Finding a flight instructor

then, when you have a more precise idea of where you'd like to
go, we'll be happy to comment on this or that flight school :-)

Honestly, I was hoping for some direct recommendations, here or even
per mail. Something like "hey, I know this guy who was an ex-military
pilot and also happens to be a CFI" ;-)

But nevertheless the tips I got are a great help, at least they give me
some further ways to dig around ;-)

note that you might want to focus on flight schools with some
*recent* (as in, post 9/11) experience with training foreign
students; there is additional red tape to go through, and
you can save yourself a lot of trouble by picking the right
school in this regard (another thing to ask AOPA)

I already read about the new "procedures" to prevent terrorism. That's
one reason I'm asking now because I have to request my student visa and
everything other that's necessary.

Tom