And only
diligent searching and assiduous application to small things provides one.
This tale
of woe had its beginnings over a year ago when my housemate’s daughter was
fined as she was leaving Switzerland for having overstayed her Schengen visa:
now who knew that even if one was visiting one’s mother who is a Schengen
citizen (o.k. part of the Schengen “space” – they are not strictly speaking
citizens), wasn’t working and in fact was actually contributing to the economy
by buying groceries, albeit with her savings and with the assistance of said
mother.
Still
apparently she had no rights. They paid
the fine and thought no more about it.
This year
as her Christmas present, housemate’s husband paid for the daughter to join
them.
As housemate
and husband were housesitting in Ireland, they arranged for L to join them for
two days in Dublin then all three flew to Barcelona where L was arrested. The
saga is to be found on D-L’s blog http://theexpatwriter.blogspot.ch/2014/12/the-christmas-from-hell.html
and
The first
I knew of it was at the tale (o.k. tail, but tale does work) end of my skype
session with the nephews when I received a phone call asking that I try and
find out a contact or telephone number of the authorities in Zurich. I tried
several ways and was able to call the airport in Geneva where they gave me good
advice. It did take a few minutes however and meanwhile they had also contacted
the US Embassy there in Spain.
As the
day wore on everyone was scrambling to get any information at all, then I
booked a hotel room in Dublin so she could at least get a decent night’s rest
on her way back being deported.
That in
itself was a saga as of course I could book a room online giving my credit card
as a guarantee, but couldn’t seem to pay.
In the end I used my VOIP Cheap to call the hotel. The first person
decided very quickly that it was complicated at that her colleague in
reservations would be much more capable. Silver lining #1 – Joanna at the
Radisson Blu Dublin Airport hotel was not only efficient – sending me via
e-mail the reservation so that I could return it and pay as a third party: I
had given her my cc number on the phone so didn’t need to write it in the
e-mail, which would have been very insecure, but she was also pleasant on the
telephone. I was able then to e-mail the
number directly to L as she did have her laptop (her cell phone was dying with
all the calls and they hadn’t even let her mother return her suitcase to her!):
silver lining #2 in between the lap top and the cell phone we were able to have
news of her sporadically. D-L and R
finally took a train to their home where cell phone reception is spotty. But
never mind, I was still able to stay in touch with her for several hours by
e-mail. This would not have been possible just 20 years ago.
Things got worse before they got better when the guards in Barcelona “forgot” to put her on the connecting
flight back to Dublin. So had a hotel room, but she wasn’t going to be able to use it.
Sent Joanna an e-mail informing her of the situation and the fact that I was entirely aware that my
credit card would be charged (normal). Silver lining #3 – I received an e-mail the next day saying
that as she was a “no show” my card would not be charged.
There are still decent people in the world and although I wouldn’t expect this to happen to anyone else,
the fact that it did once means that I can – and will – highly recommend this particular hotel to all and
everyone: with a bit of luck someday I may just go visit Ireland and stay there myself!
Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport t: +353 1 844 6000 | d: +353 1 812 7182 |
f: +353 1 844 6001 | joanna.piotrowska@radissonblu.com Dublin Airport, Dublin,
Ireland | www.rezidor.com | www.carlsonrezidor.com
It does
restore my faith in humanity and thereafter we were able to find other silver
linings to the situation: L did finally sleep a bit – no bed, no sheet, but she
was exhausted; she did arrive safely home; she will be going to spend the next
few days with good friends – ever so important under the circumstances; no one
died, no one was injured. In time the awfulness will fade.
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