It was January 3rd 2008. It was 3rd day that I moved to San Diego. I was still travel high mode and that day I decided to go all the way down to see the Mexican Border. I was curious about the reality of border because Mexican problem is one of serious social issue in America, especially California. I took a bus from San Diego downtown and transfer to other one that goes to the border. When the bus almost arrive at last stop, there were full of people and they were all Mexican. Even driver was a Mexican. All the people got off the bus at last stop and I follow them. I could see a big Mexican Nation flag from the out side but I didn't see the border yet. I kept follow the people because all of them were moving toward same way. And I saw some gate that looks like spinning door and metal. At least nobody was standing or watching the door so I entered into it. I was looking for somebody looks like police or solder something like that. But nobody was stop me or ask me ID. Just people were walking and moving without any hesitation. Then I saw something like a sign on my right side. On left half of that board this word was written,"Mexico territory". On the right half side, "U.S.A. territory". Then I thought 'Umm...it seems I already cross the border.' 'Holy shit! did I just cross the border?' 'I remember that law as an international student I supposed to not go out of the country.' 'Ha! this is dumb of me and funny and exciting, here I am!' Then Josh's(my friend in Long Beach) voice just popped up in my head "Just don't go to Mexico, don't cross the border, Shaaun." "I won't!" I replied him.
I was nervous little bit but meantime I was still having travel-high feeling. 'Okay, now what I'm gonna do?' 'I am not even interested in Mexico, any of their culture.' 'I don't even bother to glimpse it. I don't want.' 'I just arrive in San Diego two days ago! I want to go back to the down town.' Then I saw information box and entered into it. "How can I help you, sir?" "Do you want to have Tijuana map?" "I'll show you good place to go." 'He looks Mexican with good English and thinks I'm tourist of Tijuana.' "No, I have a question, why there is nobody at that gate thing? No one asked me show I.D. or passport anything." He answered "Oh it's just free. You don't need anything to come to Tijuana." "Okay, then how can I go back?", I asked. "You cannot go back to that gate. It's one way. That is only for enter to Mexico. When you go back to U.S. you have to cross that bridge and you have to through that building." He answered. I was thinking 'What kind of border is easier than enter into a regular building?' In Korea, there is DMZ(Demilitarize Zone) between North and South and the DMZ itself is like 20Kilometer. Of course between North and South border line there are full of soldiers. That's the concept of a border between two country in my reality. Therefore, no big sign or police or soldier on a border was completely weird thing to me. 'I see, definitely U.S. needs to get the Mexicans out of their country because Mexican problem is big issue in this country. So it should be make it easy to enter to Mexico and difficult to enter to U.S. like this...' 'Anyhow, that makes people like me in trouble?!' I felt like totally be trapped. 'No other things to think about. I go back immediately.'
I crossed the bridge and I could see people were on endless line that looks like longer than a mile. 'This is gonna be all day long' 'No matter I wait all day long or I sneak in some where of line result will be same in the Border Protection building.' I walk around and check around back and forth of the long line.
'I know I dropped out school and that makes me out of status soon. But I also know I have 30 days grace and during that period I am still leagal.' 'As long as I can prove my student status I will be fine.'
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