Into the States

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I had organized the final part of my trip already weaks ago. I wanted to stay in New York for a few days before boarding a container ship in Newark harbour for a passage to Bremen, Germany. To be in New York on time I travelled to Corpus Christi crossing the Mexico US land border catching a flight from Corpus via Houston to New York. I nearly missed the flight, because I was held up at the border in Matamoros by US border control unusually long. Not only that everyone at that border trying to enter the US is treated like a criminal. I was especially likely to have wrong intentions in my request to enter, because my official document was a visa issued at the US embassy in Managua. It was issued for the sole reason of being able to validate my departure from the US with a container ship company who is naturally not taking part in the visa waiver program. When we had finally found out that this plan did not include any act of terror I still could not be admitted, because I was not able to tell the truth about where I planned to stay in New York while waiting for the ship, more clearly I didn't know which number of Amsterdam Av the YHA can be found where I had made a reservation for the corresponding nights. Corner of Amsterdam Av and 104 Street is enough information to get there when you have never been to New York before, but beware, it is not enough information to enter the US.

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