Lögberg-Heimskringla - 26.08.2005, Qupperneq 4

4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Friday 26 August 2005
Beating the system
Steinþór Guðbjartsson
Managing Editor
When I have travelled
the world, I have
usually not had any
problems going through cus-
toms. I just do what I’m told to
do, fill out the forms provided
and simply follow the law and
order. Sometimes I’m asked
more questions than before
and sometimes my luggage is
checked, but only once have I
been questioned for doing ev-
erything right. That was during
my most recent arrival in Win-
nipeg, after having spent some
time in the United States.
I left Winnipeg and spent
two days in the United States
before I had to go to Toronto
for a day. Then I went back to
the US, where I spent a few
days before going back to
Winnipeg. Upon arrival in the
capital of Manitoba, I filled out
the declaration form and wrote
down the date I left Toronto
when asked about my last date
of departing Canada.
That did not fit with the
information the customs offi-
cer had — I had departed Win-
nipeg two days earlier — and
the officer grinned. His smile
reminded me of the smiles of
the cops in movies when they
have arrested the most danger-
ous criminals. I had the feel-
ing that the officer felt he had
caught the most dangerous
man on earth. In his mind, I
thought, he had caught me like
a fish in a small pond. There
was no way out. I was going to
be locked up for the rest of my
life. The order was to follow
the red arrows on the floor un-
til I could go no further. I was
trapped.
Many people I meet are
obsessed with titles. There is
an executive director, manager,
CEO and a mayor, to name a
few. They introduce themselve
by the titles. I am the execu-
tive director of so and so, I am
the manager, I am the CEO, I
am the mayor, they say — but
when I think about it they never
tell me what they do. Just what
title they have.
When the customs officer
asked about my profession, I
said that I was a joumalist and
was pretty proud that finally
somebody asked me about my
title. Of course I did not tell him
what I did, but that did not help
me. He put on rubber gloves
and started going through the
clothes in my suitcase. Noth-
ing was left untouched. Not
even some unclean socks and
underwear. Actually, there was
not much in the suitcase, nor
in my handbag, and it did not
take him long to go through
everything. I had the feeling
that he was hoping to catch me
with something illegal, but he
had the wrong man. Remem-
ber, I always go by the law and
order when going through cus-
toms and I had not even bought
anything during my trip.
Being a joumalist did not
make any difference, but when
he noticed a plaque with my
name on it and the title, Man-
aging Editor of Lögberg-Heim-
skringla, he let me go. I finally
understood why some people
are so obsessed with titles,
and wondered how I would
be treated the next time, when
I would only be a joumalist.
That remains to be seen.
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
This edition is your last
as editor. It is one to which
you bring your one-and-a-half
years at the helm of Lögberg-
Heimskringla and your travels
throughout the breadth of North
America to an end.
What a exciting time that
this been for all your readers
and those that have been associ-
ated with you at Lögberg-Heim-
skringla! We enjoyed reading
your vivid descriptions of the
people you met and the places
you visited. Your enthusiastic
writings. brought increased in-
terest in Lögberg-Heimskringla
and in people and events in the
Ieelandic community. Thank
you for your time with us.
My best wishes for the next
chapter of your life!
Dr. Ken Thorlakson
Winnipeg, MB
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