Holed up in Hong Kong

Right, so I wasn’t let in to Shenzhen, China, where I had planned to be interning by now, on the night I landed in Hong Kong. That was a week ago… I’ve been stuck here in HK ever since!

It started with the border patrol struggling to match my face to my passport photo. Now, I don’t pretend to stand before you today the same strapping lad of 17 who posed for that photo, but come on! Quite the cruel reversal on the West’s patented “All Asian people look the same”, don’t you think?

Before I knew it I was sat down in a room answering questions. Since it was late on a Monday night, the border cops on duty didn’t speak very good English, especially the one in charge, who couldn’t have been any older than me. He seemed extremely nervous, and so we spent most of the time waiting around for the phone to ring with instructions from someone higher up. To pass the time they began searching through my luggage, examining the inside of each one of my shoes. Then the phone would ring, and the head dude would answer it. It was all very confusing.

In the end, the head guy handed my passport back to me -- a big blue “CANCELED” stamped across my beloved multiple entry visa -- and told me I had to return to Hong Kong. I was flabbergasted! Wasn’t my visa valid? Did I really appear that suspicious? Had I flirted with the female border cops for nothing?

Ultimately, I feel the reason I wasn’t let through that night was language difficulties. I just wasn’t able to communicate my purpose for entering in China clearly enough: I’m a student, I explained, but I’m not going to China to study, etc. They decided to hit the panic button and not let me in, simple as that. Probably has something to do with heightened security in preparation for the Olympics. 糟糕! If only my Chinese were better!

The past week has been spent trying everything under the sun to “smuggle (my) ass into China”, as Terry Omata, Managing Director of Trade Passages (and IRPS ’04 alum!) so delicately puts it. I’ve been in close communication with Terry and his wife Jiaying, my intended bosses this summer, every step of the way. Also, a number of you guys -- but ESPECIALLY Lihua and Samson -- have offered to help in various ways, and I thank you for this very much!

Things are looking up. My next plan is to… well… why don’t I tell you about that once I finally get in to China (if I ever do!). Thanks again for everyone's support! Good luck to others on their way to 中国!