Comments on: The Case of the Curious Customs Agent http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/ From Michael to Megan Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: katya http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-2199 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:46:51 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-2199 You and Ahn were a class act. Way to keep your cool. I am sorry you had to experience this. This is probably the most intrusive and innapropriate level of questioning U.S. citizens ever experience “coming home”. But some of the agents just have no sense of humor or sarcasm or measure, or seem to leave it at the door on the job.

For what it’s worth, about a year ago on my way back from Ukraine (my country of birth and nationality at the time), a customs agent at Seatac (also not passport control) proceeded to drill way deep into the details of how i got my greencard, much to the entertainment of every passenger on the plane waiting for lugagge. At some point, she asked me if i was “sure” that i wasn’t a mail-order bride (fist clenching and a wave of sarcasm about to unleash) and wanted to see my MSFT badge as proof. And this would be logical because i would naturally take MSFT badge on vacation to a small town in Ukraine? Or because the only path to enter the U.S. legally for a Ukrainian woman is through “mail order” marriage, naturally? :)

You can scratch the “educate the customs agent” off the list now. :)

-k

]]> By: Violet http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-2065 Mon, 25 May 2009 09:14:00 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-2065 It’s funny how obnoxious and tacky total strangers can be, though I suppose we’re all guilty of that. I don’t think I could have been as gracious as you were.

]]> By: khalid http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-2028 Tue, 12 May 2009 03:11:52 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-2028 You are amazing!
I’ve been meaning to find out more about you from the time we met.
After reading about you for the last few hours (and i do mean HOURS!), i am absolutely amazed with your accomplishments and greatful to have spent time with you, Anh and Samwich.

-Had i only known you’re an exec! (kicking myself for paying half of dinner ;)

Hope to see all of you soon!
Khalid

]]> By: Sara http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1993 Fri, 01 May 2009 17:41:29 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1993 Wow, talk about rude…those questions were clearly for her own curiosity and not in the interest of getting you back on U.S. soil! I echo the comment above about keeping your temper…must’ve been the jet-lag, huh. ;)

]]> By: DanaZ http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1952 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:25:04 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1952 Megan,
Remind me to tell you sometime about my trip home from our Fargo campus.

-Dana

]]> By: Kelli http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1916 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:26:10 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1916 I think curiosity is only normal, but that was *way* over the line for someone in that capacity. I’d understand to the point of explaining appearance, but past that, it’s just rude. What needs to be known is enough to do the job, and determining the difference there can be part of that. Past that? Meh. Some people just don’t have any social graces. Thankfully, you guys do and handled it well. :D

]]> By: Ronaldo Souza http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1911 Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:49:28 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1911 Congratulations! You do the right thing: direct aswers and keeping your temper. She was very intrusive. I had never seen anything like it before!

Best Regards,

Ronaldo Souza, from Brazil

]]> By: brian http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1909 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:24:14 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1909 whiskey. tango. fox-trot.

]]> By: Long Story Longer http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1908 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:20:34 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1908 I have to say, this makes me really mad. I think you (and the two commenters above) took the high road, but I’m disturbed that she can ask questions out of personal curiosity while operating in her position. It doesn’t seem right, and I think it crosses about 100 different lines. I actually feel like a formal complaint is in order, but maybe if you complained about all the ignorant a-holes, it would be a full time job. I don’t know, I’m discouraged.

“Thanks for telling me your story”??? Thanks for making me. Argh. You are incredibly patient and gracious.

]]> By: Tylla http://meganwallent.com/2009/04/17/the-case-of-the-curious-customs-agent/#comment-1907 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:51:32 +0000 http://meganwallent.com/?p=454#comment-1907 I am so bummed that someone would be so intrusive.
and good for you for being so level headed!

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