Day 3

No visa yesterday.

None today so far but it is only 11am.

Landon got home at 11pm yesterday. He was tired and stressed but happy to be back with us. He has a better understanding about why I hate going over the border, especially the one in Blaine, WA. Actually I am terrified of that one because of stuff that happened when I was coming into the US on a student visa. I don't find them to be the friendliest.

Landon and my parents spent 3 hours yesterday packing, going through our stuff, putting all my stuff in storage, and repacking the trailer. Then they headed back to the US border. Here is Landon's account:

My parents and Landon each had to see their own customs agent. My parents' had a chip on his shoulder while Landon's was relatively nice. He even looked embarrassed a few times by the rudeness of his co worker. Landon calls the whole experience a taste of hell. They were treated like they were ignorant idiots. They were left sitting and waiting as the vehicles and trailer were inspected. The agents asked if there was an itemized list. Landon said it was in the car, so they went out to look for it. When they came back with it, the "jerk" officer asked if this was the list Landon had been referring to. Landon said yes, but that they hadn't crossed off all the things that had been removed yet. To this the agent said, "This list doesn't suffice," and then he walked away. It was a five-six page listing of everything that was in the boxes. A few minutes later, the "nice" officer finally came back and said there was a problem with the household items. They wanted to know why there was a crib and other children's items in the trailer. Landon said they belonged to his children. The guard said that Landon would not be allowed to cross the border with them. Landon then cited the name of the guard he had talked with the night before who said that Landon could bring anything belonging to the kids, or jointly owned with me, just not items that were clearly mine. The "jerk" said, "How do we know those items are not hers (meaning Tamara)?" Landon said, "Well for that matter, how do you know any of the items in the trailer are mine, other than I'm telling you that they are?" By this time Landon was upset and he said, "Those are my things too. They are going into my house in the United States. The "jerk" walked away. The nice guard then asked Landon where the children were. Landon told him they were with their mother in Powell River, that they were born in Canada, but they are US citizens, and the items in the trailer belonged to them. Landon then walked away and told my parents that they were going to have to return to Canada. So they sat there waiting to be escorted back to their vehicles, and back into Canada. A few moments later, the nice guard returned to the counter, called Landon over, handed him the passports and signed customs slips, and said, "You're free to go." Landon was surprised and said, "You mean back to Canada, or into the United States?" The guard just nodded and said, "You're free to go." Landon just looked at him directly and said, "Thank you." He then went back to my parents and said, "We can go." They asked where, and Landon said they could go south (into the US).

Landon went into the US, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed back to the Canadian border. He was still feeling cautious about everything so when he was asked about how long he had been in the US and why, Landon told him that he was helping his inlaws get over the border with a few of his things and they were taking them down to relatives in Idaho. The guard became very suspicious at this, and began to ask more probing questions. When Landon realized he was not going to let him in, he told him the whole story. The guard said, "Oh, why didn't you tell me that?" Landon apologized, and the guard waved him through.

Yep, borders suck!