Surviving Immigration: My Horror Story from the Philippines to Bali

Traveling together for the first time as a couple is always an exciting and nerve-wracking experience. My boyfriend and I embarked on our first international journey to Bali, Indonesia, with high hopes and some apprehensions. Little did we know that dealing with immigration would turn out to be a memorable part of our adventure. Immigration can be a daunting experience, especially when it's your first time traveling together as a couple. I had heard stories about immigration officers scrutinizing travelers, but nothing could have prepared me for what awaited us. As we stood in line, I couldn't help but overhear immigration officers half-yelling at other passengers, demanding answers to their questions. It was like a scene from a movie, and I couldn't believe I was now part of it. The officers had a knack for making you feel nervous, even if you had nothing to hide.

They handed me a form, stating it was for documentation purposes only. I had to provide detailed information about who I was traveling with and whether they were my sponsor. The questions they asked were personal, from how long I'd been dating John to whether my family knew about our international trip. The key was to be honest and truthful in your responses. It was nerve-wracking, especially with the intimidating officers, but honesty is the best policy.

I couldn't help but reflect on my childhood experiences of always getting stuck in immigration booths when traveling with my family. It seemed like every airport immigration officer had it out for me. However, this time, we made it through, and here we were in Indonesia.