"The greatest pleasure is doing what others think you cannot do." (W. Bagehot)

One warm winter evening, while walking through my favorite city, I stumbled upon a bright "Work & Travel" poster. Oh, no, honey, this isn't for you. You can't even get out of town for the weekend, and here you are thinking about America. I sighed and kept walking.

The next morning, having completely forgotten about that impossible dream, I got stuck in traffic. With nothing to do (we were going to be there for at least an hour), I started looking at the ads. Sales, discounts, driving courses... Wait, what's that? My eyes fell on the bright poster I had seen yesterday. Sigh... Deciding there was nothing else interesting anyway, I moved closer to the ad and started studying it. After trying on all the candidate requirements, I realized I met them all except for one - English. I studied German before university. There was no hope left, my mood was ruined for the whole day. Actually, not just the day, for my whole life!

Regretting that I had even seen that poster, I trudged to work. My friend, seeing my depressed mood, started asking about everything. As I continued my story, her eyes grew wider and wider, a spark flashed...

...A week later we signed the contract. Another week later we paid the first installment and signed up for courses. Our friends were skeptical about our zeal: "You're wasting your time, you won't succeed, it's all a scam." Despite this, we took the risk!

Then the DS-2019 arrived, then the second installment payment, and finally, the long-awaited and exciting email. April 6th. How time flies! Abandoning all my chores and ignoring the sun winking cheerfully outside the window, we sat down to review English.

...The station, the train, the carriage. 7 hours on the road and we are in Yekaterinburg. We thought we would get some sleep and have time to review. Ha, we thought wrong. Not a chance! Our fellow travelers turned out to be a very sociable and cheerful group of boys who were going to study. As a result, we didn't sleep a minute, but at least we reviewed something - all together!

Yeah... It's so cold. The thermometer says 0, and that's after yesterday's +15. I find out I'm last on the list. Mood is in the negative... Three hours until the interview. We wait. The first 10 people are let in, my friend is among them. Another half hour and the visa is in her pocket! My mood lifts. That's a plus. Finally, it's my turn. Forgetting all the advice from the coordinator Marina, I go into the warmth. The security is lovely, explaining and showing everything. It gets warmer. Metal detector, 4th floor, second metal detector, fingerprints and... the waiting room. Another 15 minutes and the consul calls my last name. Thank you for getting it right! Here it is, the long-awaited, exciting moment!

Hello!

Good morning, sir!

Are you Ksenia?

Yes )))

So what do you want to do in America?

Work and travel

What will you work as and where?

My brain calmly processes the phrases and gives ready-made answers, probably from excitement ) Then he asks:

Are you a part-time student?

Evening student

And here he says to me:

Let's speak in Russian, I don't understand anything about your education system.

I'm in shock.

Okay.

Why do you study several times a week? What do you do the rest of the time? Why is it the first year, but immediately the third course?

Then he types something into the computer and answers me:

Unfortunately, your visa cannot be approved. Maybe next year...

My smile turned into an upside-down smiley. There it is, the dream, one step away from me. And everything is collapsing in one moment. And then, without expecting it from myself, I blurt out:

No. I will not try next year. Why are you refusing me? (I realize myself that these conversations are meaningless). I study three times a week, throughout the year. In my free time, I work. I enrolled after college, so I'm in the third year immediately. I study 516 hours per semester, it's like a full-time student.

He starts to doubt, asks me additional questions. What do you want to get in America and are you going for a long time? Then he presses Delete, removes the refusal paper, looks through my passport and signs the DS-2019, puts a stamp!!!!

Okay, Ksenia. Your visa is approved. Have a great summer! (Smile)

I'm in shock! I think I'll kiss him right now! Smiling from ear to ear, I thank him, wish him a good day and fly out of there!

I still can't believe I did it! And no one believes it. But yes yes yes, My visa approved! My joy knows no bounds! Now my dream is one month away from me and four months away from my Motherland!

So, my dears, fight for your dream! Believe in yourself and you will definitely succeed. Just like I did.

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

(P. Coelho "The Alchemist")