Passport Privilege. Guilty.

While I was reading the first articles of the semester and again, while filling out the exercise sheet about target/non-target groups, I was brought back to my own experience where I knowingly and blatantly used my American citizenship privilege to my advantage.

When I agreed to live in Spain for 9 months, I talked to other Americans that had lived over there as au-pairs and decided that I didn't need to bother with a legal work visa the duration of my stay. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay; It was too much of a hassle. Instead, I figured that if I travel to other countries within Europe but outside the certain Schengen region to get a stamp every 3 months and looked like a "rich American traveling on Daddy's dime after graduation" - then I couldn't get in trouble for staying in one country longer than 3 months (which is the legal visiting time limit).

So off I went from Spain - for a weekend in Germany, then soon after, Scotland. As I was coming back to the tiny airport of Reus, another au-pair and myself were slightly worried. This was a small town. We were flying in and out of it with our passport clearly stamped from three months ago...but we stuck to playing our piece if need be. When we got to the officers with the power to let us enter, we flirted. They asked where we were coming from, we answered Scotland.. They asked if we were going to Salou (where a lot of English vacation and party), we said yes. A few more innocent and friendly questions later, barely looking at our passport, where we had been, where were we staying, great big smiles on and welcomed us. If this was the U.S. that would surely be a different story. A few months later I did it again. This time I was closing in on 9 months and my friend who had been there for only one month received the extra questions. I definitely know I wouldn't want to be deported or brought in a room for questioning, because I would have cried and lied I am sure. Not that I am any good at lying but it was our get-out-of-jail-free card and we were willing to use our American-ness to it's extreme to get what we wanted - freedom to travel where ever we wanted and stay as long as we wanted.

Reflecting on this, my time in Europe changed my life. Mostly because of every place I was able to go and everything I experienced, when I think of "how" I get a sting of guilt. Though I never really thought much of this action and how so many people can not enter the U.S... so many are deported... questioned.. watch-listed...etc., especially after 9/11. Whenever I read stories of American citizens or husbands & wives that were deported after 9/11, I get sad and uncomfortable.. and know it just isn't right.