Chat: U.S. Customs

[geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA]

 For some reason, U.S. Customs does seem to be much pickier
 than Canada Customs. Anecdotes:

 One summer, on my way to a 1-month course in field biology
 in Montana, they almost didn't let me into the country when
 I said I was going for a course. I managed to convince them
 finally that I didn't need a student visa for that period
 of time, but it was a close call. This compares with me
 coming back from Montana, hair down to my shoulderblades,
 "mountain man" beard, and unbathed for more than a day
 after missing a flight and spending the night in the
 airport. Canada Customs didn't look twice and sent me on my
 way without the strip search I was dreading...

 One year, not long after Halloween, a friend from New York
 was returning home for a long weekend, and in the trunk of
 his car, he had his mom's dress (he went in drag to the
 University's Halloween party) and some Parti Quebecois
 political literature for a term paper he was writing.
 Customs refused him entry into the U.S., evidently
 considering him to be some dangerous radical. They backed
 down only when he insisted that they accompany him back to
 Canada Customs and verify his demand for political asylum.

 --Geoff Hart     @8^{)}     geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
 Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.

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