Day 332 – 'Vacation time!!'(monthstone reading: 2 months)
I could have made an earlier update here, but then I
decided to tarry a little longer for all things to be done and then make this
entry. All seems to be done now. A lot has passed in the months of April and
May. After booking my air tickets to Newark for
5th Aug, I feel that the countdown has finally begun!
So the big news finally came on the 9th
of April. While I sat in Saravana Bhawan, enjoying my meal dessert; the
delectable Basundi; something sweeter decided to land on my email inbox. It was
an email from Remi Moss, Columbia University
The next few weeks were all about getting the
finances in place, preparing for the visa interview and the shift to Lucknow
To put it in my regular Road-map and Timeline style, this is the story up till now:
To put it in my regular Road-map and Timeline style, this is the story up till now:
Road-Map
GRE (done)
GRE (done)
TOEFL
(done)
University
Applications (done)
Financial Documents (done)
Financial Documents (done)
Rejects
– CMU, UWASH, UCB, Univ of Toronto Chapel Hill
Admits
---- Columbia University University of Minnesotta
Twin
Visa
Interview (Done)
Flight
Ticket (Done)
Vaccination
(MMR done)
Housing
(remaining)
Packing
(remaining)
Timeline:
·
6th April
– Admit from University of Minnesotta
·
9th April
– Admit from Columbia University
·
11th
April – Interviewed Prof. Shree Nayar for BrainGainMag
·
13th
April – Admit from UFL (along with waiver that came with an achievement award)
·
23rd
April – Reject from UC Irvine
·
6th May-
Visa Interview date taken for 20th and 22nd May
·
7th May – Reject from UNC- Chapel Hill
·
8th May-
Successfully completed coursera course on Computational Photography (with
distinction)
·
9th May – 14th May- Lucknow
·
20th,
22th May- OFC and Visa interview days
·
23rd May – Stamped passport received
·
24th May – Left for Mumbai, along with the cutest pup (miniature
Pincher) ever; Fendi
·
25th May-
Finally at my alternate home in Mumbai; Vacation begins with my sister and
brother-in-lawJ
Before I talk about anything, let me start by posting my Visa Interview experience:
my detailed experience of the VI @ US Embassy, New Delhi
Reached venue: 8 am
Appointment time: 9 am
Got done by: 10 am
Status: Approved
The procedure:
1)So one has to wait till the guard outside allows people of respective appointment time to form a queue. This generally happens exactly half an hour before the scheduled appointment time; In my case the guard signalled at 8:30 am
Tip: Not required to be 1-2 hours early. Just make sure that 40 minutes before your apointment time you are standing in front, as ahead of people as possible. Also make sure you don't have any elderly person right in front of you; slows you down. Quickly reach your queue line when the guard signals. DO NOT SIT OR RELAX at this time.
2)Once in the line, a line-supervisor will ask you to pull out your 'i-20, DS-160, SEVIS fees and passport' (will call it the 'essential bundle' for reference); he will staple all these together. So keep these documents ready.
Tip: You can bring your mobile phones if you really need it; the queue passes through a deposit counter, where you can deposit your mobile for some charges.
3)After passing this queue, you enter the security-check area of the embassy; its typically airport style.
4)After the security-check, one gets into line for a token. I was asked to hand over the essential bundle by the lady at the counter; she wrote the token-number 'H-###' on my DS-160 and asked me to take a seat and check the screen till my number gets displayed. The H-alphabet is for people who have applied for an F1 visa.
5)Once your number appears on the screen/ supervisor announces that you can move inside, you stand in a short queue to get your finger-rinting done (Yet again!). I was asked to give the impression of the fingers of my right hand only. Once done, the person at the counter, an american Lady sumwhere in her 30's asked me to proceed fr the interview queue inside with the same token number. Time noted: 9:15 am
6)The final queue; Huge sitting area, loads of people. There were 13 counters, of which 8 were functional. Each had a tv screen on top, denoting token number's that were in the line (not more than 5). My number finally came at around 10 am. The VO was a lanky American, besectacled, in his late 20's; looked verrry harmless.
Tip: I would like to bring attention to the choice of attire here. You can opt to wear smart casuals or formals, paired with trousers or denims. As the VO sits behind the glass, he will not notice that insignificant stain on your trousers or what shoes you are wearing.
7)The interview (15 seconds):
Me: Good Morning Sir.
VO: Good morning. How are you ?
Me: I'm doing good. How are you?
VO: Good. Please pass me your documents *read essential bundle*
Me: *passes the essntial bundle*.
VO: Are you working currently?
Me: No Sir.
VO: What did you do for 1 year then?
Me: I was planning and preparing for my Master's studies as the course can be intimidating.
VO: *retains the essential bundle* All right, your VISA is good to go. Have a nice day*gives me a ligh green-colored card, which reads 'your visa has been approved' and lists a few contact numbers and instructions*
Me: Thank you sir!
Other tips:
Closest metro-station – Race course
Auto Fare from embassy to metro station: Rs 30 – 40. Don't take the rickshaw right outside the embassy; they overcharge
my detailed experience of the VI @ US Embassy, New Delhi
Reached venue: 8 am
Appointment time: 9 am
Got done by: 10 am
Status: Approved
The procedure:
1)So one has to wait till the guard outside allows people of respective appointment time to form a queue. This generally happens exactly half an hour before the scheduled appointment time; In my case the guard signalled at 8:30 am
Tip: Not required to be 1-2 hours early. Just make sure that 40 minutes before your apointment time you are standing in front, as ahead of people as possible. Also make sure you don't have any elderly person right in front of you; slows you down. Quickly reach your queue line when the guard signals. DO NOT SIT OR RELAX at this time.
2)Once in the line, a line-supervisor will ask you to pull out your 'i-20, DS-160, SEVIS fees and passport' (will call it the 'essential bundle' for reference); he will staple all these together. So keep these documents ready.
Tip: You can bring your mobile phones if you really need it; the queue passes through a deposit counter, where you can deposit your mobile for some charges.
3)After passing this queue, you enter the security-check area of the embassy; its typically airport style.
4)After the security-check, one gets into line for a token. I was asked to hand over the essential bundle by the lady at the counter; she wrote the token-number 'H-###' on my DS-160 and asked me to take a seat and check the screen till my number gets displayed. The H-alphabet is for people who have applied for an F1 visa.
5)Once your number appears on the screen/ supervisor announces that you can move inside, you stand in a short queue to get your finger-rinting done (Yet again!). I was asked to give the impression of the fingers of my right hand only. Once done, the person at the counter, an american Lady sumwhere in her 30's asked me to proceed fr the interview queue inside with the same token number. Time noted: 9:15 am
6)The final queue; Huge sitting area, loads of people. There were 13 counters, of which 8 were functional. Each had a tv screen on top, denoting token number's that were in the line (not more than 5). My number finally came at around 10 am. The VO was a lanky American, besectacled, in his late 20's; looked verrry harmless.
Tip: I would like to bring attention to the choice of attire here. You can opt to wear smart casuals or formals, paired with trousers or denims. As the VO sits behind the glass, he will not notice that insignificant stain on your trousers or what shoes you are wearing.
7)The interview (15 seconds):
Me: Good Morning Sir.
VO: Good morning. How are you ?
Me: I'm doing good. How are you?
VO: Good. Please pass me your documents *read essential bundle*
Me: *passes the essntial bundle*.
VO: Are you working currently?
Me: No Sir.
VO: What did you do for 1 year then?
Me: I was planning and preparing for my Master's studies as the course can be intimidating.
VO: *retains the essential bundle* All right, your VISA is good to go. Have a nice day*gives me a ligh green-colored card, which reads 'your visa has been approved' and lists a few contact numbers and instructions*
Me: Thank you sir!
Other tips:
Closest metro-station – Race course
Auto Fare from embassy to metro station: Rs 30 – 40. Don't take the rickshaw right outside the embassy; they overcharge
Coming back, Days in Mumbai have been going
by pretty quick. I got my compulsory MMR immunization done in Thane, visited
college, went to South Mumbai and did a 1-day trip to Shirdi. I have also joined a
close-by gym for 20 days to continue my fitness-training during this period.
This has also helped me ward off the laziness bug which generally buzzes around
during vacations. Btw the Mumbai rains got the city wet a little early this
time. It’s still early June and the characteristic continuous showers have the
city brimming with its beautiful greens...At the same time the scene on the
roads has been quite opposite; the frequent jams, knee-deep waters and the
water-seepage in the house have been quite a nuisance. Though, the one who makes
peace with these things truly personifies the buoyant spirit of Mumbai.
Done with my flight ticket to the US
already, I am totally looking ahead to August. However there’s still much to
look forward to in Mumbai for now. A small 1-day trip with friends is on the
agenda and loads of guitaring and drumming (Band Hero) are also lined up with
my Brother-in-Law. Down with a horrible throat pain and cold right now, I’m looking
forward to recovering quickly so that I can get on with all the things that I
have planned.
My next update would be there once I am done with my
vacations and back in Lucknow .
Though an interesting update would come only by the end of July, as that month
I would be planning to visit Guruji in Shimla for a few days. That would be an
awesome experience and something worth writing about! Newys, ‘be back soon with
more to tell!
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