It's time for another vacation from school, so I've come back to the US for a week. At passport control in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, I had the funniest exchange with the border agent.
I was tentative in stepping forward because the last passenger had already left, but the agent hadn't motioned me to come forward, so I was unsure if I could proceed or not.
[Give the agent my passport and boarding pass]
Agent: What are you doing, a dance?
Me: Oh, I just wasn't sure if it was my turn. In America, I've been yelled at when I moved out of turn.
Agent: Well when they say that, you must slap them.
Me: What?!
Agent: You must slap them!
Me: Then I'll go to jail [mumbled - I was thinking, in America, you can't joke about things like jail when you're with the Dept. of Homeland Security]
Agent: What?
Me: I'll get into trouble! [Give the agent my residence permit]
Agent: Then tell them 'don't mess with me, I live in the Netherlands now'!
Me: [laugh]
Agent: No more dancing here in the future.
Me: Okay!
After not a lot of sleep, and missing the train in the morning, and problems at check-in, this put me in a good mood!
