When i was a child i loved reading, and watching documentaries! World wide stories & cultures! So imagine a kid grow up on this way! The result would be borders breaker 😂
As a privilege of having the weakest passport in the world, iraqi passport, it limited my latin America trip 2 years ago to only Cuba, where i got a glimpse into latin culture, friendly people & alive vibes!
Always tried to put my feet on the American continent soil since along time, and my first attempt was on the end of 2016! Where simply got rejected because it was during isis war! And they thought I'm trying to escape my country! Idiots judging on the cover of my passport! And they dont bother to do individual background checking!
Again in 2018 i tried my second attempt, and u know what guys, mentality never change! Even many people told me to not try to apply for USA visa, but i never listened! I said they dont have any reasons to reject my application because i have a great travel history, i thought even the american consular in erbil would be amaze and eventually gonna respect my mission, and probably he will try to get me some attention & sponsorship! But again after 2 years nothing, literally nothing changed! Again Judging judging judging without checking! And eventually refused my application! They had this imagination that someone who had been to 64 countries (back in 2018) would over stay & asylum seeking in USA!!!
As Time goes, the huge continent of America with its diverse culture kept on my mind!And as soon as i got a multi Schengen visa, i said its time to use it to fly to my childhood dream place! I grow up on watching the Mayan history in animation! And step by step their daily life through their opera soaps! Yes its the exotic land of Mexico!
After setting up my last minute holiday plans to europe, my brain was taking me to another direction, yes to Mexico! I landed in Paris, but my brain didnt want to accept that! And guys i swear that i kept seeing signs about shifting my trip to mexico!From signs of music, food, calling me mexican and even ending up at night in a small dark alley by mexican flag! Those who watched my instagram stories confirm all the signs!
I couldn't resist my brain and all those signs, so after doing quick pool with my online friends, about buying professional camera or last minute ticket they gave me the green light to book last minute ticket to the heaven! To Mexico!
I posted an emergency request and asking if i have any active mexican online friends, guess what! 7 of them texted me back!
With ZERO research & preparation i left my hostel in paris at 5am toward frankfurt airport!At 2pm i was walking eagerly toward the airplane! Not with empty hand! Actually i bought a small camera at the duty free hahha getting ready to my crazy awesome journey!
At 3pm my 11 hours flight took off! Once we got into high altitude, i connected my phone with On Air internet wifi service, and then chatted with my Mexican friends! I got speechless by their warmth & hospitality! Guys u cant imagine how friendly & helpful the mexican are! Seriously i traveled too much, but the Mexican took the hospitality to another level! Three were hosting me, another one for showing me around, one for food tour & even airport pickup, another one for photo walk! And last but not least one for 3 days road trip around cancun! They planned everything for me from A-Z!
Imagine random people from instagram! No old friendship or any kind of paid service! These awesome Mexican made me forgetting about taking a nap on my 11 hours flight! I was so excited u cant even imagine! I was sitting between two friendly Mexican passengers & they were laughing & happy to see my excitement!
Also i was chatting online with my Salvadorian friend and asking him for recommendations about mexico! Omg my Mexican friends were more excited about my trip! And they kept pumping me with great plans!
At 6:10pm we landed in Mexico city airport, i watched the whole landing process from the aircraft camera! I couldnt blink my eyes! I looked at my phone clock it was 6:30pmWalked into the immigration line. It was super crowded but i was dying from excitement so i was smiling to my right & left! I was looking for a female immigration officer which usually r nicer hahah but all counters were crowded so i ended up in a male officer counter. I handed my passport to the officer, and then he asked me about my purpose of travel. Simply i said for leisure* vacation! Then asked me how long im gonna stay & if i hold a return ticket. Simply i showed him my return eticket.Then After 2 minutes from entering data into his computer He stood up, left his desk, and asked me to follow him! I smiled and said no problem im used to secondary questioning hahahAfter couple meters he turned left to a long corridor where there was a desk and 2 young officers!
He handed my passport & my immigration card to the officers and left away! The new officers handed me a paper with couple questions in spanish and asked me to fill it! I told him if he has english version then he handed me the right one.
I wrote my answer for the couple basic questions (my name! Where im gonna stay and so on! Which i already answered previously in the immigration card!).They politely asked me to put my phone in my bag and walk into the next room on the left, which turned to be a waiting room, as soon as i get in, i saw around 5 people with different ethnicity sitting randomly, actually most of them looked latino. I took the a row of 3 seats on the side next to the door, and simply waited confidently! But the people around me were so stressed! And by turn where getting questioned by random officers and then escorting to outside the room. A guy was sitting close to me, i asked him where he is from? He answered in a very stressed voice, Algeria! And told me he dont feel well with whats going around! Suddenly an officer showed and escorted him outside.
2 people left in the 3*5 room along with me, and every 5 minutes an officer showed up handing me a paper to fill it! Believe me i got more than 5 times same paper from different officers! At the beginning i was writing in beautiful handwriting then slowly i got annoyed and wrote the rest in ugly way hahha and every time an officer try to hand me same paper i was telling him in english that i filled it less than 5 minutes ago but he spoke only spanish and kept annoying me to fill it!
Another officer popped up, he didnt speak english, but was repeating “american visa problem” couple times and i just said no i dont understand then he left. Once the officers got out of the room, i took my phone out and took some random photos & videos! Tried to access to the airport wifi to pass information to my family but no luck! the network was so poor!
The room had 2 doors, one open to the young officers corridor, and the other door was accessible by high ranking officers. Also a window half covered on the airport immigration section. And a security camera in the corner.
There was a TV fixed to the wall showing a Mexican soap opera, and beside the TV there was a poster with a big Mexican Flag, and on the other side guess there was what? A poster with USA flag & statue of liberty! Once i saw the american flag i got shocked! Since apparently they have bad political relationship! Anyways, i watched the mexican soap opera, and it brought back nostalgia of my childhood, were mexican drama was popular back in the 90s in whole middle east!I remember when everyone was addicted to the drama series! Thalia, was almost always the super star hahha!
Well while i was dreaming about my childhood fantasy world, 2 officers showed up and asked about Mr. iraq hahha They handed me another paper and this time it was out of control, i shifted to my very basic spanish and told them that this is the 10th time that im filling same paper! But he asked me where is it! I told him that his colleagues took it! Hahhaha Anyways, again i answered & filled the paper! And then the fun part started! The 2 officers they were in there late 40s started to interrogate me! Their english were equal to zero, and my spanish was the same! So i forced myself to say all the spanish words i learned from my cuban trip 2 years ago and also from despacito song! Hahha
They Asked me about where did i flew from, whats my job, where i have been, does i belong to military or if i know how to use weapon. And then checked my phone photos randomly, and from the middle of no where there eyes caught a picture of me with my fan which he was wearing military clothes hahahha i explained to them the story behind this picture. And then continued checking & explaining more photos.
Later on they asked me about my Mexican trip itinerary, and if i knew anyone! I simply said no i dont know anyone, and then explained my rough idea of what im gonna do here! They were really respectful & nice! Even we were laughing out loud from language barrier hahaha
They took photos my Local ID, hostel accommodation and my return flight ticket. So far around 2 hours gone quickly! They told me to just wait for a while and left the room. I took out my camera which i bought just before i catch my Mexican flight. tried to test & took the first photo secretly (which i posted along with this post). Again the 2 officers showed up and asked little bit more questions and they were talking & discussing between themself! Everything looked positive & i felt they were trying to solve my obstacles!
I got my phone again secretly trying to inform my family that i landed safely but again couldnt join the poor airport internet network. After waiting for a while, nobody left in the waiting room and i got really sorry for my mexican friend who was waiting to pick me up from the airport since hours.
Well then a young officer showed up, and escorted me to the end of the corridor where there was another officer sitting! And then asked me in his broken english if i have money! I said what? They repeated the question! And i said no, why! And asked me if i had a checking luggage, i told them yes and hand then my backpack tag! And asked me to switch off my phone and hand it to them! I quickly deleted my last photos which i took it at the airport fearing that it will make me problems (but with iphone, the deleted pictures will move on to a temporary folder). Then i handed my phone, they attached a paper to it and putted in their desk!
Then they told me to walk into next room which was connecting through a half door! Guess it was what? Detention room! Omg, this was my ultimate fear! In that moment i felt like i was thrown in a jungle! And dont know whats waiting for me! One of my fav shows Back home was “banged up abroad” on national geographic! The details of this show popped up on my mind! And those 3 meters walking distance felt like 30 kilometers!
I left my small bag behind the guard officer desk! Once i passed the half door, entered a 3*7meters room, windowless! With concrete bench attached to the wall all around the room! a clean toilet attached to the room! And so many mattresses folded in the corner.
My fear went off as i saw the people inside the detention room! Not like “banged up abroad” all were small and nice! 10 latinos, 1 asian, 1 african! I was the tallest & the most danger looking one hahahhah
I sat in a corner and showed my serious face hahhaha to make sure everything will stay under control!
2 of them were sleeping on the mattresses on the concrete bench! I grabbed a mattress and putted on the ground! And tried to lie down & relax a bit. All Latinos were standing by the half door, looking outside the room toward the officer guards! And from time to time different case officers showed up to talk to different detainees! I handed one of them my old passport which filled with my travels stamps along with my local ID! But after 10 minutes they brought it back to me!
I was so tired so i fall a sleep, and later on opened my eyes in darkness while light of the guard office accessing to our room from the half door, and i saw the detainees latinos in the same place kept standing so i realized that it was not long sleep but just a quick nap. And felt comfortable that nothing went wrong during my sleep hahah
I stood and asked everyone about what time is it, but nobody spoke english! Even there was no clock in our detention room neither in the guard officers office next to us! So i asked the guard what time is it nobody speak english! Then i asked about my destiny, again nobody answered! So i shifted to my basic spanish! They told me its 10 and my case officer will come soon. But i told him that my earlier case officer told me that my case is simple and they will answer me quickly! Then the guard asked me about my case officer name! i told him i dont know, they were 2 in their late 40s! Then the guard said wait just wait!
I started To make small talks with the other latino detainees in basic spanish, they were from different latin americas countries! And they started mentioning their countries: peru, Salvador, colombia, argentina, bolivia, ecuador. from all the exotic countries which i was dreaming to visit! As they were mentioning their country name, my eyes were opening up more! I forced myself to use all the spanish words i knew, or changing some english words to spanish by changing the last vowel hahha
After a while i ran out of words and i thought im singing spanish instead of talking hahahhahaha it was really fun practicung Then went back to sit down on the concrete bench, and didnt feel comfortable so i lay down on my mattress on the ground!
While i was about to fall asleep, i heard someone shouting mr. iraq iraq iraq! Then all the detainees tried looked at me and told me the officer is asking about me! I stood up quickly and then i saw my officer talking only in spanish! I told him that i dont speak spanish i need someone to translate! Then he left! Later on i took a nap, i woke up on noises of couple of latinos forced to leave with an officer! I just watched them while still laying on my mattress! As i couldnt do anything neither help i felt so sad!
After a while i fall a sleep again, actually this is my technique during mental breakdown! Trying to sleep as much as possible!As i didnt sleep on the 11 hours flight from frankfurt, so it was so funny as soon i putted my head on the mattress it was easy for me to fall asleep which really take lots of time during normal days!
Woke up on Someone shouting iraq iraq iraq iraq non stop hahha i thought it was a dream! Then the voice become louder and closer to me, so i opened my eyes and so an officer standing in the half door, i rash walking to him! Then omg, he spoke perfect english! He was really young, in his early 20s! I told him oh man finally someone speaking english! He said dont worry! I asked whats going on! Then guess what? He handed me another paper to fill out hahahhahahah i told him this is more than 10 times that i filled same paper with different case officers! Hhahaha he told me to do it one more time! I answered them quickly as i am used to it after 10th times! Hahha Oh i forgot to mention that one of the questions is why i am coming here for tourism! Such a stupid question!! I answered that last year during the world cup i met so many Mexicans and i liked their partying & culture! The officer took my paper and left, i told him please let me talk to my family they are worried they dont know that im stuck here. He said he will get back soon to me! And then left!
I kept standing in the half door and kept talking to the guards please let me talk to my family(in broken spanish)! They just told me to wait for my officer!
After an hour my officer showed up and asked me to follow him! Omg, i was super excited!! Oh i breathed and thanked God that its over! I passed by the long corridor, and then the waiting room, this time passed the closed door which it turned to be the immigration interrogation officers room!
He told me to sit down, and then he put a big report case on the desk, and asked me to signed it! He said each paper needs to be signed twice! I grabbed the report, and it turned out all in spanish! I tried to read all the first page but barely understood couple random useless words! Then looked at the second paper, same! Third paper same! Forth, fifth, all the same nothing in english! I turned to the sixth page! Then i saw an old picture of me! I skipped to page number 7 and 8 but couldn't figure out anything! Then i asked my officer if i can get an english version so i can read before signing! He said their system only in spanish! While we were talking i was thinking about the my old photo in page number 6! I was thinking and thinking! Because that picture is not my passport photo, neither my ID photo!
My heart started beating over and i grabbed my report again and went back to page number 6! I looked at the officer and told him whats going on, how you got this photo! then my ultimate fear popped up! i remembered its from my USA visa application! I saw an email from the US immigration to the Mexican immegration stating that i got twice USA visa refusal along with the date of my visa application and my photo too! My hand was shaking from angriness! I looked at the young officer and told him you guys are enemies on TV and friends under the table! Why you contacted USA immigration, im visiting mexico not USA! He said in a powerless voice that its not in his hands, even he dont like whats going on but the US government are forcing them! It turned out that under the pressure of Trump, they are sharing immigration data with USA! And the Mexican government became a puppet of Trump!
I asked the immegration officer how many countries have you been to? He replied Zero! Then i told him if someone have been to 70 countries! Severn zero! Do you think he will emigrate? He got pale face! And Just shaked his head showing his discomfort for whats going on! I said i am not gonna sign any papers! He told me i have to sign each one separately with two signs!
I told him either you gonna give me an english version of your report, or i am not gonna sign it! I speak 5 languages, but unfortunately spanish is not one of them! Im not blind, to sign papers randomly!Maybe you are writing here to beheading me! And then im signing yes for that!!! Then i showed him my old passport travel stamps (since the new one are kept with them) stamps after stamps after stamps, and kept mentioning the countries which i have been to!
Then I told him i need to talk to your manager! He said here is she standing couple meters away from us but she doesn't speak english! Later on the young officer & his boss talked! And then he told me “we will take you back to your detention room”. Asked him to let me call my family to tell them that i am fine and detained at mexico city airport. He told ok but later not now!
I went back to the detention room. And after a while he showed up, asking me to write the name & number of my family! I wrote it and then realized it was 5am back home! So i didnt want to panic them! And then asked the officer about iraqi embassy number, he said there are couple of embassies numbers on the wall next to us! But when i looked at them there was no number of the iraqi embassy!
I told him let me connect to the wifi to get it from google! But he refused and said its forbidden for me to connect to the internet!I said its fine, just call them and ask them to provide me a translator or lawyer and i will pay for it! HahhahahahhahaHe said he cant! Omg! I felt lost at that moment! Even i was trying to get connected to the iraqi embassy, but i know it was hopeless! U know why? Because it was the first day of Eid holiday, and its not just 1 day off, its 4 days off! So there is no way that someone from my embassy will show up for the next 4 days!!! Then i tried to get some time and i told him let me use my whatsapp, just for sending a text to my family telling them “im doing well dot worry about me”! He said thats not possible! Then be left!
I sat down for a while, then stood up trying to get attention & sympathy from our guard! In broken spanish i said: amiga boynis noche, requesta imegrasion nesisito telephono familya (which means good night my friend i have a request from the immigration i need to call my family) The lady guard replied in spanish: si! Which means ok! And then left to tell the immegration!
After an hour the young officer showed up! And told me to write a new number, i told him i dont remember let me access to my phone to get the number! But he said no! And i got pissed off with his answer! Since i had nothing to loss, i started to tell him i am a world traveler not a gangster! Im not asking for internet i just try to get a number from my phone! He can do it for me i dont care, at least let me do my last phone call! Since according to the law written on the wall, that we can do a phone call (actually on the wall there was a big title written that all detainees by law we are allowed to call our embassy or family/friends, and also a phone number attached to report the incidence) so i kept indicating and moving my finger toward the big sign! Then he let me get my phone from the guard! But he said this is my last attempt!
So i switched on my phone, and then moved the flight mode to get cellphone network! But since my simcard was europian only worked for inside europe! Then tried to find my iraqi simcard which worked internationally to get roaming but my sim card was lost! My last attempt to get cellphone network collapsed and i got panicked, deep inside i said im gonna stuck here forever. After my international cellphone access got failed, then i started reading the number of my local Mexican friend who came to the airport to pick me up!
I wrote the number on the officer paper, then we walked to his roam to do the phone call from their landline!It was around 12am when the phone start ringing, then for the first time i heard the voice of my Mexican online friend! He answered in spanish and then i started telling him its me baderkhan from instagram the guy which you supposed to pick up from the airport! He said he was waiting for me for 2 hours! I got so embarrassed! Then i told him that i got detained by mexico city airport immigration! He said that both his parents are lawyers, if i need help he can try! Then the phone went silent! And eventually lost my last phone call!
The officer looked at me and said, my case already done! No one can change the decision! That moment i was like thrown away in the middle of an ocean! After couple a minute! I asked him even if i get a lawyer! He said no!
I stood up started walking powerless back to my room! My legs could barley move! Each steps counted as a kilometer! I went back to my room and sat down on the concrete bench! I saw a flash back of my life!
Then a female voice pumped from the door saying irak irak irak, i ran quickly to her! Then i said: si amiga (yes my friend)! She handed me food! And i was like omg! Is it for me! It was too much! A sandwich, an apple, coca cola & chips! Then i looked at the female guard, she was busy with her copybook and her earpod were in here ears! Then i tried to talk to her several times then she looked at me and asked me in spanish what does i want! I said: nesisito agua (i need water) then she simply nodded her face and to the water tank behind her, i walked there and then i asked her to let me sit down on the bench outside my room, just in-front of her! She let me without hesitations!
The African detainee was staring from the door, so i asked him to join i will share the meal with him. I divided the sandwich into 2 halves , then gave him a half! While trying to eat, i saw that its pig meat! So gave the meat to the my african friend, and ate the bread! Along with the coca cola & chips! While we were eating, i asked him about his case! Then he replied in english, “my name is jo from Cameroon” (actually his name was long i just remember his nick name)! I told him i saw in the news that civil war is going on in Cameroon! And its divided into two part, french & english speakers! He was so happy by my information! Because most people are ignorant about this part of this world!
Jo continued telling me how he end up here! All started with getting a Japanese visa! Which then he flew from nigeria into tokyo, he said that he got it by bribe! “Thats the good side of living in a war country”! Once he landed in tokyo, got another flight to mexico city! Imagine! A trip around the world! Africa to asia to america! Then once he landed he here, the mexican immigration putted him here in the detention room! He told me that his brother planned everything for him! Actually he is living here in mexico city since 6 months ago! And he used the same tactic!
we were talking with low voice infront of the female guard! Which she spoke Zero english! The female guard was making herself busy by drawing lines in the copybook infront of her, which contained the record of all detainees! Then Jo continued telling me that once he landed here, he was lucky to connect to the duty free wifi, then his brother gave him instruction that in case they tried to deport him, then simply he should refuse and ask to talk & meet a UN employee! He told me that UN has refugee campus here! I tried to convince him to not choose this way! He told me “i cant live anymore in a war country”!I understood him so well, because we r in the same boat!
And from time to time we were looking at the female guard, she was keep drawing lines in her big copy book! She was putting her ear-pod listening to songs! Imagine we could break or destroy the room while she was in her fantasy world hahahhahaWe couldnt stop laughing looking at her, while she just trying herself busy with drawing lines hahahhaha non stop ahhahaShe had a very serious face while drawing lines hahahhaha but really she was nice and always replaying nicely whenever i had a question! The only downside was whenever i asking about what time is it: qya ora?she was answering in an accent which i couldnt understand so we were communicating by sign language! Hahaha
We took a life time to finish our dinner! Since i wanted to feel some freedom! I tried to ask her to access to my phone, but she was smiling and saying no! Hahhaha We went back to our room! The light was off already!Actually there was a room beside us, and our half doors were beside each other! But i didnt know whats this room is for!
I was super worried about my family, probably now they thing that something bad happened to me And the eid holiday changed for them from happiness to sadness! I could feel & see their faces crying! Our room was dark but light from the toilet & guard room were brighten part of it! I putted my mattress on the ground away from the light, and I lay down! I kept thinking about my family, and it was hurting me! My phone is couple meters away and i cant access to call my family! Telling them to enjoy their eid holiday and stop worrying! It was giving me a horrible time! I was dying inside! I felt slowly loosing control and falling a sleep! Deep sleep!
I dont know how long i slept, but i was hearing some noises and conversation! I thought i was dreaming so didn't dare to move! The voices & the conversation started to be very clear! Omg its between the Cameroon guy and the immigration officers! I opened my eyes and stood up, the voices were coming from the guard room! I walked in the dark side to see whats going on! I saw that couple guards surrondung the Cameroonian guy, and he keep saying i wanna talk to a UN employee! They said its not possible move right now! They grabbed him by force and pushed him to the corridor!This was the hardest moment for me! Watching this happening infront of me and i cant help at all! All i could do was moving to under the light, to make them see that im witnessing this so they wont hurting him! I dont know if they cared about this or not but my brain was on fire! They moved away through the corridor, while jo, the Cameroonian guy was keep screaming saying U.N. UN! And slowly his voice fade away! I was about to go under mental breakdown! Barley made it back to the mattress, laid down and i felt so dizzy! While i kept repeating the conversation between jo & guards in my mind slowly I fall a sleep!
I woke up with full energy, i said probably i slept for a full day! There was no clock in the room to check the time! The room was already bright, and the asian guy was sitting! So we started to make small talks! His name was daniiar from Kyrgizstan! Hahaha it was really funny because when i told him that i am from kurdistan he started to get confused thought im saying im from kyrgizstan too hahahahha then he laughed and understood! I tried to bring back all the russian words i learned from my last year trip to russia! Then slowly i remembered priviet kak dila (hi how u doing) hahhahaAnd the list goes on! Mozhna atkuda (excuse me where r u from) hahahhaha
I tried to know what time is it, so i walked to the half door to ask the guard! But i saw new faces! It turned their shift has changed! There was a new lady in her late 30s! I said: boynas dyas amiga qya ora (good morning what time is it) she said it 8! Then i continued: necisito requesta imegrasion telefono familya! She replied: si! Then walked away i waited but no one showed up! So i went back sitting on the concrete bench in my room.
I continued talking with daniiar, practicing my basic russian language and he also was speaking couple english words, we jumped into turkish too. So it was an interesting mix of languages! Oh then we greeted each other for eid festival! (Bayram mubarak)! Hahahha we were laughing to celebrate eid holy festival inside the detention room! He told my about the instability now in Kyrgizstan with the former president!
Then i took another nap! And my sad worry family faces where popping in front of my eyes! Woke up, then I stood up in the half door, and tried to make friendship with the guard! Me: ola amiga kometegyama(whats your name)She: zinat! Me: amiga, necisito requesta imegrasion telefono familya (since “necisito” was one of the earliest spanish words i learned, i was usuing almost for every thing) I was repeating asking to call my family and zinat was keep saying she will deliver my message! But the immigration officers didnt show up at all! Took another nap! While thinking about my family!
Later on a new group of arrival came to our room! More Latin people! Then i saw couple of latin women walked into the room next to us, then i realized the room beside us if for women detainees!
Once they got in i asked them about what time is it, one of them replayed they dont have watches, but their flight landed around 12! Which was like an hour ago.
I then i got on fire, i stood up at the half door! And saw zinat talking with her female colleagues! I lost control and tried to focus to speak spanish properly: tres noche airporto no telefono familya! Amiga Familya problema! (3 nights airport no telephon family, my friend family probelm)The three female guards stared at me! And then replayed in spanish! barely understood couple words! Along with the help of the other latin detainee they translate for me with broken English that i have been only one day here not 3 days! That moment i felt like i fall from a skyscraper! Cuz i lost catching with time, since there was no clock or window to figure out! It was really horrible moment for me! I felt that im going insane!
I sat down on the concrete bench trying to calm down, and saying that everything gonna be fine! I am stuck here, let me refresh and try to make some mexican memories while im here. Im really in love with mexican food, so i wanted to try tacos! I simply asked zinat, the female guard: amiga deseyuno (breakfast) she said ok. Then i said: tacos deseyuno quanto (tacos breakfast howmuch)?Zinat then she said si, nodded her face and headed out. After a while she comeback empty handed and sat down on her desk!
5 minutes later, while i was standing in the half door, an aggressive officer showed up and was shouting to me in spanish! I didnt move from my place he was keep shouting and shouting! I was thinking about if i did anything wrong! Even didnt ask him about calling my family! I was just keep saying: no ablo espaniol (i dont speak spanish) but he never gave up for like 3 minutes then left! Such a horrible experience!
I sat down, and after like 10 minutes an officer showed up! And told me if i speak spanish i said no! Then he shifted to english! And i was super happy finalllllly someone speak proper English! He told me that i offered money to the guard! And this is a crime! He said “u even didnt sign the papers yet”! I told him the story behind that and how miscommunication/language barrier with the guard led to this problem! All i wanted to try was Tacos! And didnt know how can i get it!
He was really cool guy! Told me this is impossible! And then He started to explain to me in a calm voice, and told me that they are treating me now in a humanitarian way no pressure at all! But if i repeat it again, then they will set my name on the international data system so whenever i try to pass any border then my name pop up on the screen with criminal record!!! I told him all of this just because of Asking for Tacos!! a Mexican meal! He nodded his face Yes!
Then i got my old passport from my pocket and started showing him my old travel stamps page by page and telling the officer im a world traveler not a criminal! I travel to break stereotypes not to make drama! I wanted to say i am a tourist not a terrorist hahahah but that word will trigger bad attention hahahahha then he asked me does i need anything or any sort of help? Did i get food? I said got just a meal yesterday!
He said dont worry he will remind the airlines employee for next meals. Then asked me to keep calm and they will leave me in peace! He was such a gentleman officer. He gave me hope that good news will be on the way! Then i asked him to call my family, since our muslim holy festival started yesterday and i dont wanna ruin my family happiness! They are worry & scared right now! Please even if u guys could text them or any sort of communication i will really appreciate it. He told me dont worry he will try to talk to his boss, since i used my only call already (which was with my local mexican friend last night). I handed my old passport and my local ID to him to show it to his boss (since their work shift changed, so i thought its better to try with the new boss too).
He left! And i stared at zinat! She was acting idiot and busy! Then tried to lay down! I asked the new detainees if anyone of them speak english, one of them replied that he speak little! His name was carlos, from spain! And i asked him about how he ended up here. He said that he overstayed here in mexico! So they are deporting him to costa rica! After like 15 minutes another officer showed up, and handed me my old passport & my ID! I asked him about the phone call he nodded yes and left.
After a while i stood up and asked zinat in loud english: i wanna call my family! The officer promised me to let me call my family! She replied in spanish! I told her in english: I DONT SPEAK SPANISH, my spanish skills are disaster all i learned were from spanish songs!! i will not even talk a word in spanish because you are trying to make problems for me! She replied in spanish! And with the help of carlos, he translated to me that: zinat is saying that i speak spanish, why now im acting like i cant speak! I start laughing hhahhahahaha i said seriously i dont speak! No ablo espaniol! Pokito despacito! Hahahhaha She didnt believe me and then i just ignored her and went back to my mattress!
After like an hour, an officer showed up and told the guy from Kyrgyzstan to get up, he will get deported along with his family member. I tried to find a pen to write my family phone number to pass it to him so he can alert my family! Asked the other detainees but no one had it! I tried to get access to my bag which was beside the guard desk, since the water tank was beside it too, so i act like im going to drink water then opened my bag quickly but couldnt find pen! I felt so sad. Then I said goodbye to daniiar(the Kyrgyz guy) and he told me that im welcome to his place anytime if i make it out there!
One of the female detainee, she was really hot hahah staring at me from the half doors! We were exchanging glances hahahha
I got a new meal provided by lufthansa airlines, which i flew with. Rice & chicken in a plastic plate, potato chips, a coke and an apple!
I ate everything, was so hungry hahah then after finishing my potato chips i kept the empty bag cover of the chips in my jeans pocket! And then stood up, and gave the apple through the open half door to the hot female detainee hahahha She was smiling and thanked me hahaha
I took my plastic plate and tried to find a sharp thing to be able to write my family phone number, and then will be ready to pass it to any of the detainees once they get released before me. But nothing worked, i checked anything possible to get used but no way! Dead end!
Then i stood at the door, tried to talk wirh the hot girl. with the help of the other detainees! They started to translate our talks! She is Colombian, from medellin city, and was on her way to a mexican friend wedding party, when the Mexican immigration stopped her simply because she didnt has a hotel reservation!
After like an hour, an officer showed up and asked the colombian Girl to move. She asked the officer to give her a pen so she can write her number to me hahah but the officer said NO! Then she kept repeating her name, and her social media account! Hahah she kept it saying till she disappeared! I kept repeating her name, and asked the other detainee to remember it for me hahahahha it was “alija sabata” i will find u & will visit Madellin too hahha
The spanish detainee had no phone charge, he even didnt have cash! And was so worried that if he got deported to costa rica he know nobody and cant access to his phone or get money transfer!
The was a big colorful poster on the wall behind the guard disk, and written that in case we didnt get treated well, or violently, then we can call that hot number! Hahahha this is the most idiot thing i saw in my life! Cuz first of all there is no wifi, no phone coverage, and its forbidden to access to a phone, even our own phone is locked in the guard desk! Hahahahhaha
Time comes and go, I was lying on my mattress! When out of a sudden a lady officer showed up and kept saying mr. iraq mr. iraq! I stood up and then she told me to get ready i will get deported back to europe within half an hour! I said im ready right now hahaha she said wait for a while.
Wow, i had mix of emotions! Happy that im getting out of this room and getting my freedom! And on the other hand i was sad for loosing the chance to experience & explore mexico! It was the hardest half an hour in the entire detention for me hahahahha
Then i start thinking about getting access to my camera which is in my handbag (beside the guard desk) i walked to drink water! Then i grabbed my camera from my bag, and tried to squeeze it in my pocket, but zinat that female guard saw me hahahahah and asked me what im doing!! I said nothing hahahah then she told me to put back what i got from the bag inside! I got pissed off hahaha and smiled to her i said fine hahaha
Then i grabbed a pill from my bag for stomach upset, and put the pill in my hand and was about to take it when Zinat rush to me and asked me to not swallow it! Then She took the pill along with the packet of the medicine to report it to her supervisor! Whattt hahahhaha After like 5 minutes she cameback and gave me my medicine packet hahahha
I was standing in my detention room on fire, when oh la la ahahhaha 5 people showed up, were standing in the door!!!!! Asked me to move, its time to go! Then i rush to zinat and told her to give me my phone! Then she started to write down some notes on her copybook! Then hand my phone to the officer!
Let me tell you about those 5 people! 2 of them were immigration officers, and the other 2 were airport employees, the last one was the airlines employee.
We start to walk across the terminal, i was looking to the crowd, so many people coming and going, then we walked in a private access area, and from faraway i saw people were collecting their bags on the belt hahahha felt so sad but laughing in the same time hahahah As we were walking i started laughing and the officers that i feel like i am james bond hahahhaha i am vip to get access to these restricted areas hahahhaha
Then we got into the duty free, it was full of souvenir & food shops! I asked the officer if its possible to buy some souvenirs! He said no, i said ok just the big mexican hat! He said no! Then i said ok just let buy anything as a souvenir and contribute to help local business! Guess what, again he said no! I asked why? He replayed: because you are officially not on Mexican land! I said: but here i am you see me standing here! (With a big smile hahah)Then he just ignored me! Hahahha
We arrived at the gate, and i felt everybody were watching me since i was surrounded by these officers hahahaOnce boarding started, i was the first one to enter the airplane, then the officer gave me my bording pass and my phone! But gave my passport to the airlines flight attendant! The airplane was empty hhaha it was my first time to be the first one access to the aircraft, since im used to be always late! And among the last passengers to get onboard hahahha
Well once i get my hand on my phone, i was dying from happiness and started to remove the stickers attached to it! Back when they got my phone, they wrote on it “iran” hahahah this happen with me many times, many people get confuse between iraq & iran names hahahah even in hotel bookings hahhahaha! Both countries we not just share 3 first letters, but conflicted politics too hahahhah Slowly passengers get into the aircraft and got fulled!
As the airplane started taxing, i switched my phone on then checked it, found that nothing got erased hahahah then started recording by my phone camera our take off!After less than an hour, the aircraft wifi got active, then i connected! Oops, messages & notifications bombarded my screen hahahaha jumped into whatsapp! Wrote to my sister that i am fine and just got deported!Guess what! My sister instantly answered me! My family were on fire have no clue what happened to me! I felt ashamed that i always make my family go through my crazy adventures! I loveee u so much hahahha
I went into deep thinking about what happened to me! And what i went through! Hahahhaha
10 hours later i landed in frankfurt airport! As the passengers started leaving the aircraft, i walked to the flight attendant and asked her about my passport! Then she went to her supervisor! The senior flight attendant told me to wait, they reported me to airport police and waiting for them! I was like! Omg! This never gonna finish! Then i said its fine i will sit down in the business class hahaha let me get comfortable seat hahaha she said yeah feel free.
After like 5 minutes waiting, the flight attendant handed me my passport, and told me that no one will come so feel free to leave the aircraft! Yaw yaw i was super happy then walked proudly back into europe soil!
I might be alone on this road, and my voice may not be heard, but i will not stop, and there is no coming back! no matter how slow i will travel, or how many walls & barriers block my way, i will continue to travel! We will continue traveling around the globe! And show the world, that we people of majority world are world travelers too!
Hand in hand we will keep proving that we are peaceful people away from the stereotype which built by the fathers of racism, Donald Trump & his gang (including the consular of USA in erbil)! They are not just spreading hate and division, neither just separating their country from us, but also prohibiting their neighbors too!
By the way, Hey Trump! Challenge accepted! 😂
Until we see each other again Mexico i love you! Vamos!
I am very proud of my Iraqi passport! My blue passport cover with the eagle in the middle! Gonna keep rocking the immigration counters with the panicked officers! Panicked from ignorance & illusions!
No matter how bad ranking it has among the world passports!
One day We will make it to everywhere, maybe not today or tomorrow but the flame will go hand in hand! From east to the west, north to the south! The light of the flame will open your eyes & widen your view to the world!
we have to keep pushing!
Because we will make things better!
I am very thankful for this experience, life is more beautiful by facing all these ups and downs!
Up up, No barriers no Borders no Boundaries! One World ❤️