英语翻译

Bordersthatmakepeoplecross

Youhavetohaveapassportifyouwanttogotoanothercountry,don’tyou?Atleast,that’swantVitailVitalievthought.Butifit’sSunday,itseemsyouneedn’tworry…

ItsoundsstupidtogetlostinLiechtenstein,acountryintheAlpssotinythatwhenyouaskalocalfordirectionstothepostoffice,he’llprobablysaysomethinglike,‘Gotothenextcorner,turnrightintoSwitzerland,crosstheroadbackintoLiechtenstein,Andyou’llseethepostofficeatthenexttrafficlight,justoppositetheAustrianborder.’

ButafterseveralhoursofhikingthroughtheAlpsIdidindeedgetlost.Soitwaswithsomereliefthatintoavalleytowardsacountryinn,Theplacewasfullofpeople,allwithhugeWienerschnitzelsontheirplates,theareaofsomethemalmostequaltothatofLiechtenstein.SuddenlyIfroze:youfindWienerschnitzelsofthissizeinonlyonecountry-Austriaillegally!

TerriblevisionsfrommySovietpastrushedatme.Wordslike‘extradition’,‘deportation’and‘detention’startedechoinginmybrain.WithalarmIrememberedthatmybrand-newAustralianpassportwasinmyhotelinLiechtenstein.Anditdidn’thaveanAustrianvisaanyway!

LikeanyformerSovietcitizen,Ihaveadeeplyrootedfearofborders.Evennow,withawesternpassportinmypocket,Ifindithardtogetusedtoimmigrationofficialsatwesternairportswavingmethrough.Iamscaredthattheymightforgettoputsomeimportantstampinmypassport,andthiswillmeantrouble.Ilingerinfrontofanimmigrationofficerwithasycophanticlookonmyface,IknowImustn’tlooktooconfident.Oldhabitsdiehard.Oldfearsdieevenharder.

Ihadtodosomething–quickly.IrushedoutoftheAustrianinnandwentbackdowntheroadtowardstheLiechtensteinborder.InthedistanceIcouldseethetinyhutofaborderpostandIpreparedmyselfforapainfulshowdownwiththefrontierguards.Ahugelockhungonthedooroftheemptyborderpost.Aboveitwasasign:‘thefrontierpostisopendailyfrom8a.m.to8p.m.exceptforholidaysandweekends.’RememberingitwasSunday,IgaveasignofreliefandwalkedbrisklyacrosstheborderintoLiechtenstein.Noonewastheretostopme.