I was denied entry into the States 🇺🇸

In August 2019, I left Japan and embarked on my high school study abroad adventure in the United States. Despite having zero English skills, all I could think about was, "I get to play basketball in America!" I cheerfully bid farewell to my parents and friends without any tears.

The journey took me from Naha Airport to Narita Airport, then to Minneapolis, USA, with a final connection to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

When we departed from Narita and landed at Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) Airport in Minnesota, I faced my first-ever "immigration check." Since I had practiced on YouTube before leaving, I confidently joined the line without any nerves or worries. However, when the officer shouted "NEXT!", I froze instantly. I handed over my passport and documents, waiting for the questions. The officer then asked, "Is this real?" This wasn't a phrase I had practiced, so I remained silent.

Soon, two officers arrived and escorted me to another room. It was filled with people who looked like the types you'd see on TV—smugglers or gangsters. Just waiting there made my heart pound.

I waited for 20 minutes, aware of my connecting flight, before my name was called. In a small room, it was just me, the officer, and three armed guards standing behind me.

The officer began the interview by saying, "This student visa is fake. Where is the real one?" The first words out of my mouth were, "Huh?" I only understood "visa," "fake," and "not real," but that was enough to grasp the situation. For over ten minutes, we went back and forth in a one-sentence argument.

Officer: "This is not real." Me: "This is real."

Despite showing the embassy's signature on the document, which had an embossed seal proving its authenticity, the officer kept insisting, "This is not real." Almost in tears, I heard, "Where's the real one? If you don't have it, you'll go back to Japan." I suggested it might be in my suitcase, knowing it wasn't. Two guards fetched my suitcase, and we opened it together, pretending to search for something I knew wasn't there.

Back in the small room, the argument resumed. When the officer said for the second time, "You have to go back to Japan," I nearly gave up on the idea of studying abroad. I was half in tears, wanting to go back home immediately.

Finally, after the officer made several calls to the embassy, the study abroad organization, and my high school, they confirmed that my documents were legitimate. The officer, who hadn't smiled once, finally said with a smile, "Enjoy your time in America." Though I wasn't particularly happy, I will never forget that smile and those words.

In a half-crying state, I ran around looking for my next flight. Hearing my name and number called over the PA system, I sprinted to gate 43, making it just in time to board.

Once I arrived in America, I was so busy that I couldn't contact my host family or my family back home. All I could think about was, "I need to see someone soon." Upon reaching my final destination, Dallas, I spotted a family holding a sign with "IKKI" written on it. Despite not knowing who they were, I burst into tears and ran to them, hugging them tightly without even introducing myself. It was the first time in my life I felt such immense relief, and I couldn't stop crying.

Although there were many challenges, I finally entered the country safely and met my host family, marking the beginning of my American high school experience. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't say, "I will go back to Japan," and instead endured the hardship with tears.

Because of that, I gained a lot of experiences that I can now share and laugh about with others. I'm glad I didn't give up.

This was the start of an incredible study abroad experience in America.