4 ms·

Travelling to or through the USA has long been among the most hostile experiences faced by international travellers. Even places like China it’s a more orderly,

Travelling to or through the USA has long been among the most hostile experiences faced by international travellers. Even places like China it’s a more orderly, mundane kind of formality and, despite significant language and cultural barriers, less alien-feeling than the USA border. What strikes me as uniquely hostile about the experience going through US customs/border is the border workers themselves. There’s this weird little-man-with-power vibe that I’ve not found at other borders, where there’s usually a kind of shared understanding that we both just have to get through the process and then everyone gets to go on with their day. US border attitude is more like ‘I’m valiantly defending the greatest nation on earth against you, scum’. I guess all of this rant is to make the point that this development is completely unsurprising, and my long-held habit of avoiding travel via the USA even if it means a much longer duration or higher cost feels further vindicated.

zaphod12 6y ago
I've felt that same freaking feeling as a US citizen returning to my own country! It's crazy! The customs officials entering the Netherlands were cracking jokes with us, the ones entering japan were unflinchingly polite and effective. At home I feel like I'm a criminal.
s1artibartfast 6y ago
This is a cultural problem which I believe stems from US police and border guard recruiting have a leave from the US arm service. Many of these employees our training and have experience as in occupying force in a foreign country Where is the citizens are at least a threat, if not explicitly the enemy. Individuals hired from the arm forces bringing this mentality with them and skip spread throughout the organizations where they work.
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neither_color 6y ago
I agree that it's rude/hostile but I dont think it's unique. I've been to about 20 countries and a certain country-not-country, including all the larger Asian ones, and most border crossings are benign with guards just barely glancing at your passport and waving you through. The only bad experiences Ive had were in Canada and Australia, maybe it's an Anglo thing? In Canada I got asked several times if I was really me, where my parents were from since I insisted I was American(Hispanic), and asked to show other ID. In Australia you dont even talk to the border guard normally, you just scan and are let in. However, an agent still came up to me while I was collecting bags and took me to another room where they went through my stuff and asked a bunch of questions and went through my phone also asking if Im really me. In the US, out of dozens of entries Ive had just one rude enough to stand out. Anecdotally east coast airports ask me more questions than west coast. So out of my own personal experience, having been to Europe, Latin America and Asia, I'd say Anglo speaking borders are the worst for me(I wont say English-speaking because Singapore's border agents were all smiles). PS- Everything I described is from before covid. Can't believe it's been over a year, I barely remember being able to fly anywhere every few months...

zaphod12 6y ago

I've felt that same freaking feeling as a US citizen returning to my own country! It's crazy! The customs officials entering the Netherlands were cracking jokes with us, the ones entering japan were unflinchingly polite and effective. At home I feel like I'm a criminal.

s1artibartfast 6y ago

This is a cultural problem which I believe stems from US police and border guard recruiting have a leave from the US arm service. Many of these employees our training and have experience as in occupying force in a foreign country Where is the citizens are at least a threat, if not explicitly the enemy. Individuals hired from the arm forces bringing this mentality with them and skip spread throughout the organizations where they work.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

neither_color 6y ago

I agree that it's rude/hostile but I dont think it's unique. I've been to about 20 countries and a certain country-not-country, including all the larger Asian ones, and most border crossings are benign with guards just barely glancing at your passport and waving you through. The only bad experiences Ive had were in Canada and Australia, maybe it's an Anglo thing? In Canada I got asked several times if I was really me, where my parents were from since I insisted I was American(Hispanic), and asked to show other ID. In Australia you dont even talk to the border guard normally, you just scan and are let in. However, an agent still came up to me while I was collecting bags and took me to another room where they went through my stuff and asked a bunch of questions and went through my phone also asking if Im really me. In the US, out of dozens of entries Ive had just one rude enough to stand out. Anecdotally east coast airports ask me more questions than west coast. So out of my own personal experience, having been to Europe, Latin America and Asia, I'd say Anglo speaking borders are the worst for me(I wont say English-speaking because Singapore's border agents were all smiles). PS- Everything I described is from before covid. Can't believe it's been over a year, I barely remember being able to fly anywhere every few months...