Tales of a US Visa applicant

MARCH 2002

Ecstatic over passing the bar exams, to reward myself, I decided to visit my family and get a US visa.

Unperturbed by the horror stories of visa interview experiences by average Filipinos, I sauntered into the US embassy, chin up, even with only P4,000.00 to my name. I was confident the super human consul could see through me, an idealist that would return to my home country after a US visit. I thought my genuine idealism and loyalty would be enough.

Of course, I was denied. Of course, I was devastated.

Of course, I wanted to retaliate the worst way I could. Perhaps as a result of too many daydreams, I thought I had super powers too.

I decided that I would blacklist the only super power in the world. I would visit all the countries on Earth, except the US. (A hobbit pinching an elk would hurt nth times more than this. Duh!)

AUGUST 2005

Somehow, I decided to open my mind to the comments my family said to me after my denial. I accept. It was quite callous of me not to have prepared better evidences on why I would come back to one of the world’s happiest countries.

And so, I checked the US embassy’s website and learned everything I could about how I could convince the consul (who I found out was human like us, truly) that indeed I would prefer a sari-sari store around the corner than a Wal-Mart.

Of course, I was granted a visa. Of course, I was exhilarated!

I decided to un-blacklist the only super power in the world. (Uncle Sam is very much honored, indeed! Teehee!)

SEPTEMBER 2006

Again, I decided to apply for a visa. Again, I prepared a lot! I even prepared my soul. That meant being extra patient to the bank trainee who kept messing up my bank documentation requests. As if I could fool heaven’s point system, if there was one. Hehehe.

The wait for one’s turn to be interviewed is indescribable. Tita Puring, my 70-something fellow applicant-newfound friend, asked me to sit beside her for the wait. It felt like being a contestant for Ms. Universe. We held hands. We did not sleep well the night before. We had butterflies in our stomachs. She took some tranquilizers. I took prayer pills.

It is funny how the anticipation and mixed feelings over getting a US visa is quite a story to tell. People from developed countries would probably wonder what the brouhaha is all about. That would be another set of fascinating chronicles to narrate.

Anyway, Tita Puring and I left Roxas Boulevard that day as winners.