加拿大欧塔瓦F1签证经历 F1 Interview Experience at Ottawa Canada
5390
Dramatis Personae:
Self: Chinese, ~25 years old, 1st year Mathematics Ph.D. Student.
Fredrik Aadland: ~ 28 years old, 4th year Mathematics Ph.D. Student; roommate of Self.
Mike: Canadian Border Officer, non-Jewish white male, ~35 years old, handsome.
Lisa: American Visa Interviewer, non-Jewish white female, ~40 yeras old, agreeable, and looks like she has a B.A. Sociology in college.
Prologue: List of Materials Prepared
A collection of documents are displayed.
[The following was not needed at anytime during the process.]
Scene I. At the Canadian Land Border at Thousands Islands
14:38, 9 May. A speed limit sign 5 Miles Per Hour is displayed. Slightly after is a STOP sign.
The speed limit sign turns into 80 KM / Hour. The STOP Sign turns into a sign stating "METRIC CONVERSION: 50 Miles = 80 KM." Self is amused at the appearance of KM and starts calculating ratios in his head. If 80KM equals 50 Miles, then 100 KM equals how many miles exactly?
5 mintues later, Self suddenly realises that his phone no longer has Internet data. How is one supposed to drive without GPS Navigation nowadays?
[Self panics.]
[End of Scene.]
Scene II. Outside the American Embassy
9:05 AM, 10 May. The sign in the background states "No Phones Allowed."
Self has of course purchased a Canadian SIM card by now.
There is a line of 25 people outside of the embassy. More than half appear to be African. The rest appear to be from India, Parkistan, Mexico, or the Phillipines. Two appear to come from Mainland China. The security guards are black. There is not a single white person in sight. In fact, there is no light-skinned African person, either.
One gal seems to be a 28-year-old financial analyst, perhaps from Chongqing, China. One can believe that she successfully landed her job in 2020, after a master in Finance. Her height is around 155cm and she is shy and timid. One would imagine that she has a XHS account with user name "MOMO" and does not post anything on it, except comments and likes. She does not have a boyfriend and typically does not worry about it, except whenever she talks with her parents via WeChat videocall. She is a friendly person and is well-liked by both classmates and colleagues.
One guy seems to be a 30-year-old postdoc from working in a molecular biology lab who is not passionate about his research. He wears a moustache, is about 172cm in height, and seems to come from Tianjing. One would imagine that he lives a simple life, does not socialise in person much, and enjoys playing videogames when he is free. He does not, however, have much free time. He hopes that he does not get checked, but he is not optimistic.
Of the crowd, the most sexually attractive person is a tall, confident-looking male. He is about 28 years old. One would imagine that he is from Congo. After a M.A. in Education Technology in upstate New York, he joined the United Nations in NYC as a web developer. He has around 3 years of experience working there and has obtained an H1B visa. He wears a t-shirt, the one that many coders have; but unlike the typical coders from India and China that you meet, the t-shirt actually fits well on him. (Did he have it custom-made?) He flew in from Newark to Ottawa, and plans to visit his parents in Congo after obtaining the visa.
The atomsphere is rather relaxed. Most people are using their phones. Self thought that phones were not alllowed and instead reads Death of a Saleman. Unfortunately, the story is not uplifting in any way. Self is surprised to find out that the story is about someone dying.
[For 30 minutes, nobody says anything and the line does not shortern.]
[The line starts coming. People go through half-hearted security checks.]
[End of Scene.]
Scene III. Inside the American Embassy
The sign in the background contains instructions on doing finger prints. Left hand 4 fingers, right hand 4 fingers, and finally 2 thumbs.
The room is crowded and the line is long and serpentine. The people are visibly more nervous now.
Everybody's phone has been stored away through entrance. Nobody wears any watches and there is no clock in the room. People grow more and more exhausted and restless at time goes by.
[45 minutes of silence where the line slowly progresses one by one.]
[Self tries to read Death of a Salesman. It is a sad story.]
[Eventually, it is the Self's turn and Lisa gestures to Self to come forward.]
Epilogue. WhatsApp Chat History Between Self and Fredrik
[5/10/24, 02:38:27] Fredrik Aadland: Good luck tomorrow!!
[5/10/24, 02:38:34] Fredrik Aadland: No wittyness
[5/10/24, 02:38:39] Fredrik Aadland: All obedience
[5/10/24, 08:14:06] Self: Thank you
[5/10/24, 08:14:11] Self: Good advice
[5/10/24, 08:14:16] Self: You’re a mature man
[5/10/24, 11:21:31] Self: Sorry but I ended up joking w the visa interviewer anyway
[5/10/24, 11:21:34] Self: Couldn’t help it
[5/10/24, 11:21:40] Self: I’m too much of a joker
[5/10/24, 12:39:12] Fredrik Aadland: Hahah
[5/10/24, 12:39:14] Fredrik Aadland: How did it go?
[5/10/24, 12:59:01] Self: That lady got really amused
[5/10/24, 12:59:06] Self: It’s a tense room
[5/10/24, 12:59:24] Self: And her laughter was the first time anyone laughed in that whole morning
[5/10/24, 14:51:26] Fredrik Aadland: Did you get a new visa?
[5/10/24, 15:22:36] Self: Yes
[5/10/24, 15:26:06] Fredrik Aadland: Congrats!
[5/10/24, 15:26:09] Fredrik Aadland: No deportation
[5/10/24, 15:29:06] Self: Bruv.
Self: Chinese, ~25 years old, 1st year Mathematics Ph.D. Student.
Fredrik Aadland: ~ 28 years old, 4th year Mathematics Ph.D. Student; roommate of Self.
Mike: Canadian Border Officer, non-Jewish white male, ~35 years old, handsome.
Lisa: American Visa Interviewer, non-Jewish white female, ~40 yeras old, agreeable, and looks like she has a B.A. Sociology in college.
Prologue: List of Materials Prepared
A collection of documents are displayed.
- I20
- Interview Instructions
- DS160
- Graduate School Transcript
- Graduate School email of admission
- Passport Photos taken at USPS
- Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman
[The following was not needed at anytime during the process.]
- Undergraduate Transcript
- Undergraduate Student ID
- Bank Statement
- Expired I94
- CV of Self
- A preprint of a paper written by Self and co-authors
- CVs of co-authors
Scene I. At the Canadian Land Border at Thousands Islands
14:38, 9 May. A speed limit sign 5 Miles Per Hour is displayed. Slightly after is a STOP sign.
- [Self pulls over at the booth. In the car, the song 富士山下 is playing at volume 4 out of 15. Self hands in passport & I20.]
- Self. Good morning, Sir. How are you?
- Mike. Good. Good. How are you?
- Self. I'm doing great.
- Apple Car Play. ...傷口應已結疤/風翻開了心內墳場才害怕...
- Mike. What is the purpose of your trip?
- Self. I am here to do American visa interview... I will also be meeting a friend from UOttawa along the way. I will drive through Montreal on my way back.
- Mike. You're here to do student visa interview? Where do you study?
- Self. Stephens-Hudson Institute of Technology, also known as "SHIT."
- Mike. Can you show me some documents proving that?
- [Self shuffles around his documents. At last, finds Student ID at the back of his phone case. Hands in Transcript and Admission Email.]
- Apple Car Play. ...為何為好事淚流/誰能憑愛意...
- Mike. How long do you intend to stay in Canada?
- Self. A week...? Depends on how fast they process it. I heard that usually it takes a week, in most cases, but some people get stuck...
- [Mike closes the window and talks through the his mic, otherwise known as "Mike's Mic."]
- Apple Car Play. ...我絕不罕有 往街里繞過一晝 / 我便化污有...
- [Self smiles at Mike, but becomes nervous, and could not maintain the smile.]
- [30 seconds Pause.]
- [Self starts regretting the mentioning of getting stuck.]
- Apple Car Play. The dramatic opening of 浮誇.
- [Self becomes conscious of the music.]
- Apple Car Play. ...有人問我/我就會講/但是-
- [Self finally turns off the music. Self does not know where to look at.]
- [60 seconds Pause. Finally, Mike opens the window of his booth.]
- Mike. Alright. Where will you be staying in Ottawa? If we can have an address on file, I think we will be satsified here.
- Self. Sure. Sure. [Looks through his files and finds the address.] I will be staying at Andaz Ottawa Byward Market, A Concept By Hyatt.
- Mike. Do you have the street number?
- Self. Oooo yeah. 325 Dah-House Street. Dah Horsy? D-A-L-H-O-U-S-I-E.
- [Mike types in his computer.]
- Mike. What do you have in your car?
- Self. Clothes, pants, my computers, an iPad.
- Mike. Do you have any firearms, tabaccos, drugs, weapons on you?
- Self. No.
- Mike. Do you have anything that you intend to leave behind in Canada?
- Self. (Ponders)..... Mhmmm... No.
- Mike. Alright, Sir, you're all set. Have a good trip.
- Self. Thank you. Have a great day. Drives the car off.
The speed limit sign turns into 80 KM / Hour. The STOP Sign turns into a sign stating "METRIC CONVERSION: 50 Miles = 80 KM." Self is amused at the appearance of KM and starts calculating ratios in his head. If 80KM equals 50 Miles, then 100 KM equals how many miles exactly?
5 mintues later, Self suddenly realises that his phone no longer has Internet data. How is one supposed to drive without GPS Navigation nowadays?
[Self panics.]
[End of Scene.]
Scene II. Outside the American Embassy
9:05 AM, 10 May. The sign in the background states "No Phones Allowed."
Self has of course purchased a Canadian SIM card by now.
There is a line of 25 people outside of the embassy. More than half appear to be African. The rest appear to be from India, Parkistan, Mexico, or the Phillipines. Two appear to come from Mainland China. The security guards are black. There is not a single white person in sight. In fact, there is no light-skinned African person, either.
One gal seems to be a 28-year-old financial analyst, perhaps from Chongqing, China. One can believe that she successfully landed her job in 2020, after a master in Finance. Her height is around 155cm and she is shy and timid. One would imagine that she has a XHS account with user name "MOMO" and does not post anything on it, except comments and likes. She does not have a boyfriend and typically does not worry about it, except whenever she talks with her parents via WeChat videocall. She is a friendly person and is well-liked by both classmates and colleagues.
One guy seems to be a 30-year-old postdoc from working in a molecular biology lab who is not passionate about his research. He wears a moustache, is about 172cm in height, and seems to come from Tianjing. One would imagine that he lives a simple life, does not socialise in person much, and enjoys playing videogames when he is free. He does not, however, have much free time. He hopes that he does not get checked, but he is not optimistic.
Of the crowd, the most sexually attractive person is a tall, confident-looking male. He is about 28 years old. One would imagine that he is from Congo. After a M.A. in Education Technology in upstate New York, he joined the United Nations in NYC as a web developer. He has around 3 years of experience working there and has obtained an H1B visa. He wears a t-shirt, the one that many coders have; but unlike the typical coders from India and China that you meet, the t-shirt actually fits well on him. (Did he have it custom-made?) He flew in from Newark to Ottawa, and plans to visit his parents in Congo after obtaining the visa.
The atomsphere is rather relaxed. Most people are using their phones. Self thought that phones were not alllowed and instead reads Death of a Saleman. Unfortunately, the story is not uplifting in any way. Self is surprised to find out that the story is about someone dying.
[For 30 minutes, nobody says anything and the line does not shortern.]
- Security Guards. Everybody come in.
[The line starts coming. People go through half-hearted security checks.]
[End of Scene.]
Scene III. Inside the American Embassy
The sign in the background contains instructions on doing finger prints. Left hand 4 fingers, right hand 4 fingers, and finally 2 thumbs.
The room is crowded and the line is long and serpentine. The people are visibly more nervous now.
Everybody's phone has been stored away through entrance. Nobody wears any watches and there is no clock in the room. People grow more and more exhausted and restless at time goes by.
[45 minutes of silence where the line slowly progresses one by one.]
[Self tries to read Death of a Salesman. It is a sad story.]
[Eventually, it is the Self's turn and Lisa gestures to Self to come forward.]
- Self. (Nervous, and therefore slightly over-enthusiastic) Good morning! How are you doing?
- Lisa. It's going well. Thanks. How are you doing?
- Self. I am doing fine. Thanks.... I am here to renew my F1 visa. I am a first year student in pure mathematics studying at SHIT.
- [Lisa hears it, but does not catch the meaning.]
- Lisa. Soooo... So you are here to apply an F1 visa?
- Self. To renew, yes. My undergraduate visa started five years ago and is ending next month.
- Lisa. I understand. What do you study?
- Self. I study pure maths.
- Lisa. Is this degree an undergraduate or graduate level?
- Self. I am a first year PhD student.
- Lisa. I see. What area of Maths?
- Self. I do Geometric Langlands, Geometric Represntation Theory and Algebraic Geometry.
- Lisa. (Confused but cheerful) Ok. I totally understood that. I will just write whatever I heard down here..
- Self. (Smiling.). Sounds good.
- [Lisa types "geometry and algebra" into computer.]
- Lisa. What is the source of your funding?
- Self. (Gloomily.) I have to teach Calculus.
- Lisa. Funded by the school? ... SHIT pays you?
- Self. Yes. The biology professors they do real science and get grants everywhere. Mathematicians are so useless that nobody wants to give our professors money, ...
- [Upon hearing "useless" Lisa bursts out to loud and genuine laughters. One notices that this is the first time anybody laughs at all in the whole morning.]
- Self. ...so we have to teach calculus... Service courses. My students uniformly hate Maths.
- Lisa. Hahahahaha. I completely relate to that. Hahahahaha. Can I have your finger prints?
- [Self complies]
- Lisa. ...Perfect. Are you missing any school right now? Is school in schedule?
- Self. It's the finals week. I'm done with my classes but my friends are still suffering.
- Lisa. (Once again amused.) HAHAHA. Alright. I am putting your passport aside for expedited processing because I don't want you to miss any of that. I want to make sure that they get it back to you by next week. Your visa is approved.
- Self. Thanks - Have a nice day!
Epilogue. WhatsApp Chat History Between Self and Fredrik
[5/10/24, 02:38:27] Fredrik Aadland: Good luck tomorrow!!
[5/10/24, 02:38:34] Fredrik Aadland: No wittyness
[5/10/24, 02:38:39] Fredrik Aadland: All obedience
[5/10/24, 08:14:06] Self: Thank you
[5/10/24, 08:14:11] Self: Good advice
[5/10/24, 08:14:16] Self: You’re a mature man
[5/10/24, 11:21:31] Self: Sorry but I ended up joking w the visa interviewer anyway
[5/10/24, 11:21:34] Self: Couldn’t help it
[5/10/24, 11:21:40] Self: I’m too much of a joker
[5/10/24, 12:39:12] Fredrik Aadland: Hahah
[5/10/24, 12:39:14] Fredrik Aadland: How did it go?
[5/10/24, 12:59:01] Self: That lady got really amused
[5/10/24, 12:59:06] Self: It’s a tense room
[5/10/24, 12:59:24] Self: And her laughter was the first time anyone laughed in that whole morning
[5/10/24, 14:51:26] Fredrik Aadland: Did you get a new visa?
[5/10/24, 15:22:36] Self: Yes
[5/10/24, 15:26:06] Fredrik Aadland: Congrats!
[5/10/24, 15:26:09] Fredrik Aadland: No deportation
[5/10/24, 15:29:06] Self: Bruv.
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