«Putting a foot between the doors leading to the light, you can be sure that this train will not rush into a dark tunnel...»

V. Martynov

«The embassy — it's simple? You must be out of your mind! What are you even talking about!?» — probably, that's how I would have protested just a few weeks ago, when this trip to the American institution had only just begun to worry me... Ah, if only someone had said such a phrase affirmatively...

A step into the unknown is always frightening. And who knows what it is like to get a visa?! Maybe it's harder than passing an exam in quantum physics?.. No, my dears! The embassy is simple! You only need not to be lazy. In principle, exactly the same as in the course of your life activities.

What to do? By my own example I'll show you — what and how you can do!

For starters I reviewed all the instructions I received by mail and looked through the forum http://www.iec.ru/forum1/viewtopic.php?t=13184&start=0. Of course, you need to prepare documents, copies, etc. thoroughly. In short, just follow the instructions that will be in your mail! It's simple! After all, all that is required of you is to read, think and do. If you manage to approach everything from a formal point of view seriously, then victory is two-thirds in your hands. To be honest, you can already confidently expect the “moment of truth,” knowing that you will get the prize. Everything else is a matter of technique...

BUT!

During the preparation I began to understand that this was not enough for a successful "exam" result. Then it became simply necessary to understand what I lacked. The answer was on the very surface of the problem. I simply lacked confidence in myself and my abilities. Of course, the visa application had already done its job, and the consul's decision was almost determined. BUT! As always, there is that big BUT!

The most important thing in the interview process will be your behavior at the counter in front of a real American. Your manner of holding yourself, moving, the ability to convey emotions and energy — all of this is simply necessary for you, wishing to conquer America! So here is your chance to show your strengths in action! The upcoming interview at the embassy is a wonderful reason to lift your spirits!..

Confidence in yourself is created by preparation! So why not prepare? Let's begin! In addition to advice and reviews about going through the embassy on forums, I advise you to read instructional and practical literature (which you consider necessary in your situation). These can be books on practical psychology, or any others that can help you overcome fears and other difficulties. Every person has them, each different. You need to find them and destroy them with the help of new knowledge.

The solution of any problem depends little on the situation, but on you and your inner attitude. Therefore, learn, improve, read and rejoice, because new knowledge always brings many positive results. Having overcome and forgotten your fears, you will begin to look at life differently, and such a “terrible” interview at the embassy will turn into moments of pleasure for you!!! Put most of your energy into learning, and you will make a huge step forward, approaching perfection.

It should turn out so that you suddenly begin to imagine an imaginary “examiner” when you walk the dog, have lunch or are about to go to sleep. Always practice mentally answering different questions, creating the most difficult, unexpected twists of your conversation in a virtual embassy. At the moment when such imaginings become an everyday matter for you — you, without even realizing it, will already be ready to enter into a conversational battle with the “cunning” consul.

Sometimes such preparation looks funny and absurd, but the result won't keep you waiting! The main thing is effort and readiness to improve and not stand still!

Once, returning home, I decided to go into a store. Loud music was playing in my headphones. I walk past one counter, then another, and I feel the gazes of other supermarket customers falling on me. The first thought — "Maybe there's something wrong with my face, or my jacket is dirty, or finally, the zipper is undone where it shouldn't be!.." Embarrassment, then my cheeks blush. I take off my headphones, and I hear how from my mouth involuntarily flies out the phrase: "Yes.I play basketball..." Wow! Did I really talk to myself in English while Mikhail Krug's songs were giving me joy with their very soulful rhymes?.. We're in trouble... I quickly snapped out of it and, having paid for my purchases, left the store. Of course, I was embarrassed. For several days thoughts about the upcoming embassy automatically disappeared from my head.

But soon rehearsals continued. My roommate in the dormitory repeatedly told me that there was no need to prepare so persistently — "it only takes five minutes there." But I resisted. Under the influence of fear I read articles, watched films in English. Sometimes I wanted to speak to the actors or answer them my own way if, according to the script, they were supposed to ask a question. For the second time in my life I dreamed a dream in which I spoke freely in English, using words that I had never heard in real life!

//A small tip:

If your English is poor — you can read phrasebooks. They usually contain a lot of real-life examples that will definitely help you say something to an embassy representative. Read always and everywhere you can — memory is arranged so that in a stressful situation the right words will suddenly come to you as if from the sky. As it will turn out later, after the shock of what was said — you have already read those words, you just didn't know yet that you would remember them//

A couple of days before the interview. Rehearsals continued. And they ended when I was already taking the first step toward that coveted window No. 9.

But even before the embassy, when our crowd was being assembled, I suddenly realized — there's nothing to be afraid of now! I know everything, I'm confident in myself! This is the merit of preparation.

Approaching the window where the consul was sitting, I greeted him. And immediately, at that very second, a shot was fired in my direction — "Hello, how are you?" And it began... The questions the consul asked I simply did not consider difficult. My thought was one — somewhere I had already heard and said thisJ. Oh yes! I had been digesting similar conversations every day for weeks.

Here-here-here-here-here!... One more second.. and..

A smile behind the glass.. says "good luck", then "have a nice summer"... words of gratitude fly from my mouth too, and at that same moment I find myself outside with the happiest smile on my face!!! I smile at everyone around: passersby who don't know about my joy, pigeons, the sky, the sun — everything that was nearby!

What remained in my soul was a feeling, or rather, a memory: as if, when I was a child, my mother took me to the local clinic for a vaccination. I remember how I kicked, bit... our turn comes, the door opens — you need to go in, and my mother picks me up and brings me to the couch. Suddenly, a kind nurse, shining like the sun, gives me a candy, and while I was unwrapping it — snap! And that's it!!!

What, that's it? So easy and painless? "Yes" — says my mother, and I walk down the street proud of myself and pleased with the sweet gift!

That's how it is, dear friends! As Mikhail Bulgakov said: "Cowardice is not fear, but slavery to fear." Stop being afraid and look at life simply! After all, everything in the world is quite simple if you figure it out!

Well then, good luck to everyone!!! Many thanks for your attention! Full of hope that everything will be fine with you!!

Sincerely yours, Vyacheslav Martynov