Catching up...Paris

An eventful but hectic weekend in Paris turned sour on the train ride home. I was riding alone since I had no eurail pass and I was interrogated for the first time in my life, probably one of the two most terrifying moments in my life...both being on this trip. Dressed in suit of no real uniformity, they came all at once, all three stern faces glaring down at both of us shining their badges from thin black leather cases. "You travel together?...Why you here?" they forcefully asked. The men demanded it was in my best interest to hurry and pull out my ticket and passport. Before I could ask why, they snatched it from me and already were pulling the girl next to be by the arm to take her in the back to search her. Now empty handed, my heart pounded...was I next? One man stayed by my seat to make sure i didn't do anything of suspicion and snapped quesions at me right and left, trying to intimidate me. He asked where I was heading, why, for how long, who I was with on each of these days and so forth before the other men returned. They pulled me up by the arm to search me the same as they did her but told me to leave my things, which seemed a little odd. All they asked in regards to them was if they contained anything of interest like cigarettes, alcohol, or an amount over ten thousand euros...but they didn't ask for weapons?? They brought me back and tossed my passport on the seat next to the German lady and walked away to the next cabin as everyone in the train eyed them, whispering back and forth. I realized all of the sudden how terrifying it really is to not know your rights in another country...to not know what personal boundaries they can cross without resistance and who has the authority to do that. I felt more vulnerable than I ever have...if anything opens your eyes yet makes me appreciate the rights I have in America, it's traveling. We must never take for granted the advantage of those rights, safety, and opportunity given to us every day in America. Even the ability to trust that we can recognize out law enforcement and utilize our rights if they are imposed upon. I have always formed my political views based on what I thought to be right or wrong but traveling is broadening my perspective of the "why" I think those views are right or wrong.