Oh man, I didn't want to come. I wanted to stay at my parents' place, well, not exactly at my parents' place but in Japan. But the plane took me to San Francisco on the way to my final destination first against my melancholic feeling.
Anyway, the first crisis attacked me in San Francisco, at the passport control. I forgot to take my I-20 paper with me! I explained him that the paper was in my suitcase. As the officer told me, "Have it next time" or something like that, I thought he would pass me. But no! He ordered me to go to the "secondary inspection" office beside the passport control. Damn! I've never passed the passport control smoothly in the States.
I was surprised government workers regardless of countries never smile or respect customers. Yes, I was a customer of them. As soon as I moved in the "secondary inspection" office, I started explaining my situation. Can you imagine what an officer did? Just clicked on the shelf on the counter, indicating me to leave my passport there, of course without smile. Respect customers! I paid $200 for my student visa!
Anyhow, I was kept on hold for a while. I couldn't wait that long because I had a plane to catch. So, I asked another officer who looked working hard than the other one. My guess was correct. He was good though he didn't smile at all. He listened to my explanation, called United Airlines to collect my baggage in order to have my I-20 paper and asked me to take a seat. I waited, waited, waited ... Well, I'm a Japanese who is supposed to be nice and polite with smile all the time, but I couldn't wait, you know. I had a plane to catch. Otherwise, I couldn't make it. Again, I asked the same officer to do something and even volunteered to go and get my baggage (I knew he wouldn't allow me to do so). He called United again and asked me to take a seat again. I told him I couldn't wait any more, and he replied saying like, "It's not your fault. It's United. United is always like that. They don't care their customers." Damn, I've been a frequent flyer of them for long, but I didn't know they are that bad.
Unable to do anything but waiting, I waited, waited, waited ... And finally, a lady from United showed up! I asked her to hurry to collect my baggage, otherwise, I would miss the plane. She soothed me saying, "I'm trying," with a big smile. Yes, she is from the service industry.
I was kept waiting another 10 minutes, but she made it on time. I showed my I-20 paper to the inspection officer, and he stamped on it and my passport. That's it. It was really easy. At the end, the officer reminded me that I have to carry my I-20 paper whenever leaving and entering the States from now on by saying, "You learned the hard way." Yes, I learned the hard way.
