Either be cliché, or don't, Canada, but stop messing with me

[kaitou]

Come hell or high water, I made it to Canada. I left a half hour early, and budgeted myself an hour for lunch. I still arrived at the sister company over two hours late. Apparently the border guards didn't like my letter of introduction very much. I managed to park in thew wrong spot for to go into the immigration/customs building and got chewed out. "Maybe you just park anywhere you feel like it in the States, but you're in Canada now." (really, he said that) And then I spent a couple of hours sitting in immigration. I got a very stern lecture about proper letters, and was thankfully sent on my way. I was really, really afraid that they would send me back. On the plus side I got a few more inches of scarf done. Yes, I knitted through the entire line.

The knitting didn't really do enough to calm me down, so it was awhile before I stopped for gas and lunch. Only to find out that Tim Hortons does not take Visa. And Visa is the only card I have, and I haven't managed to get to an ATM. Strawberry Shortcake Cookie, you will be mine someday.

At this point I was pretty late, so I just drove all the way to the plant. I had to get a little work done, because my boss left me things to do that needed to be done today, even though I wasn't there to do them. I made a token effort (about as much as I could do) and then went and got dinner.

I finally got to the hotel about 7:30, and I turned on the tv and it was....DUE SOUTH.

I go thunk now.

Comments

[sheraton.livejournal.com]

Oh what a craptacular way to start a business trip. And what the hell? The border guard giving you grief must have had a significant other with a headache the night before, 'cause I can't imagine anyone giving you trouble like that without having a problem of their own. Yeesh.

In short, (((((huuuggs!)))))

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was the one guard. Because, yeah, the one said the thing about the parking, but I could hear conversations with a handful of the immigrations officers, and they were all being like that.

That said, the attitude of some of the other people in line was crazy too. It was just a building full of twitchy. Yay scarf.

[soranokumo.livejournal.com]

Oi oi. >_< That just sounds completely unlike every other trip to Canada I've heard about (which isn't a whole lot, admittedly, but...!). I agree, I think that guard must've been having a problem.

This just hasn't been a good day for getting work done, huh? Hopefully that was the worst of it and it will all be better from here on out!

*sends you purrs and hugs*

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

The parking guard probably thought I saw him. But I didn't notice him gesturing, and didn't really connect him to me.

That said, I hate it when people in power say things like that because they have power. But as long as you act repentant enough they really don't mess with you. (I think there's a Henry Rollins bit about that)

[anchan218.livejournal.com]

Ugh, what a pain.

I've never heard of border guards giving problems, but my husband did have issues on a trip to Canada once. He wasn't a permanent resident of the US yet (and I think he hadn't even gotten his work visa yet - it was in process, but he was allowed in the US on something called "Practical Training"). Anyway, he was flying through Toronto or Vancouver back home. When Canadian customs looked at his paperwork, he got shunted to some back room where a guy shouted at him about his paperwork not having the proper signatures. But, in reality my husband's paperwork did. So he pointed it out and the customs official was like, "Oh, you're right. You can go." -_-

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Oh ugh! That had to be horrible for him. I'm glad the official admitted his mistake and didn't try and cover it up with more bluster and harassment because they don't want to admit being wrong. Today wasn't nearly that bad.

There must be something going on, because it's never been that way before. At least once I've been waved across without them even looking at my passport. And I heard that a 'cousin' company's reps were also coming up today, and they got turned away at the border. Maybe the Queen's visit?

[aphelion-orion.livejournal.com]

OTL That's awful. The customs people are surprisingly rude in Canada; when I first came there, I thought they were going to grab me and throw me out on my ass.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

You know, I ALMOST had to ask you what OTL was....AGAIN. But I remembered!

This was the first time it's ever been bad. Once they even waved me through without looking at my passport at all!

[flidgetjerome.livejournal.com]

I still say they're all roided up on Queen Fumes.

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

The guys from the other company that actually DIDN'T make it in made it in today. They said they thought it was leftover from the G20. That makes even more sense. But they did say they were going to start being stricter from now on.

[flidgetjerome.livejournal.com]

AAAH, THAT EXPLAINS IT.

See, you were knitting. Obviously you're some kind of filthy hipster!

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

I didn't start knitting until after they pulled me over, dear.

[flidgetjerome.livejournal.com]

THUS CONFIRMING THEIR SUSPICIONS!!!

Seriously, look at yourself in the mirror! Look at your kick new haircut! It just screams "violent anti-globalisation protestor".

[velithya]

aww man, what a pain :( Glad you made it in the end!

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Me too! But I'm here now, and all is well.

[adelheid-p.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear this but glad you had your knitting to keep you sane. I read through the comments and the whole G20 thing now makes sense about how on edge they all seemed to be. They probably thought you were knitting an Afghan. ;-)

[kaitou1412.livejournal.com]

LOL! I dunno how anyone could find sparkly pastel mohair threatening. However, out of everyone in that line. I was the only one with something to keep my hands busy and to help me calm down (except for the bits where I screwed up, of course)

[sheraton.livejournal.com]

Okay, now all I can see is an Afghan in a sparkly pink mohair caftan and I think I need to be afraid because I kinda like it.