No more USA for me...

I've totally had it getting to the USA. I've been there twice so far and last year was my last time ever.

In 2004 I had to get a visa for exchange visitors in Amsterdam. They had let me come three times to the consulate here in my country. The first day the consulate was closed (and by that time you did not had to make an appointment when you're a student). There was nothing written on the website that the consulate was closed. So I was pretty angry. A week later I went back (on 5 Sep) and had to stand in line again. After that, the security guys refused many people in the Consulate. What was the problem? Well, since 1 Sep students also had to make an appointment by calling a local number and pay 15 EUROS!! So, they refused me again to enter the building. I left Amsterdam again really angry and sad. Luckily, 2 weeks later I had an appointment and finally got my visa (still it was hard to get one).

After that I had a great time in the USA. In 8 months I completed my Master's in Florida and seen the country from Seattle to LA, from New Orleans to NYC. Met really nice American citizens and also some short-sighted people who can't discuss politics and are very ignorant. But the majority seem to be really good.

In Oct 2005 I was invited to give a presentation at a big conference somewhere in Virginia. My flight was from Paris to the USA. In Paris I had to get to US customs security guys. The picked me out of the line and questioned me over 30 minutes. I was like? Me? What did I do? Everybody was looking at me if I was a terrostist or whatever. The checked my passport, double-checked my passport, asked me for another ID, triple-checked my passport, questioned me, asked me for another ID, questioned me, and in the end, checked my passport again. Finally I was able to enter the plane. Furthermore, I had a great week in Virginia...it was nice to be back in the States.

What happened last week? A University in Florida invited me to get back to work on a publication of my Master's thesis. I had an appointment at the consulate again for another visa. In summary, they refused to give me a visa because there were some money problems on a form I received from the university in Florida. They told me I had 15 minutes to find myself an internetbar in Amsterdam and pay the fee by credit card. Those clerks are really not cooperative in getting people visas. There was a debet card machine (I don't know the English word) and I had a credit card with me. "No sir, you cannot pay here, you'll have to go". In the end security guys were pushing me outside the consulate (althought pretty kindly). I left Amsterdam again really angry, sad, and disappointed.

Furthermore, what is happening with all that Patriot Act? I've flown many times in the US. You cannot have lighters on you when boarding the flight (sorry, my bad habit is smoking). You almost have to strip getting through security, even handicapped old ladies in weelchairs (I've seen it!!). What are they thinking? Why are they scaring everybody the hell out?

I found out that the Berlin wall is not been vanished in 1989. No, they moved it to the USA. There is a big, big wall around the country. And people from overseas have to find their little hole to get into the USA.

In the meantime American touristic places (such as Disneyland) are complaining that there are less tourists (other than US) are getting to them and they lose income...I wonder why...

No, in the future I will discover the Europe and the rest of the world and leave the USA aside. It's such a pity.

I really liked going to a baseball game, basketball game, football game, driving on the interstates, going to the Everglades, drinking at Mardi Gras, walking around in NYC, seeing National Parks in Arizona and Utah, walking through Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco and L.A. and seeing really good underground bands over there...

Too bad I have to miss all that...