Cuban Cigars, can you bring them home?

[MossRoad]

When I was going back and forth between Canada and Michigan or New York, I always found that if you're leaving either country, they say BYE! and you're on your way. When you're entering either country, they give you the eyeball.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

The only time I have gotten hassled by customs was coming back from 2 years in Colombia. He grilled me about what I was doing there and I told him the truth, teaching chemistry. Then in Spanish he asked me, "How could you be teaching Chemistry?" I told him in my mediocre Spanish,"Because I was teaching in English." He waved me along.

 

[California]

The only time I have gotten hassled by customs was coming back from 2 years in Colombia. He grilled me about what I was doing there and I told him the truth, teaching chemistry. Then in Spanish he asked me, "How could you be teaching Chemistry?" I told him in my mediocre Spanish,"Because I was teaching in English." He waved me along.

Similar. At the neighborhood Christmas party I told a Chilean who has lived here many years, that long ago I taught automechanics in Venezuela. She quizzed me "Hablas Castellano?" with a gotcha! undertone.

"No, natha tan puro. Hablo el español de la calle." ("I don't speak the Castillian of upper class Spaniards, rather, the street language of my barrio students.")

She's rather snooty but that elicited a grin.

 

[California]

And an encounter overseas. At a layover in Hong Kong International Airport, an employee obviously in the role of greeter noticed we had been stuck there for a while and came over to talk. The talk got around to where we were from. "Americans, no?" At the time some things were controversial in the US so I replied "yes, but actually, we're Californians." He grinned but didn't say anything in response.

 

[BackRoad]

And to think for the last 60 years I've been feeling rather guilty for smuggling firecrackers in from Canada as an 8 year old...

I knew I should have gone with the Cuban cigars!!!

 

[Alan W.]

An old supervisor of mine was going through airport security. When he picked up his carryon he turned to one of his coworkers and jokingly said they missed my 45.
As they picked him up from the floor in cuffs he realized his error. This was pre 9-11.