A day before the interview, we were gathered at the IEC office, where they explained in detail what to expect the next day, what kind of questions might be asked, how to behave, what to bring, and what not to bring.
The next morning, we headed to the consulate. After waiting a bit, they started calling us in one by one. At the entrance, there are two security guards: you hand over all unnecessary items to one—phone, keys, and everything unrelated to the interview—and he gives you a badge. The second one monitors you as you go through the metal detector, and if it beeps, he checks what caused it. Almost everyone set it off, but when I walked through, it was silent. The guard looked at me in amazement and asked: 'What's wrong with you?' 'What?' 'Well, it didn't beep for you... but it beeps for everyone else...' 'Well, yeah :) is that bad?' 'Let me see your belt... ah... small buckle, okay, go ahead.' And so on, through the door, a short walk outside to the next building, and there they were—those windows and the waiting hall. We sat down in order as they told us at the IEC office and waited... First, we went to the 3rd window, signed the DS-2019, handed it back, and sat down. Then, one by one, we went to the 1st window for fingerprinting and sat back down, and then we waited for the consul to call us to their window. I was in the first ten in line, so I didn't have to wait long. Everyone was sitting quietly and talking, even though it was forbidden, but the mood was great, and there wasn't much anxiety. Then the first girl went to the consul, and after a 3-4 minute dialogue, she returned upset... 'Visa denied...' apparently because of poor English or she was just too nervous, but after her rejection, everyone went quiet and started to get more nervous and anxious... then a few people got their visas, and it was my turn. Either it just seemed that way to me, or there really was a long pause from the moment the guy in front of me returned until the consul called my name and surname, and that was probably the most nerve-wracking moment. But when I approached the consul and said hello, the anxiety just vanished. Then the dialogue with the consul: I didn't quite understand his first question, but then he smiled and rephrased it, after which I answered his questions, and he said, 'Your visa approved.' I thanked him, wished him a good day, and we said goodbye. I left the embassy, waited for my friends, we walked around Astana, and headed home.
At the moment, I am waiting for the Job Offer confirmation, resolving issues with taking my exams early, and getting ready to buy tickets =)
2010-04-15
Contract status - OK, woohoo)
