So I got deported from the UK

[zen_monk]

In March, I went back to London to get some stuff I left behind and also to attend the London Book Fair. London Book Fair was good: I got free booze and cake from publishers like OUP and networked with new people and hung out with colleagues I’ve known for a while. I gave one of my professors a See’s Candies Irish Potato in commemoration of St. Patrick’s day due to the fact that she’s Irish (which makes talking to her about Brexit super fun and also about the book Milkman, which is an excellent read), and I made some good connections with people in Children’s Literature through the Children’s Media Conference on behalf of my old internship. 

After LBF, I went to the Netherlands to tour around and visit places. I went to Eindhoven due to it being cheaper to fly into and stay in, but it’s only a two hour train ride to Amsterdam, which I visited throughout my five day stay. I also met with a Dutchman whom I talked to in Frankfurt Book Fair way out in the country, where he worked in a printing company. We talked about working in the Netherlands and the state of publishing there, and I still thought about filing in paperwork for a work visa in the Netherlands where I don’t need a work sponsorship to job search there. 

The big mistake was when I entered back into London. Border security became “concerned” that I didn’t have a return ticket to the states yet, and had even accused me of not having left the country after my student visa expired back in January. One, I did, and they even noted that i came back to the country back in the beginning of March anyway. They also asked me if I had a boyfriend there, as if that was reason enough to return to the country so soon after my visa finished, and they were suddenly “confused” as to why I would come back to visit the UK after leaving. which, for one, within my right to do so as an American traveler anyway, and also there isn’t any kind of grace period where i can re-enter the country. An issue which was already addressed when I flew in anyway by Border Security in Gatwick Airport. Well, they pulled me aside, and told me that they wouldn’t let me into the country until I bought a return ticket within a week after coming in. So that meant that I flew back to California on March 28. 

Comments

[seventhe]

OH MY GOD

[zen_monk]

I mean, I wish I could say that they were more sensitive because I happen to fly in on the day where there was a huge Brexit protest in London, but let’s be real: how many American backpackers across Europe don’t just sometimes stay a long time in one country without any concrete plans so long as it’s within their SIX MONTHS VISA FREE stay in the UK?

[seventhe]

im laughing, but JUST A LITTLE

[zen_monk]

Heh, it is pretty funny now that was behind me. Joke’s on them because they haven’t seen the last of me; I got a friend who’s eloping and wants me in Bristol.

[sathari]

My icon says it all.

[zen_monk]

I should slap that icon onto all my business cards and as part of my signature.

[crankyoldman]

The actual fuck, Britain.

Well glad you had some fun at least!

[zen_monk]

You know, I wished that like, I was actually pulled over for an actual stupid thing, like bringing in an edible or a blunt from Amsterdam. Instead it was that I didn’t have a ticket back home and apparently, it’s “unusual” to be back in the UK after graduating from there. Shoulda said I was going on a huge post graduation party trip, or something.

[sarasa_cat]

UUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

[zen_monk]

That mood was totally my face the whole time. In a way, it was my fault that I ended up in that mess.

[ser_pounce_alot]

My god, they are worse than American security. And American customs can suck my dick - they gave me the third degree every time I visited home and I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. But I am just aghast at this story of yours! I'm glad you had a nice time, anyway?

[zen_monk]

I did had a nice time when I was in the UK back in March. visited friends, packed up more of my shit, networked with publishing people both in London and in the Netherlands. Actually, there might be someone of interest to you who is, I wanna say like a literary agency or contact group for authors of color and other marginalized groups, that perhaps might be up your alley? What is good in going to the UK is trying to see what that country can, or cannot, help American authors and publishers so at least London Book Fair was useful in that regard. Is it all right if I sent it to you on LINE?

I wanna say, while it was fun going on trains in the Netherlands and eating edibles in Amsterdam, I felt I deserved to eat ten space cake muffins after what i went through with Border Security just cuz I didn’t have my dumb BRP back when I was a student. I was extra salty when I got to the US when all I do was wave my passport and Border security in LAX just wave me in. Like, man what kind of standards, you know? I’m sorry to hear that they gave you a hard time when you got in, albeit also confused but hey at least I’m back to the land of good burritos and so-so economic opportunities.

[ser_pounce_alot]

Yeah, absolutely! I'm all ears - I've got a full and a partial out on a manuscript I've been pitching since July of 2018, and about 23k of a new one in the works that isn't contracted with my series through my publisher. Every bit of reach out definitely helps! I'm glad you had a fun time eating delicious things on the trains, though, haha. Sounds very exciting!

[zen_monk]

Cool cool. I’m glad to hear that you’re doing lots more projects and more novel-writing! Your LINE is still “Katy” right? That what it shows in my friends list, and honestly I haven’t really been active on LINE in a while. I’ll send a picture of some business cards that might be helpful for you.