How is it over there, on the other side?
I have no idea how others perceived the consulate's atmosphere, but it reminded me of a nightclub! I mean, the usual face control, with a couple of different guards.
Did you forget that you had to empty your pockets? Well, I forgot. What exactly did I forget? Something quite insignificant and petty by nature – change. As it turned out, both my pockets were full of it. A shiver ran down my body. What to do? I looked at the man in uniform with a detector in his hands and decided to confess.
O – Officer; A – Author.
A: Please forgive me, but I have change in my pockets. I forgot to take it out, what should I do with it? [a thought flashed through my head that I would probably become his lunch. He looked at me so sternly, and then...]
O: (Started smiling and laughing) Said: "So be it, you can keep it." "Put it on the table, then you can take it back."
As it turned out, it wasn't that scary. I even liked their attitude. Maybe it was just luck or they were in a "hard to tell – good" mood.
After the face control, I was pointed where to go next, upstairs. I didn't see anything "outstanding" inside. The only exception was the "big, iron door" before entering the room where the consuls were located.
Here is the reception area of our Americans (consuls); here is the promised TV with American commercials; here are the two windows from which, if you are lucky, you will receive your passport with a visa (you will get this information and more at the office of the International Exchange Center on the eve).
Interview:
The moment we gathered for, and you might still be waiting for – has arrived!
The interview was conducted by two consuls at once, and they were both named "Alex".
One of them spoke a little Russian and was older, the second was younger and didn't speak "ours". I got the first one, and I was the last in line. Oh, I won't forget this meeting. No-no, I really liked it. C – Consul. A – Author.
A: Hello.
C: Hello, how are you?
A: Great. The weather is wonderful, and so is my mood. And yours?
C: Everything is in perfect order. Please put your index finger on this (this phrase was in Russian and sounded like: "Please, put your finger on this").
A: Why are you speaking Russian (in English)? You have excellent pronunciation (actually, I was in shock. I wanted to shine and manage to retell all the memorized preparations, and then this!?)
C: No problem (smiled). I'm practicing my "Russian", and some "visa hunters" have problems with the word "finger" (in English).
A: (smiled back) It happens! There are so many of them (started listing the fingers in order, gesturing).
C: (melted) Where do you study? What year? And so on... (the only difficult question for me, or rather a sub-question) What is your faculty?
A: History!
C: Tell me, what do you know about the modern political system in the USA, its president, etc...?
A: (a slight tremor, but I managed) What do I know? Almost nothing? I study Japanese history. Should I tell you something about that?
C: No, thanks! You will get acquainted with American history when you are "with us".
Hooray, the awards ceremony!
What does it look like? No, they didn't hand me a passport with a visa! They just wished me luck, not forgetting to recommend which sights I "simply must" visit... victory!
I left the consulate in a good mood. My group was waiting for me outside with equally joyful faces. Everyone got their visa. What did we do after? You won't guess again! We immediately went to the railway station and headed home. We celebrated at home.
Conclusion:
The interview is not as difficult as people say. I will note once again: Embassy? – It's simple! All that is required of you is to memorize the questions and answers to these questions beforehand. If you don't put it off until later, there will be no problems. Listen carefully to the consul and try to catch at least a few words from the sentence. If you have difficulties with a question, don't hesitate to say – please repeat. In general, everything is in your hands!
Good luck to everyone!
