Sir, – Not many readers may have heard of the tiny landlocked country of Laos in southeast Asia. It is a truly beautiful place with dramatic landscapes and home to some of the gentlest and happiest people I have ever encountered.
I have been living and working in the capital city Vientiane for the past five years. Every summer I travel back to the quaint little town of Caherciveen on the north shore of the Iveragh peninsula in Co Kerry where I teach at a family-run English language summer school for teenagers, The Asana School of English.
This summer I endeavoured to bring a small group of Lao students to Ireland for four weeks to enjoy the unique experience that only The Asana School of English can offer. Everything was going swimmingly. I had a nice group of 11 students ready to go.
On Tuesday, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service informed me that it had refused visas for all of my students because the “need to undertake the course in this State is not warranted”.
After my initial shock and disgust had diminished, I asked myself two things: 1. Why does a second language learner need any more reason to visit (what was once) a marvellous country to study English? and 2. Why are they turning us (and our money) away? I thought our country was broke.
This is yet another case of this country being its own worst enemy. It is embarrassing to the point of being physically sick.
My oldest student Souliya (16) and his sister Katen (11), had said they couldn’t wait to see Ireland and the Atlantic Ocean. I am still thinking of how I am going to tell them that Ireland does not want them to come here and spend their money because they cannot “warrant” it; but that extreme level of being “pathetic” does not translate into Lao so easily.
Another of my students, Amala (13), born in Laos to an Australian father and Laotian mother, carries an Australian passport and does not require a visa. Just lucky, I guess.
My Irish passport is already in the mail. Keep it. I have no need for it any more.