US Student Visa Stamped vs Rejected

Good Morning !

Here comes the brainstorming session / Experience that i am going to write about today.

Waiting in line at US Embassy is the kick start of the Realization Phase.

As you all know I was not a candidate eager to go to United States for further studies leaving back my all settled life, rocking career and priceless buddies and most importantly my parents.  But now I was already in the trap. I went to Mumbai seemingly foreign land for a typical Gujju.  I had my Old school friends settled in Mumbai, they came to fetch me from the Railway Station and here comes THE DAY... , visa interview day..

 I got up in morning, took out my formal pants , formal shirt, ( ironed them to my best ability) and headed to Mumbai local train. Once I reached there I saw people lining up outside some office (which was told to me was US consulate). It was last week of January but Mumbai was humid and hot and I was sweating from head to toe. I was on the other side of the road and saw that the line was moving and people were gradually send in the office. I still had 2 hours left for my interview timing.

So i just went there (unaware of the process) and security asked for my passport and the I 120. I handed him and told him that still there are 2 hours left for my appointment, he still insisted me to go ahead and register. 

I didn't realized that they were letting me in with NO option for me to go out.. Yes you are right my document file was with my friends standing on the other side of road. I went inside and then realized that I am locked in, i cannot go out and if I go out my interview will be cancelled as NO SHOW.

I requested them as if I was a beggar but the staff was not at all courteous to help me. They didn’t let me go out just to pick up the folder. Similarly my friends outside realized about Folder they had and they were constantly requesting the security to please pass on the bag to me inside, but NO luck. Till Date i don't have idea why they didn't co operated me.

  I was sitting in the waiting area with all the results ready in my brain that definitely I am going to get REJECTED. How foolish of me to step in embassy without documents. 

 Tick tock, tick tock, finally the time arrived when I was called by visa officer.  I went there and here was my visa interview:

 Me: Hello Good morning Sir.

• Visa officer: Good morning .Can I have your Passport and I 120.
• Me: Here it is Sir.
• Visa Officer:  So what are you planning to study in US?
• Me: Explained about the master courser i selected with the reasoning why.
• Visa Officer: Okay. You will get your passport by mail in 3-5 days.
• Me: I was shocked and just hurriedly said thank you sir and left.

Actually i needed a Big Slap ( not a pinch) to make myself realize that I got the Visa. Something that I was so sure that I will never get it.. How stupid of me that I went inside the Embassy for interview without documents? Being a qualified person how can i do that?

 As soon as I stepped outside the embassy i saw my two best buddies Shivani and Vidula waiting for me. They were somewhere also sure that my visa will be rejected for sure. They looked at me with a Big question mark, and I gave them a shout out across the road,, hey I got it.

I was happy that I made it.

And after that we buddies had a great lunch, great time. we went to gaming station and played Bowling, games. I would say we enjoyed every moment for the reason not because I got Visa, reason was we met each other after almost 12 years.  Best time with friends. Some friendships live forever, no matter you meet each other daily, and no matter you call each other.

It was time where my life was about to enter a new phase... Stay tuned.

From Asia's pen.

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Dedicated to All my SVEM School Buddies.