While the city was sleeping...
...my older brother drove me through the empty Garden Ring at 6 a.m. to the embassy. He dropped me off and left with his family for church. They put a sticker with a serial number on me and about 500 other students and lined us up. It was all like a pioneer camp (hmm... although I've never been to one, it was exactly like that). We weren't allowed to bring anything except documents: no bags, no cell phones, no money, no belts, and not even watches. They checked for weapons, drugs, and nail files. They took our fingerprints, told us to smile, and gave us the visa. And I, freezing under the April snow with my damp documents, ran to the Last Supper memorial service. By 12, I was already home, and while the city was working, I was sleeping. All that's left is to finish my exams, get my driver's license, and find the song I'll listen to while flying to the United States of America.
My dialogue with the consul on April 16, 2009:
-Good Morning.
-Good Morning. (I smiled as advised by the IEC, although after 1.5 hours in the cold and considering I woke up at 5 a.m. and was terribly nervous, I didn't really feel like smiling)
-What's your name?
-Anastasia M
-I know you've been in USA before.
-Yes. I've been.
-Did you come before as an exchange participant?
-No. I've just (here I stumbled and said the following) vised.
-You mean you visited the United States as a tourist.
-Yes. As a tourist.
-Where have you been in USA?
-VA
-Why VA?
-Because I have relatives there. Uncle and Aunt.
-Umm..You said uncle and aunt. Ok. Your visa is approved.
- THANK YOU!
-You are welcome! - (A real smile for the rest of the day)
P.S. I remember reading posts like this last year with envy, thinking how it was all behind them. BUT guys, it's really much simpler than you expect. I was told there were two visa denials. One because they had close relatives there (a sister), but I have relatives there too, and the second was poor English, but you'd have to be a complete idiot for that, because the English there is very simple :)
US Embassy address in Moscow:
Bolshoy Devyatinsky Lane, 8
Moscow 121099, Russian Federation
Tel: (495) 728-5000
Terminal map at Kennedy Airport, New York
http://anastas-i-a.livejournal.com/16871.html
