I step up to the podium behind which a woman is sitting.
Me: Hello.
Lady silently stares, so I handed her my passport and card that I had filled out regarding my "business" in England.
Lady: How long will you be staying in the U.K.?
Me: Ten days. [(I didn't actually know exactly, but I figured it would sound better to give an exact amount of time rather than to sound ambiguous.)]
Lady: Where will you be staying while you are here?
Me: University of Gloucestershire. I'll be visiting friends there.
Lady: May I see your return tickets home please?
Me: I'm sorry?
Lady: May I see your return tickets please?
Me: Oh, I don't have them, yet.
Lady: You don't have them?
Me: No. Not yet.
Lady: So you bought a one-way ticket here?
Me: Well, I flew here from Thailand, I've been in Thailand for the past few months.
Lady: I see, and what were you doing in Thailand?
Me: I was- I'm a student, and I've been studying abroad there.
Lady: And you'll be staying at the University of...
Me: Gloucestershire. I have friends who are studying there, friends from my university in America. They're also studying abroad.
There is a pause, while Lady makes no attempts to hide her sheer astonishment. She shuffles through my passport (though I'm not sure why, there's not much to see in it that she hasn't already examined).
Lady: How much money do you have?
Me: ...You mean how much cash do I have on me?
Lady: Yes.
Me: Um, not...very much...
Lady: Alright, so how do you plan to get anywhere, or to meet up with anyone, you don't have a cell phone, and you don't have any money--
Me: I have a credit card, or, a debit card.
Lady: How do you plan to purchase your plane ticket?
Me: Online?
Lady: I mean if you don't have any money?
Me: I have a credit card...
Lady: Is it a friend you're visiting, or a boyfriend?
Me: My boyfriend and a few of my friends are at the University of Gloucestershire. I am visiting all of them.
Lady hands me my passport, silently, which I take as a sign that I'm free to enter her kingdom.
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2 comments:
Erin, please don't act so ignorant of the threat we all know American citizens pose to the Kingdom!
I just got around to reading this, and oh em gee, I love this story.
she was obviously very concerned with your safety and well-being while in her country.. no cell phone, no cash.. what were you planning to do, hitch-hike?? really you should be more careful with your pretty little female self.
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