My new years resolution was: none. I was offline.

On December 28., I had to travel to Frankfurt to apply for a U.S. Visa for my visit to UC Berkeley. This consisted of about one hour standing in lines (despite having an appointment), going through an overdose of security (don’t put on your belt in this room, but walk over to the next building first) that the U.S. citizens also waiting in the queue considered as harassment.

After having my forms checked swiftly and my photograph being captured using a webcam (did I already mention that I couldn’t fill out the form completely using the eforms page - apart from only one being online - because when I tried to tick “no” at the question “have you had a U.S. visa revoked”, “yes” would come on…) I had to stand in line again for the famous “interview”.

If I remember correctly, the visa interview consisted of three questions:

  • Where are you going to? - UC Berkeley
  • What are you doing there? - Research student
  • Do you have a return envelope? - Here you are

Whoa, I believe they could have done that at the entrance already without me going through all these queues…

I spent the following days with different friends of mine I’m going to miss while I’m in the U.S., with a final visit to my niece aged two months and my little sister. My niece has said her first word (although it probably was not intentional, I have to admit): Google. ;-)