I landed in China expecting a long wait at immigration. Surely this must be one of the most security conscious and bureaucratic regimes in the world ? Think again. As the immigration officer stamped my passport, 4 lights came on, asking me to press one. Whether I was completely satisfied , somewhat satisfied, not satisfied or completely dissatisfied with the service ! Since I walked through in exactly a minute, guess which one I pressed ? Now imagine the same lights flashing at immigration in NY after your retina has been flashed and your fingerprint been taken. Shekhar
How many terrorists from Saudi Arabia have tried to sneak into China again?
I think the inventor of the button must have a cat!
When I place my pat-hand upon my cat Yamatji’s furry-chin, he has four responses:
1. Hand chomp=Completely Dissatisfied
2. Tail flicking and furrowed brow = Not satisifed
3. Motionless=Somewhat satsified
4. Purring with soft-eyes= Completely Satisfied
But he is Australian so there is a fifth one …and though rare in appearance can illuminate a day in a second…
5. Body-slam-love-flop= Blissed out and happyness in purrrfection
Perhaps next time we have a fantastic flight, great food, uninterrupted sleep and smooth transition from the plane we should all toss ourselves down before the immigation officer and be the cat’alyst for a smile in their day………..;-)
I heard that a Terra’ist also tried to sneak in…they were from Greenyland and they weren’t taken very seriously.
Which is a shame because it is the Terra’ists who will eventually conquer the Terrorists.
When that happens we will see the power of one tiny little apostrophe as doom and gloom finally mature to Do’Om and Glo’Om instead…….;-)
..Brazil had implemented fingerprint law just for American travelers. I don’t have problem with fingerprint policy as long I not treated as suspect everytime..
China doesn’t have a problem with efficiency but with political tolerance.
Dear Shekhar,
I just arrived in UK a week ago. Immigration people and custom was very easy going and looked so relaxed as compare to USA. Though I had been living in USA since a long time now but still, every time I get back…I never get normal looks by those folks. I think its not their fault either…whole system has become like that, After all keeping oneself on the top and #1, has its own tolls. You can’t be rich and powerful without taking any stress and tensions. Can we call it an Ego to be on the TOP or its necessity for USA now?
Searching for some answers!
Regard!
Sanjay
I don’t know if you will even see this, but I wanted to tell you how much I loved your depiction of Elizabeth. Have you read the book “Katherine” by Anya Seton? It chronicles the life of a woman who was mistress to John of Gaunt (Plantagenet)and from whom the Tudor line is descended. She is buried in Lincoln Cathedral. Beautiful, sweeping epic story. Would make a great movie!
Airport is not the only place foreigners are treated like Gods. That foreigners get special treatments is a phenomenon you can observe everywhere in China. I don’t think that Chinese citizens are also asked for their opinion about the service at the airport. Sure the government tries to make a perfect image for the country since this is important for the growth of the economy, but should the first duty of a government not be protecting its own people’s rights and giving them respect and dignity? But the Chinese government voluntarily places its own people as second class folk to protect the general perfect image. As a Chinese I must say that I’m not proud of it, since it also shows that China is still a country depending on others, caring about other peoples opinion. The U.S don’t need to do that anymore.
China is best at hiding her ugly and real side. China makes good show. While India puts ugli face forward. Before you land on Airport people see sprawling slums and shanty towns. Foreigners get hounded by beggers on streets and we keep watching. I have seen worst slum than Indian slums in Singapore. They are tucked away in region called Kranji (in Singapore) away from foreign eyes. In China, foreigners are not allowed to go to interior parts?
High time people should see through these games. China shows to world exactly what she wants to show. That is it. Little show of immigration drama is not a big deal for fraud country like China. I am not impressed with any of chinese games.