Apartment, car, train station, commuter train, a strange city, night... subway, street, consulate building, snow... street, museum... street, consulate... VISA!!!:))) With only fifteen words I can describe this crazy day! One day... 24 hours... 1440 minutes... or 86400 seconds waiting for that one cherished phrase: «Have a good summer!".

It was very cold and windy... We were standing at the entrance to the Consulate... time 9:30... we form two lines... only about 60 people in total... I’m 24! how wonderful! Soon everything will happen!— I thought... but... in fact there were 5 hours left until the cherished phrase! Again street, snow, street... an image of the group leader and her words appears in my head: «The Consulate decided that you will meet the consul at 14:00... I can’t do anything...». How stupid! Why were we hanging around here since 9:30 a.m.??? And it’s so cold!!!:(((

And I only had my gradebook, student ID and 500 rubles! What can you do with such a "rich" luggage for 5 hours?! Alright! I’ll have to get to know the center of Yekaterinburg! People... cars... Where is everyone rushing to? Is the world ending tomorrow??? So I reached the big shopping center "Greenwich"... FOOD!:))) Oh! How wonderful life is when I felt my stomach filling with hot tasty food! I want to sleep so badly... Hey! Stop! Consulate! Visa! USA! We take to our heels and... back to the street... shops, a church... people... In one of the shops I see the sweater of my dreams... but alas... my baggage, consisting of three items, must be kept in its original state, because the consulate guards won’t appreciate extra work with our clothes... and a third sweater on my body is already too much! Okay... I’ll come back for you later, dear! Don’t go anywhere! Back to the street... and interviews are still about an hour away... my sleepy but full gaze freezes on the museum building, then on a huge poster "Japanese Holidays"! Hm... Why not! I go in... Kimonos, dolls, fans, colorful photographs... Simply delightful! Alright! Time for the visa!

Street, road, Consulate, queue again... horribly cold again! After an hour of waiting I go in... door, guards, first metal detector, stairs, another guard (very unfriendly), second metal detector, restroom, waiting hall... silence... I give fingerprints... fragments of English phrases come from the third window... a girl comes out – she’s smiling! Then a few more smiles sparkle... silence... a wave of excitement runs through the hall... someone whispers: "She’s not even in her fifth year!", "But she was silent", "And he didn’t ask what she was supposed to say"... a girl runs out from the consul’s office... first tears! The next “victim” goes in... comes out... smiles! Everyone sighed... relaxed... They call my last name...

Me! Really?!... I hear someone’s voice: "Go ahead! Everything will be OK!" I march into the booth... I see HIM! I smile with all my teeth! "Hello! How are you?!"... his words reach my tired brain... Hm... What to answer him?! What?! Tell the truth that I wandered around a strange city for five hours, froze like a dog... and couldn’t buy the sweater of my dreams because I had to come to him light? I smile... And I hear my voice: "I’m nice! How your mood?" Ooo! DID I REALLY SAY THAT???

He: Laughs (I emphasize that I asked about his mood first! All other program participants answered the standard "How are you?" And he had the standard answer "Ok!")... he’s a little confused... utters something... But what??? Ah... I think I begin to understand! Hooray! He talks about there being a lot of people, that he’s tired... angry and will not give me a visa! And he teases me! Eee... How won’t he give it!!! What am I doing here!!!

Me: Almost crying...

He: Laughs... and says it’s just a joke...

Me: Phew... I start to breathe! :)

He: Here come the first questions! "When will you finish University?"

Me: Ah! I still have a long time to study! In 2012! (well... of course in English)

He: What is your major?

Me: Economist-manager (the second word somehow comes out awkward... I correct myself!)

He: Where do you want to go in the USA?

Me: To Minnesota! (I have a job offer there)

He: OOO! Why there??? Why is he so surprised? Oh God! Where will I go?!!!

Me: I don’t forget my sweet smile... and answer: "I think it’s wonderful there – beautiful nature: mountains, lakes, forests... I really want to go there!"

He: "What will you be working as there?"

Me: I forgot the English word for "painter"! Damn! What to tell him??? I wiggle out: "I will removing old paint... masking off..." (That’s how it was written in the job offer)

He: Smiles!

Me: That was close!!!

He: "Have you ever done this before?"

Me: "Yes, I helped my parents with renovating the apartment!" I smile... Now he’ll definitely ask about my parents! He asked everyone about them!

He: "Have you read the safety rules and the information about human trafficking?"

Me: Eeee... where is the question about parents???! That’s not fair! Out of surprise I mix up Present Simple and Past Simple... "I read" I correct to "I have read"...

He: Says something about safety rules... actions in case of fire... respirators... I understand him very poorly! I nod! For all questions I’m ready to answer "Ok" and smile!

He: Says these rules are very important! And... Trom-pam-pam!!! The cherished phrase: "Have a good summer!"

Me: A smile like an idiot! Probably repeat "Thank you!" about five times... I think that if there hadn’t been a glass partition, I would have kissed him from happiness!!! Thank God there was a partition after all!:)

I run out of the booth... grab my jacket... smile at everyone and say "Thank you! Goodbye!"... the street! Already so familiar and close! :) It’s all over! Life is wonderful!!! :)

Subway... train station... train... home... computer... and now you already know about my little adventure!:)))

Ps: The sweater of my dreams... remained a dream! Well, to hell with it! But I have a VISA!!!:)))