Deported.

From Boston I took flight once again but this time to Buffalo, New York. Little did I know, it would not be the last time I would be in this neck of the woods. In Buffalo, my Mom, Aunt & Uncle came and collected me after my summer of adventuring. We went out to eat and then crossed boarders to Canada where my mom's family is from and where my Aunt & Uncle currently live. It was strange to go from 2 days of cell phone usage after 2 months, and then have it taken away again as well as to be in the presence of family. Two weeks of bickering and winter shopping, baseball games (Go Jays!) and hippie festivals and it was finally time for me to get ready to start my year abroad in Scotland.

Before the summer, almost my entire spring semester was in anticipation for this. I had to take an extra class on top of my already hectic work load at school and actual work. Running from department to department trying to get classes approved for next year, financial aid meetings and meetings with study abroad advisers and academic advisers. I swear I never thought it was going to end. But I did have the comfort in knowing that when I was to arrive in Scotland, I would have family waiting for me just past immigration.

Only 7 hours stood between me and the UK and I couldn't have been more anxious or excited. When we finally landed, it was 7am. I was exhausted, 7am here meant it was 2am back in Ontario, Canada so I was completely out of it. Waiting in line to get through immigration is always the worst. Not only was the line immense but you're tired and cranky and it's just not one of the more pleasant experiences to have straight off of a plane. As I was walking towards the immigration officers I noticed a girl (who I recognized from Hawaii) sitting on a bench in front of the officers looking extremely distraught, nevertheless I continued forward as I was unsure of what was going on and I was being signaled to move ahead.

I reached the officer where he excitedly met me with a "Good Morning!", took my passport and proceeded to ask my business in the UK. I told him about doing a study abroad and he asked me if I had acquired a student visa. I told him no, which was truthful - and presented him with every bit of paperwork I had explaining why I didn't already have my visa and all of the necessary documents to receive a  visa. He looked at me and shook his head, and that is when instant panic set in.

 "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to deny you entry to the country."

I was speechless. How? What? Why? I had absolutely no words. He then began to explain to me why they had to deny me entry and I was still unable to wrap my head around it. What was I going to do, how was I going to get back, I had people waiting for me outside - how will they know, what about school? All of these questions raced around in my head looking for ways out as if they would burst straight out my ears. He asked me to take a seat and wait until everyone had gone through immigration. I took a seat next to the girl I had seen earlier, and her mother who were having the exact same problems I was. She was denied entry due to lack of a student visa. We had both been told that we could receive our student visas upon entry to the UK at the boarder, obviously not the case - at least not anymore. What baffled me further was the fact that even contacting the UK embassy in New York, I was told that if you had the proper paperwork, an everything needed to obtain a visa, it shouldn't be a problem. Once again - not the case. Gwyn and I were then taken into a back room where we were finger printed, photographed, and inventoried for piercings and clothing. From there, they took all of my documents and had them photocopied for their files. Shortly afterward - we went to collect our bags where they proceeded to take every single item of clothing, towel, book, folder and package out of the bags open them, and search them. They even went as far as to search through my Semester At Sea folders and itineraries where  he then took them to have photocopied as well. 5 hours later, I was still in the immigration office at the airport. I was able to call my family who was supposed to meet me at the airport and make them aware of the situation. I was then questioned and had my "statement" recorded and filed. After a lengthy 7hours in the Glasgow International Airport Immigration Office, I was given a whole 3 days to contact the University of Stirling Abroad office, my Abroad office at UH-Hilo and anyone else that I needed to. I was given a piece of paper that said I was only allowed to be in the country for these specific days to do what I needed to do and was to report back at the airport Tuesday morning to be deported, sent back to Canada.

I was very, VERY beyond fortunate to have family here in Scotland, that were so extremely helpful and generous in picking me up and helping me take care of everything that needed to be done here in the UK. By the time I did leave the airport, the entire Blackstock Clan knew what had happened and tried to figure every way possible to let me stay with out being sent back. I will always be grateful for having such a wonderful extend family.

Come Tuesday Morning, there was nothing that could be done, other than be sent back to redo my visa and have it expedited to return as quickly as possible to Scotland because the university was already starting classes. Arriving at the airport I had to find a gentleman working for the airline, present him with my paperwork to which he responded "we were expecting you..." They hadn't given me back my passport during my 3 day stay, nor did they give it back when I was on the plane. They took me through security when my passport was then handed off to the airline people who kept it for the whole flight.  I was I allowed to have it back now that we had touched down in Canada? Nope! I was last off the plane, escorted to immigration then it was finally given back to me. Amazing I tell you...

However, problems didn't stop there.

Being a US citizen, I had to physically be in the United States to fill out and complete my visa application which also meant sending in my passport to have the visa placed in it. As you may be aware, Canada is not the united states. My uncle after having picked me up in Toronto, drove me back to Buffalo, New York. Where I found a cheap hotel and spent the night to fill out my online application. The whole kicker of this situation was that my Uncle could take me to NY but I would be unable to stay with him & my Aunt because I needed to send in my passport. No passport, no boarder crossing, I was stuck.. Luckily I was there at the same time as 2 friends from Semester at Sea would be getting into Buffalo to attend the Anne Frank Project being put on by one of my Professors from Semester at Sea, Drew Kahn. Drew had offered to has SAS family to be housed by his Buffalo State family for the duration of the conference. Sam & Rachel were some of the kindest people I have ever met, and graciously took in a deported US citizen, aka me without question. They were even generous enough to let me stay for the week after the conference had finished because my passport hadn't come back yet. 2 weeks later... My passport arrived in the care of Professor Drew Kahn and my mom made reservations for me to be out of the states once again and on my way back to Scotland.. Hopefully for real this time.

My flight was scheduled for 2pm that fine day where I once again... Ran into trouble. There were storms up and down the East Coast that day which canceled my flight out of Buffalo. I swear everything in the universe was telling me that there was no way in hell I was going to be going to school in Scotland that year after working for it for so long. At least the airline people were a tremendous help in getting me back on schedule and re-routing me not once, not even twice but 3 times before leaving Buffalo.

Buffalo - Philadelphia - Ireland - Scotland.

When I was finally back in the Glasgow Int. Airport, I grabbed my little duffel-bag and headed out. Where was the check point? Where was immigration. Next thing I knew, there was Louise & my little cousin excited to see me through without bother this time.

They asked "Whats with the face?! YOU MADE IT!!"
To which I responded "......... NO ONE EVEN CHECKED MY VISA!"

Finally September 24, 2011... I had made it to the UK.