of QF, I did go back to school & do them again. The problem I have is that QF changed there requirements both time I went thru my senior subjects.
No interest in working for your regionals on poverty wages. I get paid more than a Captain at some of your regionals anyway

Thanks for the feedback regardless.

PS, I hate shrimp, we call them prawns