The long trip to USA

 

Finally the day arrived, and, we’re going to the US! At little tired from yesterday’s going-away-party, I woke up early, packed the last stuff (a lot of things didn’t make the last cut, as I didn’t have enough suitcase-space), and cleaned my room. It took longer, than I expected so a little stressed, I went to the airport to meet up with Jonas, who is also going.

At the airport we couldn’t check in on the self-service counters because of some apparently unknown problem, and after walking between the terminals, we found the right helpdesk. The problem was, that – even though we have filled in the information a gazillion times in different forms – we have to enter information like where we will be staying in the US and so on, before we can board the plane.

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With only an hour till take-off we finally were finally checked in, and could check in our luggage (I was excused for 1 kg overweight, thank you!). The security was quickly passed, so we just had time for the mandatory Starbucks buy-and-share-a-pic coffee, before boarding the plane.

 

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Shipping off to Boston!

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Our plane trip was via Iceland, so after 3 hours’ flight, we landed in snowy Reykjavik. A little delayed we had about an hour in transit, so we just had time to buy some food (no food is included on Icelandair flights) and get online to contact the host people, we were going to live with.

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After another (long) 5,5 hours’ flight, we landed in Boston, really tired and excited. We got through the border control relatively fast and easy and got our luggage. Then we broke up, as Jonas was picked up by his host family, and I found the transit bus to the centre and could change to the “T” on a classical underground subway station.

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After a train ride and a little walk, I made it to the house, found the key under the mat, and locked myself into the apartment. I packed out in my room and set out to find something to eat for dinner. In best American style I found some pizza slices, which I brought home to eat with an episode of Family Guy (well, I should be trying to live like an American).

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To reduce the jetlag I tried to stay up as long as possible, but at 11pm (which was like 5am for me) I couldn’t stay awake anymore.

Welcome to Boston!

Visa interview

 

“You are strongly advised not to bring such items to the embassy.” Apparently that’s  the American way of saying, “You can not bring such items under any circumstances.” So I had to find somewhere near the embassy to drop off my bag with my laptop and iPad. And because I’m not the first to make the mistake of bringing a laptop to the embassy, no nearby cafés want to keep the bag for you. Fortunately Hotel Østerport were kind enough to keep the bag for me. (So if you ever need a hotel, go there!)  (If you ever go to the US Embassy do not(!) bring your laptop or tablet!)

At the embassy, I spent about an hour, most of it waiting. First I handed over my passport and official papers (confirmations, forms and such), and then I waited to be called up again.

The “interview” was two or three questions about the university and what I am doing in Denmark, and it took less than five minutes.

“Your visa has been approved.” Another big hurdle has been overcome, and I can spend christmas with one less thing to worry about. In just over three weeks, I’m leaving Denmark!

My apartment

 

Now I have also found a place to live in Boston! Not too expensive (Boston is ridiculously expensive to live in, Copenhagen is cheap compared to!) and pretty close to campus, which is really nice. I’m gonna live with four roommates, so it’s gonna feel just like home. It’s a two floor apartment, quite big, and I’m really looking forward to see it. I found it via a Facebook group – though I didn’t expect to sign a lease through Facebook, it was a really good way to find housing.

I expect to buy a bike, as it will only take me about ten minutes to bike to school, and it seems like the easiest way to get there. It’s in quiet neighborhood, so there are good possibilities for running routes to some of the green areas nearby and the river is close enough to have some runs by.

(The apartment is one block away from a Starbucks, so I know where my money will go…)

Apartment Location

Visa application jungle

 

Today I was finally able to book an interview with the US Embassy in Denmark in order to get my visa to get in to the United States. And it has been a jungle. You see, to get a visa you need to go to an interview at the American Embassy. To book an interview at the Embassy, you first have to pay the MRV fee. To pay this fee you must first fill out th DS-160 form. In this form you need to state your SEVIS number, which is on the I-20 form that is sent from the US university, where you are enrolling. But before they can even consider issuing your I-20 form, they need an original (physical!) bank statement, stating that you are able you raise the funds required to live in the country during your stay.

Oh, and by the way, if you are applying for a F-1 visa, you also need to pay the SEVIS fee before you can go to the interview at the embassy. To pay this fee, you need to fill out the online I-901 form, for which you also need the I-20 form. Confused? I was too, but I think I’m all set for the interview now.

As expected it is not easy to go to the states, and the information about the process is spread all over; the embassy website points to several different other websites and I don’t think two of the forms were on the same website. I waited a long time for the I-20 form from Boston, as I was not aware they needed a physical copy of the bank statement. I actually still haven’t seen my I-20, but an official from the university e-mailed the SEVIS number, I needed to complete the process.

In my profession I like structured data and I am especially fond of diagrams; so of course I made a digram showing the process.

US visa application process

The most time consuming part of the process was probably the DS-160 form. It is filled out online, and you need to fill out information for just about your entire life; addresses, education, family members, school officials in both Copenhagen and Boston, and 30-40 questions about whether you are a prostitute, drug dealer, terrorist, have committed genocide, and so on. When you have filled out this form (with the SEVIS number from the I-20 form), you are ready to create an online profile to pay for an interview. For this profile, you fill out most of the information again, pay the fee and then book an interview.

Because I am going to study in the US, I am Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and have to fill out yet another form (I-901) (with most of the same information (again!)) and pay the SEVIS fee. SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) apparently is a system keeping track of all my academic activities while I’m in th US.

So when I go to the interview at the embassy, I must bring confirmation of my filled out DS-160 form, my I-20 form,  proof of paying the SEVIS fee, and (another) original bank statement (remember to get all official papers in at least three original copies).

I guess this is some kind of test, that you really (really) want to go to the US. Now I have spent a lot of time and 360 dollars, and I really (really!) want to go!

What to do?

 

November 26th 10:13 AM: Lots of things to do!

This is what needs to be done, before I can get on the plane and head to Boston. The arrows are tasks dependent on other tasks. Quite a lot of stuff, but now at least I have a good overview, so it will all be done.