Quote:
Originally posted by Snakeeye@Jun 9 2005, 12:19 AM
It's been the opposite for me.
Customs officials at both Calgary Intl and Pearson are downright anal when you try to get into the US, while crossing a land crossing (at least at Carway) was much like what MarchHare stated. At Pearson, I got pulled out of a line of about 10 people, all in Flames jerseys to have my bags randomly searched.
Coming into Canada, however, the agents at the airport when I got back from Tampa basically just hoped I had a nice trip. Driving back at the Peace Arch in BC, the only question I was asked was "are you bringing back more than $50 worth of stuff in the US?" Didnt even look at me or check ID.
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No kidding eh, I was wearing my full Flames gears at Pearson flying into NYC enroute to Tampa and the US customs guy gives me a dirty look, keep in mind I'm a model citizen with no records whatsoever :P :
Him in grunting southern accent and an angry death stare worthy of comparison to Vader in Ep III, obviously had a bad day or something:
"What's your nationality?"
Me (confused by such dumb question and his attitude):
"Uh...Canadian" (duh you're reading my passport dumbass)
Him: "Where are you going?" (He also has my boarding pass)
Me (thinking WTF is his problem but try to be pleasant):
"Newark then connecting to Tampa"
Him: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING in Tampa?"
Me: "Catching Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals"
Him: "What's that?
Me: "Hockey, a hockey game"
Him:"Who's playing?"
Me: "Calgary and Tampa" (really I would like to strangle him now, I'm wearing a Flames jersey, my boarding pass says I'm going from Calgary to Toronto to Newark to Tampa, now WHO COULD BE PLAYING OTHER THAN CALGARY AND TAMPA!?)
Him: "Whatchu do?"
Me: (utterly confused, did not register with me at the time that he's asking about my occupation, since WTF has that got to do with catching a hockey game?)
"Uh...I'm a hockey fan going to watch the game?"
Him (Screaming at me, now everybody looks at us weird): "WHAT ARE YOU A PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY FAN!? I SAID WHAT DO YOU DO?"
Me (really irritated now trying my best to hide it since I'm in a hurry to get on the connecting flight in 10 minutes)
"I'm a student"
Him (still looks p*ssed, looks up my passport or something on his computer, then THROWS my stuff back at me)
"OKAY HAVE A NICE DAY SIR"
Me: "
Thanks, you too" (I really wanted to say Motherf__ker after "you too")
My buddy meanwhile gets the nicest guy next to me at the customs counter, luck of the draw I guess