Coyote 2

Junior year at university I had a Polish room-mate. She was an interesting gal, the daughter of a dissident Polish scientist (this was before The Wall fell). When she applied for her visa to take part in our school's semester in Rome, she was denied. At the time, Italy had a terrible problem with illegal Polish aliens. People would leave Poland to visit the Pope and just stay long after their visas expired, so Poles were no longer granted visas as a general rule.



Say what you will about the U.S. Congressmen, but one thing they are good for is case work on behalf of their constituents. It's the kind of work they love to do because it's non-partisan and builds good will. Using some political contacts my family had, we were able to get a Congressman and Senator from the district and state our school was in to pull strings on Room-mate's behalf and get her a visa. On the word of the Senator that she would absolutely, positively not overstay it. Which he gave because she was an enrolled student and because we vouched for her.


Of course, she overstayed her visa. Not terribly --she did come back to school. I remember being miffed with her since I felt she was dishonoring my family after we'd stuck our necks out. But I guess when you've spent your adolescence risking your life to carry underground newspapers, it's not in you to take that kind of rule very seriously.