Liz's Initial Journey to Canada Part 2

"What? We can't enter Canada?"

My sister and I exchanged worried glances. We were alone, stuck in the Vancouver airport missing one key piece of documentation needed to stay in the country. (If you haven’t read the first story, feel free to read it here.)

We had no idea what to do next.

We were paralyzed in place, overwhelmed with the reality and helplessness of our situation. After all, we were two young teens who could hardly carry a conversation in English trying to convey how desperately we needed to get through to the other side of customs.

We hadn’t expected this curveball as we used the checklist provided to us by the broker and cross-referenced it multiple times. And we definitely didn't come prepared with a back-up plan.

We stood speechless in front of the officer and translator, unsure of our next steps. The officer sighed in exasperation, taking our forlorn gazes as a plea for help.?

After what felt like an eternity, the officer asked us to approach her desk. She bent forward towards us and spoke hesitantly under her breath, almost like she was sharing a forbidden secret.

“I’m not supposed to do this, but …”

She printed our study permits and gave us permission to proceed. Little did we know, she willingly broke the rules to help us pass through customs scot-free. I'm grateful for the officer’s small yet meaningful act of kindness that ultimately changed our life’s trajectory by permitting us into the country. We were finally allowed to pass the imaginary border that had the frightful power to send us back home to Korea.?

We were mere steps away from entering Canada. But the adventure didn't stop there!

When we left Korea in late October, it was a mild and pleasant autumn day. Despite this, our mother heard whispers of Canada’s extreme temperatures and made sure we were well prepared for the frostier forecast ahead.

We flew overseas with our thick winter jackets in tow. And those much needed jackets were accidentally left behind on the other side of the border. Unfortunately, we only realized this shortly after passing through immigration.

Now, you would think something as simple as retrieving lost belongings in the same airport mere steps away would be quite simple. But, as with many aspects related to immigration, because it was on the other side of the border, this was unfortunately not the case.

As we attempted to retrace our steps, security officers intercepted us, signaling that we couldn't go back the same way. Through a series of animated gestures and painfully slow explanations, we tried our best to describe our predicament.?

Eventually, someone from the security office was kind enough to escort us back to the other side.?

At first, the jackets were nowhere to be found. This sent us down another rollercoaster ride of anxiety because they were the only ones we had packed. On our own, we couldn't afford to replace them. We shivered at the thought of enduring the start of winter in nothing but our light fall coats, the next best thing but certainly no match for Winnipeg’s cold spells.

Thankfully, moments later, our jackets were retrieved. My sister and I both exchange glances in immense relief. It’s funny how something as mundane and ordinary as a coat could provide us with tremendous comfort and safety in a situation where everything else was utterly intimidating and foreign.

With that, the circus of crossing the border was finally over. We faced a lengthy eight-hour layover ahead, settling into a seating area as we attempted to pass the time. I don't recall the specifics of our conversation, but I do remember struggling to stay awake as we had another flight to catch.

After a three-hour plane ride that featured an uninspiring meal service (yes, they still served meals back then), we finally touched down in Winnipeg.?

The person meant to pick us up was nowhere in sight. Keep in mind that this was the late 90s, before the era of cell phones, leaving us with no means of contacting him.?

We sat there patiently, hoping he would eventually appear.

#travel #internationaleducation #culture #leadership

P.S.?

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