Getting Into London
The flight was not that important. Hour and a Half or so, nothing really exciting about it. Flying over London though was a real surprise. It is probably the biggest city I have ever seen. We flew over at night so you could see the map of London by all the lights illuminating the roads, houses, football fields, the dark spots are fields or water. The place seriously looks like Coruscant. You can't see the end of the city for miles, which put it all in perspective for me. I'm just ONE more ant in this giant city, where many Londoners on one side, have never seen or know of the other sides. So much for conqouring the city in one fell swoop. This is going to be tricky by any stretch of the imagination. This is Krato's ascention to the hall of the gods (In God of War terms), this is the final battle with Darth Vader. The question is, am I still in Empire Strikes Back, where I loose and loose a hand, or is this a true Return of the Jedi moment? Shit, I didn't even bring a towel! Oh well, the important thing is DONT PANIC, After all, whats the worse that could happen...
...When dealing with Immigration there are FOUR or FIVE main questions that they ask everybody coming into the country. If you are there without a work visa or for simple travel they ask you the following...
1) How long are you staying in (London)?
2) Where are you staying in (London)?
3) What do you plan on doing while here?
4) How much money do you have on you?
5) What are you coming back to in your home town?
the correct answers are as follows:
1) 2 - 6 weeks; not long
2) I have made accomidations at (insert detailed information of lodging and how you are affording it)
3) Talk in detail of your itinerary while in the country, give them the impression that you are REALLY sightseeing as much as possible
4) Enough to get around for the time I am here; I am not intending to make money while here
5) Your job in your home country. You are employed at your home country and you need to leave (London) to go back to home at some point.
What I said was the following:
1)My travel passport says up to 6 months so I'm trying to stay as long as possible
2) I'm crashing on my brother's couch, bumming around his place
3) See some gigs, maybe play some, and you know, see the sights if possible.
4) ::Pulls out wallet:: Ten us dollars, 100 Euros from my Gma, a 1 pound note that is no longer useable in circulation, but I should be getting more money soon...
5) Well, I just graduated and don't have a job, so pretty much some of the same
I was in their detention facility for three hours. In the mean time they searched through my bags, to see what my true intentions where for coming into the country. They let you wait for two reasons, one is because the more you wait, the more you get emotional and subject to telling the truth just to be done with it all, the other is because they can watch you and how you react to the whole process...
...I sat casually watching bad English TV, giving the impression that this was all just a minor inconvienience to my otherwise hopefully pleasant stay in London... all while trying to rack my brain around how to answer questions once they find:
1) My C.V. (British Resume) that lists my skills and ability to persue a job in the music business in London
2) My Legal Pad, which is full of notes on HOW to get a job in the music business in London, with the FIRST page outlining the main objectives of the goal that I hope to acheive in the next 6 months
3) A book from G'mo entitled "How to make in the Music Industry"
4) My guitar, with a preamp, external hardrive, tons of cables, tools for changing strings and cleaning guitars (professional music equipment)
5) My notebook that again details in my aspirations for what I would LOVE to do, what I would DREAM to do IF I made it in the music industry in London
...I knew I was Fucked.
There was no way I could change this story now, They knew what was up, they could read it all over my stuff and my walk and personality. This kid is going to try to get into the music business....illegally.
...Documents are signed, Fingerprints are taken, "Are you hungry? Are you Thirsty?" (you realize your going to be here for A WHILE unless we hear either what we want or enough to kick you out of the country). Keep cool, DONT PANIC, remember from your perspective you have nothing to hide, that was your original story, if you change it now, you will be fucked royally for sure. They will stamp your passport with a denial into the country, be flown back to country of origin (which happens to be germany,) and then what...? Talk to the parents and the family on what happened, and from now on, will be denied access to going to England unless I get proper documentation and a visa saying that all is well again. What then? US and England are close allies, if I get a bad rap in one country, it will taint my record in the other, I will be fucked on both fronts...
...Don't Panic, just think of how to tell the truth but in a way that suffices their regulations and protoculs, their black and white stamp of YES or NO, how do I spin the truth to be a LIE while being believable enough not only to me, but will be backed up by Karl or anyone else that they contact for further information...
...And then it hits me how to play this off. I have to show them that not only am I serious about doing this, but that I am horribly scared, stupid, misguided and ignorant, mixed into the whole true story that I am also here because my family is pissed that I don't have a job and so living with Karl will help put my head on straight. Non of this is a lie, but non of it is the truth. I KNOW what I need to do to get into the industry, and I am capable of doing it all, and my head is fixed right for the task and I can see it from MANY facets, but by giving the impression that I am a misguided youth, who needs big brother to sort out a family issue and help me get a job back in the states is EXACTLY enough of the truth to spin it...MAYBE in my direction.
The "interview" lasted for 22 handwritten questions, and the bulk of the three hours I was held back. I got to know James, the guy who interrogated me real well. He actually is also the black sheep of the family, and he used to play bass for a bunch of no name bands. But he is not wearing that hat today. I play it off with just as much sincerity as acting, I am creating the persona that I need for it, but its still not enough, because no matter what, HE has to present this information in a report to HIS BOSS, who then gives the rubber stamp...
...he puts me back in the detention cell and phones my brother, which is exactly what I want him to do. My brother tells him how everything I want to do in London is all just a fantasy that I seem serious about, but between him and james, his little brother needs to shape up, and thats what he's here to help his little brother with. And in reality, he'll probably be in town for 6 weeks and not 6 months...
...well done mate, you said exactly what you needed to say, and we never collaborated on it. Outstanding work...
....James comes back to me saying that I have a 50% chance of getting into the country and that BETTER cases have been denied....
....He comes back in saying hes got to have a bad talk with me, which he hates doing, but the demeanor and inclination in his voice tells me he's fucking with me, I play along "fuck man! seriously!?....I can't believe it, I haven't even made it into the country yet and already I'm done here, what are my parents going to say..."
He pulls me aside and gives me a lecture on how I should shape up and be a man and take control of my life, and that I SHOULD persue a career, just not in London. He gives me the stamp letting me land in the country, but not before warning me of what can happen if they DO catch me working here....
...The guy just came for fixing the dishwasher, and this story brings us up to how I'm sitting on the couch here in London. The story has really just begun, but already its got some interesting chapters...
...When dealing with Immigration there are FOUR or FIVE main questions that they ask everybody coming into the country. If you are there without a work visa or for simple travel they ask you the following...
1) How long are you staying in (London)?
2) Where are you staying in (London)?
3) What do you plan on doing while here?
4) How much money do you have on you?
5) What are you coming back to in your home town?
the correct answers are as follows:
1) 2 - 6 weeks; not long
2) I have made accomidations at (insert detailed information of lodging and how you are affording it)
3) Talk in detail of your itinerary while in the country, give them the impression that you are REALLY sightseeing as much as possible
4) Enough to get around for the time I am here; I am not intending to make money while here
5) Your job in your home country. You are employed at your home country and you need to leave (London) to go back to home at some point.
What I said was the following:
1)My travel passport says up to 6 months so I'm trying to stay as long as possible
2) I'm crashing on my brother's couch, bumming around his place
3) See some gigs, maybe play some, and you know, see the sights if possible.
4) ::Pulls out wallet:: Ten us dollars, 100 Euros from my Gma, a 1 pound note that is no longer useable in circulation, but I should be getting more money soon...
5) Well, I just graduated and don't have a job, so pretty much some of the same
I was in their detention facility for three hours. In the mean time they searched through my bags, to see what my true intentions where for coming into the country. They let you wait for two reasons, one is because the more you wait, the more you get emotional and subject to telling the truth just to be done with it all, the other is because they can watch you and how you react to the whole process...
...I sat casually watching bad English TV, giving the impression that this was all just a minor inconvienience to my otherwise hopefully pleasant stay in London... all while trying to rack my brain around how to answer questions once they find:
1) My C.V. (British Resume) that lists my skills and ability to persue a job in the music business in London
2) My Legal Pad, which is full of notes on HOW to get a job in the music business in London, with the FIRST page outlining the main objectives of the goal that I hope to acheive in the next 6 months
3) A book from G'mo entitled "How to make in the Music Industry"
4) My guitar, with a preamp, external hardrive, tons of cables, tools for changing strings and cleaning guitars (professional music equipment)
5) My notebook that again details in my aspirations for what I would LOVE to do, what I would DREAM to do IF I made it in the music industry in London
...I knew I was Fucked.
There was no way I could change this story now, They knew what was up, they could read it all over my stuff and my walk and personality. This kid is going to try to get into the music business....illegally.
...Documents are signed, Fingerprints are taken, "Are you hungry? Are you Thirsty?" (you realize your going to be here for A WHILE unless we hear either what we want or enough to kick you out of the country). Keep cool, DONT PANIC, remember from your perspective you have nothing to hide, that was your original story, if you change it now, you will be fucked royally for sure. They will stamp your passport with a denial into the country, be flown back to country of origin (which happens to be germany,) and then what...? Talk to the parents and the family on what happened, and from now on, will be denied access to going to England unless I get proper documentation and a visa saying that all is well again. What then? US and England are close allies, if I get a bad rap in one country, it will taint my record in the other, I will be fucked on both fronts...
...Don't Panic, just think of how to tell the truth but in a way that suffices their regulations and protoculs, their black and white stamp of YES or NO, how do I spin the truth to be a LIE while being believable enough not only to me, but will be backed up by Karl or anyone else that they contact for further information...
...And then it hits me how to play this off. I have to show them that not only am I serious about doing this, but that I am horribly scared, stupid, misguided and ignorant, mixed into the whole true story that I am also here because my family is pissed that I don't have a job and so living with Karl will help put my head on straight. Non of this is a lie, but non of it is the truth. I KNOW what I need to do to get into the industry, and I am capable of doing it all, and my head is fixed right for the task and I can see it from MANY facets, but by giving the impression that I am a misguided youth, who needs big brother to sort out a family issue and help me get a job back in the states is EXACTLY enough of the truth to spin it...MAYBE in my direction.
The "interview" lasted for 22 handwritten questions, and the bulk of the three hours I was held back. I got to know James, the guy who interrogated me real well. He actually is also the black sheep of the family, and he used to play bass for a bunch of no name bands. But he is not wearing that hat today. I play it off with just as much sincerity as acting, I am creating the persona that I need for it, but its still not enough, because no matter what, HE has to present this information in a report to HIS BOSS, who then gives the rubber stamp...
...he puts me back in the detention cell and phones my brother, which is exactly what I want him to do. My brother tells him how everything I want to do in London is all just a fantasy that I seem serious about, but between him and james, his little brother needs to shape up, and thats what he's here to help his little brother with. And in reality, he'll probably be in town for 6 weeks and not 6 months...
...well done mate, you said exactly what you needed to say, and we never collaborated on it. Outstanding work...
....James comes back to me saying that I have a 50% chance of getting into the country and that BETTER cases have been denied....
....He comes back in saying hes got to have a bad talk with me, which he hates doing, but the demeanor and inclination in his voice tells me he's fucking with me, I play along "fuck man! seriously!?....I can't believe it, I haven't even made it into the country yet and already I'm done here, what are my parents going to say..."
He pulls me aside and gives me a lecture on how I should shape up and be a man and take control of my life, and that I SHOULD persue a career, just not in London. He gives me the stamp letting me land in the country, but not before warning me of what can happen if they DO catch me working here....
...The guy just came for fixing the dishwasher, and this story brings us up to how I'm sitting on the couch here in London. The story has really just begun, but already its got some interesting chapters...