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

It was very cold and windy... We stood at the entrance to the Consulate... time 9:30... we lined up in two queues... about 60 people in total... I am 24th! How wonderful! Everything will happen soon! - I thought... but... 5 hours were actually left until the cherished phrase! Again the street, snow, street... an image of the group leader appears in my head and her words: "The consulate decided that you will meet with the consul at 14:00... I can't do anything...". How stupid! Why were we hanging around here since 9:30 in the morning??? And it's so cold!!!:(((

And I only have my student record book, student ID, and 500 rubles with me! What can you do with such a "rich" luggage in 5 hours?! Okay! I'll have to get to know the center of Yekaterinburg! People... cars... Where is everyone rushing to? Is the end of the world tomorrow??? I made it to the big "Greenwich" shopping center... FOOD!:))) Oh! How wonderful it is to live when I felt my stomach filling with hot goodies! I want to sleep so much... Hey! Stop! Consulate! Visa! USA! Let's get moving and... street again... shops, church... people... In one of the shops I see the sweater of my dreams... but alas... my luggage, consisting of three things, must be kept in its original state, because the consulate guards won't appreciate extra work with our stuff... and a third sweater on my body is already too much! Okay... I'll come back for you later, honey! Don't go anywhere! Street again... about an hour left until the interview... a sleepy but full look freezes on the museum building, then on a huge poster "Japanese Holidays"! Hmm... Why not! I go in... Kimono, dolls, fans, colorful photos... Just lovely! Well, that's it! Time for the visa!

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

Me! Really?!... I hear someone's voice: "Go ahead! Everything will be Ok!" I march to the booth... I see HIM! I smile with all 32 teeth! "Hello! How are you?!"... his words reach my tired brain... Hmm... What should I answer him?! What?! Tell the truth that I wandered around a strange city for five hours, freezing like a dog... and couldn't buy the sweater of my dreams because I have to go to him light? I smile... And I hear my voice: "I’m nice! How your mood?" Ooo! And I said THAT???

He: Laughs (I clarify that I asked about his mood first! All other program participants answered the standard "How are you?" And he had a standard answer "Ok!" to this question)... a little confused... says something... But what??? Aaah... I think I'm starting to understand! Hooray! He says that there are a lot of people, that he is tired... angry and won't give me a visa! And he teases me! Eh... How can he not give it!!! What am I doing here!!!

I: Almost crying...

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

I: Ufff... I'm starting to breathe!:)

He: Here, the first questions started! "When will you graduate from University?"

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

He: What is your major?

I: Economist-manager (The second word somehow comes out clumsy... I correct myself!)

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

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

He: OOO! Why there??? Why is he so surprised? Oh my god! Where am I going?!!!

I: I don't forget about a 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?"

I: I forgot the English word for "painter"! Damn! What should I tell him??? I wriggle out: "I will removing old paint... masking off..." (That's what was written in the job offer)

He: Smiles!

I: Got away with it!!!

He: "Have you ever done this before?"

I: "Yes, I helped my parents with apartment renovation!" I smile... Now he will definitely ask about my parents! He asked everyone!

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

I: Eh... where is the question about my parents???! That's not fair! Out of surprise, I confuse the tenses Pr. Simple and Past Simple... "I read" I correct to "I have read"...

He: Says something about safety rules... about fire procedures... protective masks... I understand him very poorly! I nod! For all questions, the answer is "Ok" and a smile!

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

I: A smile like a moron! I probably repeat "Thank you!" five times... I think that if there wasn't a glass partition, I would have kissed him out of happiness!!! Thank God there was a partition after all!:)

I run out of the booth... grab my jacket... I smile at everyone and say "Thank you! Goodbye!"... street! Already so dear and close!:)

Everything is behind me! Life is beautiful!!!:)

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

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