American Dream

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Thanks to her advice, I turned everything into[ad] the zero and began again. After enrolling a college in my city for several months, besides going to school, I started to learn IELTS – English Certification required for admission in American universities[ae] during the last two months of 2016. Nobody knew my plan except Van. This score was much more important to me than anything else because I had to work part-time and earned money for this exam, this was such an expensive test, therefore, I just could do only once. My goal was composite 5.5 as a requirement from A-State for international students. It’s raining heavily and very cold on the test day, the last Monday of December 2016. I rode[af] to the test center and got ready for the test as If I’m taking the entrance exam again, but instead to go to Vietnamese colleges, [ag]this is the American college. I had done 4 skills, including speaking, reading, listening and writing, all of them went well. [ah][ai][aj]After the exam, even though I knew the result would be released after two weeks, I checked the IELTS website every day and even set it as the homepage of my browser.[ak][al] That day finally came, I was working in the restaurant. I borrowed a computer in reception table, entered the ID number, my name and then I didn’t dare to hit the Enter button. Suddenly a guy came into me and pressed it. "6.5". This score appeared 4 times on the website[am][an]. This meant that I got 6.5 for each skill. “What am I looking at? Is this for real?” I hugged that guy as the closest person to me at that time and ran around the restaurant to show the result to my co-workers. They were just laughing a lot at my reaction and said the best congratulations to me. I literally couldn’t work anymore. I called Van and talked to her for around thirty minutes about my result. But, I wouldn’t decide to show it to my parents.

As a result, a sunny day in February, while having lunch at a small food stall, I got the admission letter from A-state with a scholarship letter via email. I couldn’t believe it. This time, I decided to tell my mother. There might be different reactions. She said congratulations to me and brought the scholarship letter to my father. [ao]I actually didn’t hope too much, but[ap] I just saw a pride in their eyes. "Try your best, you've deserved it, son" was all they said. [aq][ar]Afterwards, Van instructed me to complete the Visa procedure, this was such a really tough time because getting a US visa in Vietnam is much more difficult than other countries. I spent about one month for this and flew to Hanoi to have an interview with the US Embassy. [as][at][au]That destined day was exactly April, 4th, but I traveled to Hanoi 5 days before. Unlike other students, I went there on my own, alone, to travel, and get the most important ticket to enter American. I also wanted my parents to go with me like everyone else but It’s no need to do that and I just wanted to be independent, just wanted them to stay at home and wait for my best result. I’d heard many people said that US visa interview is risky and I had to prepare for the worst situation. Some of my friends had a 6th interview, but they are still at home. I was so worried about that. The first three days in Hanoi, I was traveling around the capital to relax[av][aw], trying to speak English as much as possible with tourists in my hotel every day until the interview.

I take a cab to the US Embassy. A long line of people waiting for the interview in front of my eyes. I'm very nervous[ax] and try to take a deep breath. Talking to somebody close to me, some of them want to travel to the US and meet up their acquaintances, some others want to attend their children’s graduation. It seems like only me is the student this day[ay]. Passing the security at 9 o’clock, I go to different counters to do different procedures such as fingerprints, information, etc. Standing behind the line to wait for my turn, I see a girl who failed right in front of me without any reason told, I am trying to keep calm and imagine this is a normal conversation with my teacher. The consular officer asked some questions about the reason to study in America, family backgrounds, after a while, I give him my scholarship and admission letter. Immediately he says congratulations to me, I still don’t know what is going on and ask him again because my interview is just 2 minutes last. “You are issued a US visa!”, he said. I couldn’t believe again. Merrily, I just say thank you and leave right after. I come back home for three days and the Visa printed in my passport was sent to me. My parents and Van decide to make a party [az]praising for me at home.[ba][bb] They are so proud of me but kind of sad thinking abou[bc][bd][be]t [bf]when I’m leaving them.

I was crying so much on the day I left. I just could tell that all my effort pays off already! “Never give up” becomes my life motto since then. My American dream, after a long time struggling with it, I make it come true!

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