Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Canada: On The Shit List AGAIN

So, I'm stopped at the Canadian border. They don't believe I'm going to AK and are afraid I'm going to try to get a job in Canada. Awesome. They asked me a bunch of questions and searched my car then they told me I'd have to talk to the immigrations officer. . . who doesn't get in for 2 hours. ouch! I've been driving all night so that wasn't what I wanted to hear at all, but what can you do? They were probably suspicious because authority figures freak me out so I probably seemed nervous. . . because I was! So, my choices, as told to me, are to sleep in my car, wait in the lobby, or I'm welcome to return back to the US. He said the return to the US part with extra emphasis, as if to urge me to get out of his country.

I'm deciding now whether to sleep or stay awake. I'm really tired, but I don't want to sleep here, it's just weird to me. I wish I could call someone to keep me occupied, but my phone doesn't work in Canada I don't think. Or, rather, it's really expensive if it does. It's going to suck if this guy doesn't believe I'm going to Alaska. What am I supposed to do then?

He asked why I didn't go straight up from the east coast to Alaska. I told him I wanted to visit a friend in Chicago and before I could explain the rest of why I took this route (Yellowstone), he said "well Chicago is the east coast" Since when? Chicago is the midwest. He didn't even listen to the rest of what I had to say. Oh well. I'm really not bothered by them at this point because they're only doing their jobs. Hopefully all goes well when the immigration officer gets here.

UPDATE

I just crossed the border a bit ago. Total time at the border: 3 hours. Total time spent waiting in line at the border: 0 minutes. What schmucks. I waited for the immigration officer. She asked me for my license (they already had my passport and social security card), asked me the same exact questions the other guy asked me and sent me on my way. This really pisses me off because earlier on the original guy I was dealing with told me that he'd asked me the whole line of questioning he could ask and now it had to be referred to the immigration officer.

They also took my pepper spray away. Luckily I surrendered it when they asked if I had a weapon with me instead of them finding it in the search or something. I could see someone not knowing it was a weapon and getting into trouble when they find it later. Apparently pepper spray is illegal in Canada. No guns, no pepper spray. . . what's next? Amputation of hands because they're potential fists, which could be used as a weapon?

One redeeming thing is that I went to a visitor center, which I'm at right now (real time, they have internet here!) and the woman working there was the nicest person. Possibly the nicest person I've ever come across and in a very genuine way.

2 comments:

NeoKanG said...

nice episode,fortunately you manage to pass throw .that reminde me of a trip to Morocco,btw pepper spray is also forbidden in Europe gun also :p,so be aware. but this is a good experience and you'll see other obstacles anyway you are fine , keep you blog uptodate . I look everyday forward for new news.
your friend neo:p

Unknown said...

You should have told him gas was too expensive in Canada.