August 2009 VSC Filers

[Justine+David 218]

yes, please share! I need stuff to read to distract me for the next day and a half!

Did you get your SSN yet?

[Carolina+James 1]

No word from SSA office yet. I will wait those 4 (!) weeks.

This is the story of my TOURIST VISA as I wrote for my guildmates. Guildmates are people that play an online game with me, World of Warcraft. I posted this there because by playing this game that I met James. Oh and when I say "flame wreath" there, its a thing about the game, a moment when you have to pay a lot of attention to not hurt your character or anyone else's.

Here it goes the loooong storytelling version of my tourist visa adventure!

... ... ... ...

So, after 4 months waiting, there I am at the airport on the neighbor town. Just had to cross the river on a ferry boat full of CO2 in the air and noise.

Small airport... though I have never been to another one then that. My father knowns the taxi drivers, the crew that prepares the planes. The hall is empty, as if I'm the only one there to travel. The huge clock with the saying "have you hugged someone today?" should be banned, -forever-.

We do the check in and I'm happy my father decided to be crazy enough to make me company. Or, maybe... not crazy to let me go alone to São Paulo. I check all the documents again, just in case. In 4 months I had to gather enough to prove many things about my past and present. Don't want to miss anything.

The plane lands... "oh big plane!" Nah. It is not a 747... it's a... I don't know what it is, a small plane to travel inside the country, but I am a total noob to this thing. The airplane stops right at the windows we are facing and we walk inside. I'm all happy I got a window seat.

The plane moves slowlly, and I'm all disapointed wondering how that thing will fly if it doesn't get enough speed to take off. Many messages from the crew, the invisible captain, the president of the company on a video that shows the different models of airplanes (that look all the same to me). So, finally, it is said "Crew, take off authorized", something like that, and I shut up about the thing beign slow. Totally mesmerized by the clouds during the sunset, and then I get interrupted by snack time, nice food. 40 minutes later we are landing, passing thru thick clouds and fog.

And then, the airport is huge. Many, many people, many, many taxi drivers. We take one to the hotel, and once we open the room's door my father rushes in to see if they have internet connection -- see, he worries about WoW on his own way. Very sweet of him, get's all happy when he finally sees I made it to make the game work on my laptop there "Cool, that one you play at home". 10 minutes later he is napping while the TV shows some boring soccer game. So I stay there on our guild The Eye run, my feet cold because I only brought the fancy shoes for the next day. I ask everyone to wish me luck, and you guys do, even not knowing what it was about.

In the morning my Garfiled instincts start to call me baddly. I wanna nail every wall I can not to have to go... scared and nervous. Not going to the vet though. Strething out of the bed, it is still dark outside. I make a huge effort to try to put a light makeup on, check the hair... go down to have some coffee and eat a nice watermellon slice. Can't really eat more then that.

It's nice to see the bigger city in my contry during the day... everything is so much faster then here in my little town. The radio makes fun of politics and I try to watch the driver's GPS at the same time... never seen one! "It's like he it playing GTA.. oh damn I hope not!".

We finally arrive at the U.S. Consulate of São Paulo. It's 7:15 and a very long line is already there. Maybe 150 people? Everyone full of documents, doubts... My father steps aside, he can't enter and is gonna wait me at the gate, for who knows how many hours. Inside, we are lined up and a lady checks our documents, photos. Clips them together in order, organizes the line again, paints in yellow the lines people left blank. No problems on my forms... I obsessivelly made everything as right as possible at home. Twice.

I finally pass by the guards. They scan my lil document folder and myself, but just the guys are scanned with more proper care. Finally inside, I make my way to this big covered area that looks like a bus station, with around 200~, probably more, people. Another line *yay*. This time I get a password... the guy who checks my documents before giving it to me reads the last line of the first form... makes a mysterious expression to it.

Oooook now I need to sit down. I hold my lil number. Blue benches, 3 password screens. First, I'll be called to give my forms to some officer. Then they'll take my finger prints. Then, I'll be interviewed. Why so nervous you might ask... well... my chances to get what I want are very low... and few. I didn't lie on the forms.

The process so far took 2 hours. Another hour on that wierd place... not much though... many people that were ahead of me weren't called yet. My number is close on the interview screen, so I get up and walk there, check if the green coat I got lent from my sister is alright, put the hair together, let it loose again, and already forgot those shoes from my mother hurt my toe. I take a deep breath and face the consulate who calls me in a few seconds.

American portuguese... funny! Ok I didn't find funny AT ALL right then... but it can be. Hard to understand too, made him repeat himself a few times. Not an easy interview... he pressed me... "What are you gonna do there? Why? When?", and then he started acusing me to see my reactions "You never coming back, right?" "Oh I see you will marry this guy and never come back" "This is wierd, don't think you'll come back". My answers... well... "No Sir, No Sir, Sir, Sir Sir".... I told him the truth, many times. I will come back to Brazil. I am going as a tourist. I will not work. I will not move during flame wreath. Yes, I will come back. Yes, he is gonna let me in his house for the duration. No, I will not marry him, sir... or are you suggesting something, huh, huh? --> wish I could say that! Proved my intentions to come back, showed I am graduationg and I need to take my practice license once I come back in February.

So, he got confused, Im no typical tourist. He corrected my spelling of "Warcraft", which was... lol? So yes, I am "going to stay over at my friend's house, which I met on warcráfiti". He called a meanie looking guy, older then him. Turned off the sound (and yeah in the meanwhile those 200 people were behind me, all nervous, probably paying attention). The older guy heard... shrug... shrug... nod... shaked head as a no... the one doing the interview came back. More quesitons. I showed him documents... of my father who will pay for the trip... of James who will addopt me for those months. He took a deep breath and asked me on an almost challenging tone: "And what languages do you talk?". I got all happy and said "oh I talk english". He then made a "ahá!" expression and started talking in english, fast: "Ok then, let's talk in english now! Mooooore questions, 50 points and you lose it all if you miss one! Háhá!" (not exactly that... but you get the meaning).

I just smiled at that, since I really talk in english, I studied 5 years and 2 of raiding which helps.. erm.. WoW is educational. I answered all the questions in english and talked twice as much as I did earlier. Yay for Ventrilo that forced me to train my english. He got more quiet... typed a few stuff on his computer... organized my ton of paper saying to himself "This is a wierd case....". Gave it to me and I was already "oh damn", but then he said, fast and in portuguese: "Aright, your VISA was accepted".

*Happy*

How do I walk again? Oh yeah legs.... I have legs... ouch the shoe >.>

SOOOO I ever so happilly went floating to the booth where I would pay for the sending of the passport. I didn't believe I got it. Totally anestesiated... however I write that... so I floated to the outside, wanting to jump a bit. There was my dad... he got all proud I made it alive. We took a happy taxi to happy airport, back to happy town, with happy flight snacks, another happy taxi, happy ferry boat with air full of happy stuff and happy sounds. Oh I got M&Ms too.

Today I got my passport, and there it is the happy truth: I'm going! I'll be in your base, stealing all your berries, soon, in December 15th. =)

Edited March 9, 2010 by Carolina+James

[Kevbev09 1]

HAHA, that is great Carolina. You are a really good story teller. (And yes as a WoWer I totally understood the flame wreath reference. Is it so hard to STAND STILL and not move? There's always someone who HAS to move for some reason and then boom.. raid dead. GRRR) lol

Oh and the squirrels.. hehe.. we don't consider them really harmful in Canada, they are mostly just pests. There's a cherry tree in my back yard and once the cherries are ripe, the birds and squirrels will have the entire tree picked clean in like 2 days, but it makes a horrible mess. Plus they are noisy and will "chatter" at you if you get in their way. And if you see one in the road.. don't expect it to get out of the way, they're too stupid and can never decide which way to run.. so a lot of them die to cars. Otherwise yes they're cute and fun to watch, they like to chase each other and climb everything in sight.

Justine.. good luck with David's interview tomorrow!

I still don't have a date...

[Justine+David 218]

I played WoW with my ex for a few months and liked it but it is such a time sucker! And yes, great story Carolina!

KevBev, are the interviews in Canada still backlogged? What's the average wait these days?

It's been 3.5 hours since David's interview started...I wanna know what happened!! trying to distract myself...funny, I've felt so patient all this time like waiting for NOA2 and waiting for an interview date (longest gaps) but now I'm super impatient and it'll only be a few hours!

[Carolina+James 1]

WoW is a time sucker indeed! What still makes me play a bit is the friends we have there, and, well, I can't work yet, so I need something to distract myself other then cleaning our small home and smashing our cat

Well... if this helps in any on distracting you... click and play until the last part! It's sickly cute.

http://armorgames.com/play/5379/sushi-cat

And breeeeeeathe!

[Justine+David 218]

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

[Carolina+James 1]

Congrats you two!!!

:dance:

[Kevbev09 1]

WOoot... grats guys!

I wouldn't say they're backlogged per se.. says right on packet 3 that it will be 4 to 6 months before an interview takes place, so far as I've seen it's been closer to 4 than 6. At any rate 4 months would get me a June interview and that's what I'm hoping for now.

Edit: Geez, over 3 months til POE? How can you stand it...

Edited March 11, 2010 by Kevbev09

[Kevbev09 1]

Totally off topic.. I'm never going to show that game to either Kevin or my cat, they would BOTH freak out LOL. He loves sushi.. she loves fish, but he will NOT let her eat sushi. heheh...

[Justine+David 218]

Edit: Geez, over 3 months til POE? How can you stand it...

Heh, we see each other fairly often and live like paupers in between to afford it...I'm seeing him next week and his parents are giving us an engagement type party since most of his relatives won't be able to make it for the wedding. I'll see him again in April and then he'll be coming in June...but yeah that 2 month stretch will suck! But then I get to have him forever

[Carolina+James 1]

Totally off topic.. I'm never going to show that game to either Kevin or my cat, they would BOTH freak out LOL. He loves sushi.. she loves fish, but he will NOT let her eat sushi. heheh...

Haha it's freaky cute, isn't it?

My new cat is still not in love with me... only goes to James' lap and pillow... so much hard work ahead of me!

Heh, we see each other fairly often and live like paupers in between to afford it...I'm seeing him next week and his parents are giving us an engagement type party since most of his relatives won't be able to make it for the wedding. I'll see him again in April and then he'll be coming in June...but yeah that 2 month stretch will suck! But then I get to have him forever

I'm glad you guys have a way to do that! And now the wait should be less stressful, since it is sure he is coming to stay forever with you

[connyk 0]

Congratulations Justine!!! Finally!! I'm happy for you guys

[Justine+David 218]

APPROVED

ajbe1986 Alessandro P B&C cappucino boy Carolina+James connyk dvit hawkeyesk Justine+David KimberlyandMark MalolostoUSA momov31 Nataly09 Piccolacarina pop&beys rogue320 SabrinaFrance The_Sage1 thongd4me VJnCaramel

Pending

bluenoser77-Interview 03/25/10

honey_bear-Interview 12/01/09 (no other info)

Josie!-Interview 01/20/10 (no other info)

Kevbev09-P3 logged 02/03/10

slider100- Interview 03/30/10

yoyoma-Received NOA2 01/27/10

Hang in there!!

bridgetandalen-AP (interview 12/14/09)

tany1157-Denied 01/05/10

irnmtn25-AP (interview 12/21/09)

...

CONGRATS MOMOV!!! (her fiance was previously denied, they got a second interview and now are approved! Check out her story here; she fought like a tiger!)

[Justine+David 218]

Oops, forgot to take out the quotes...

thanks conny! They didn't ask him to pay for his visa though so I'm assuming he'll have to do that...lol.

In other news...I don't know if you guys have heard of the member estadia (now listed as "sara...") who waited two years for NOA2 and finally got the interview and was put into AP last November despite their case being straightforward with the only red flag being that he was Indian and had a previous divorce...well, it looks like they are throwing in the towel. That hurts me so much that they fought so hard for so long and are not going to be together.

I am so happy that most of our group of August VSC filers have made it through and I'm saying extra prayers for the folks with upcoming interviews and our three in AP/denial...I can't fathom the heartache that those three are going through and what Sara must be going through. This system NEEDS to be changed.

[Carolina+James 1]

Oops, forgot to take out the quotes...

thanks conny! They didn't ask him to pay for his visa though so I'm assuming he'll have to do that...lol.

In other news...I don't know if you guys have heard of the member estadia (now listed as "sara...") who waited two years for NOA2 and finally got the interview and was put into AP last November despite their case being straightforward with the only red flag being that he was Indian and had a previous divorce...well, it looks like they are throwing in the towel. That hurts me so much that they fought so hard for so long and are not going to be together.

I am so happy that most of our group of August VSC filers have made it through and I'm saying extra prayers for the folks with upcoming interviews and our three in AP/denial...I can't fathom the heartache that those three are going through and what Sara must be going through. This system NEEDS to be changed.

Sad to hear about that case... wish they had at least given them their result earlier, so they could have gone on alternatives. Cheering for all of you still far away from your loved ones!