India Customs

There is something I don't understand. When people go through customs, I would expect at least one person there to be able to understand completely fluently the language from which each flight originates, and always to understand enlgish. This is not because I'm a stupid American, this is because when all else fails, most people speak a little english, especially coming to a place like India where english words are known by all, and is the chosen language of the elite and of business.

This is not the case. Everyone barely speaks english, and it makes for problems. As everyone knows, my passport was stolen in Chile. I had to get a replacement, but due to the amount of time it would take for a normal one, I had to get an emergency passport, which works exactly like a regular passport, but is of a little less quality so they can make it faster, and it's only valid for one year. BUT I WAS TOLD I COULD USE IT LIKE A NORMAL PASSPORT FOR ONE YEAR. I asked, I made sure, because I didn't want problems in India.

Long story short I spent 1 hour in a room in customs with people saying, what happened to your passport? and me telling them, but them not actually listening to a single word I said. Of course they confirmed me with the embassy, and then decided that they would let me in the country, but to get out I have to get a new, regular passport. Which is awesome. I love it that India doesn't know how to handle an emergency passport. Again, this is all just foreshadowing. We'll get to the good stuff later.