"Mommy I love you... " that phrase made hearts melt.. but not the following phrase that comes with it - "Thank you for buying me ice-cream."
I couldn't help but chuckle softly and turned over to my right and sure enough hubby was suppressing a grin. The little boy of about 6 or 7 was walking with his mommy one fine evening in Singapore during our Sept 2011 trip, and we happened to be within earshot of the cute exchange.
If I remember correctly, children does not really 'love' or learn to love unconditionally until they have 'matured' into an adult, at least that is what my Psychology classes taught me last time during my undergrad years. Imagine you are born and everything revolves around you from infancy right up to childhood, and you cannot help but have this self-centered mind-set and imagine the rebellion when some 'sense of responsibility' were being forced upon these self-centered individuals who had everything served right up to their hands/mouth all these while, and then we have this thing called the rebellious teens. Not a surprise why they rebel, isn't it? They have been conditioned that way, and suddenly you are changing the rules? Kinda unfair if you ask me... lol, anyway, it's part of the growing pains.
I don't know, I don't have children myself, but I do have goddaughters, two of them and I love them to bits, I know they love me as their godmother but to what extent, I am not disillusioned, they love me for the gifts I supply on a regular basis, like more than a couple of times a year. Proof? They finally verbalised it, or rather, the elder girl, when I arrived at the airport and followed her parents (my friends) to pick her up from school, the first thing she said was "Mommy Sue, where is my birthday present?", it was her birthday a couple of years back. I think as children, they quantify love to the amount/total of gifts you give them?
Anyway, she is turning 11 this year and her sister, my younger goddaughter is turning 9, and I had a glimpse of what kind of teenagers they would grow up to the last time I saw them as I slept with them my entire trip there and we had some girly chat before going to sleep.
Hmmm.... let's hope their tween (pre-teen) years are prolonged and still keep the innocence around them, they still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, thanks to their mother, my good frend Audrey who wanted to provide/preserve the sanctity of a childhood in today's harsh world. Instead of a coin, Audrey gave her girls 5 bucks for each tooth under their pillow, *salute* I didn't even have any when I was a little girl!!!
Back to conditional love, it is quite disheartening to see that some children never grew out of their infancy, i.e. adults who are self-centered and hardly make the effort to expand their view/horizon. "Of course I love you, honey, you are so beautiful".... five or ten years later, they are no more beautiful or sweet anymore and they move on.
Infidelity aside, we have people who don't treasure relationships of any kind and for them, it all boils down to "how much is she/he of use to me and what does it matter to me?" Hence with these kind of people, friendship has an 'expiry date'. When they feel that you are of no more use to them, you are considered expired friends and they cease to even make effort to be friends with you anymore.
That, my friends, is called Conditional Love. Maybe not 'LOVE', Love, maybe conditional relationship. Nope, conditional ties is more like it, relationship takes a lot of work, so they just form ties that are easy to cut off after it has run its course.
I have learned to not really care about these 'children/kidults (kid+adults) who never grew out of their infancy' and their self-centered little world over the years. Of course that is learned through many bitter and painful experiences with such people whom you thought were your 'true friends'. Oh well, good riddance I guess. I have more like-minded people whom I call friends in later part of my life and there is nothing that I would change about them!
Here's a toast to maintaining a good relationship with as little conditions as possible! Happy relationships, everyone!!!
Saturday, 17 March 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Hair Rebonding 2012
I love my hair as any woman should.
I used to have really thin straight hair as a little girl and as puberty set in, it grew thicker and instead of straight, it began to curl to waves by the time I was in my 20s.
I did my first hair rebonding in 2010, courtesy of my cousin Tyng who 'treated' me to my first hair straightening session in Nov 2010. I broke the rules for the first five days and ended up with less than satisfactory result.
WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS (minimum THREE FULL DAYS) AFTER YOUR HAIR REBONDING SESSION:
1. DO NOT TIE UP YOUR HAIR (EVEN FOR SHOWER CAPS, I didn't tie up my hair and just let it roll up a bit but loose, into the shower cap).
2. DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR, no matter how oily your scalp is, DO NOT WASH IT or else the effect won't be as nice, put the confinement ladies hair powder (or any other powder) as hair powder will make the hair less oily (popular among Chinese ladies who needed to observe the no-hair-wash for one-month rule after childbirth, seriously).
3. I think these are the top two rules, cannot recall anything else, but oh, AFTER the first five days maintenance are crucial as well, but oh well, that goes to any normal hair care, like steaming/treatment/scalp treatment, etc.
Anyway, I digress.
For 2011, I decided to have my hair rebonded for the second time. I took advantage of a RM88 opening promotion and here is the result:
Reminds you of a female ghost with long hair or the Malay will say pontianak/kuntilanak, right? lol. I blogged about it as well in June 2011 (check out my June 2011 archives) and am very satisfied with the result, and this time around, I tried very hard not to break the two rules above.
ONE BIG RULE: You are supposed to wait AT LEAST (minimum) SIX MONTHS between rebonding before you do your next rebonding, if you don't want healthy hair, go ahead and do it at a shorter interval. For naturally curly/wavy hair, there is one exception to the rule, which is to NOT do rebonding on the entire length but only on the roots, so the damage isn't as bad. Talk to your hair dresser for what suits you best. The main concern is your hair will be so damaged, it will break/fall out.
So the NUMBER ONE RULE OF POST-REBONDING MAINTENANCE IS: REGULAR TREATMENT. Regardless of what hair treatment, having some/a few is better than nothing at all, be it home treatment/daily hair serum, regular serum after hair wash, or salon treatment (varies in types and prices), do it for the sake of good strands of hair!
Now, I followed the ONE BIG RULE and waited longer than six months for my third rebonding. I did it in Feb 2012, and I really swear I plan to make it the only rebonding session for this year for the health of my hair.
This is the result (I trimmed my hair length and dyed it black 3 months before this in Nov 2011) after the rebonding:
This time around (current rate) it costs me RM158 for rebonding plus on the spot treatment. Still cheaper than most places in Klang Valley (Selangor and Kuala Lumpur).
Compare the before (in red, hair dyed light brown),
and after (in fuchsia, hair dark brown) pix:
Call it illusion or whatever, due to the hair colour which is darker, but my hair looks thicker and shinier and definitely healthier, right?
Secret? Tonnes of hair product? Not necessarily. lol Monthly salon treatment(about RM80 per month), plus daily serum and more concentrated serum on ends after each hair wash), plus scalp treatment *inclusive in salon treatment* and also hair tonic to promote hair growth (don't really stick to a regime, so I guess the salon treatment helps a lot).
MY ADVICE after years of trial and error is:
Stick to a hairdresser, go for regular hair treatments, try to stick to a regular home regime (I do miss it a few days in a week), and voila, soft silky hair. Rebonding without regular treatment will only damage your hair further and the effect isn't nice, trust me, coarse hair which is dry and always in disarray after awhile, so the rebonding effects will come to naught, so please treat your hair nice and 'invest' in some treatment!
No prizes for guessing my fav salon/spa at the moment. :) I am a regular, so just mention Sue's name for some special rates. Just say "Saya kawan Sue" even though I don't know you personally. Haha.
The map to go to Arowana Beauty Spa is on the right.
Address:
Arowana Beauty Spa
328 (Ground Floor), Jalan Negara,
Melawati Square,
Taman Melawati,
53100 Kuala Lumpur
(Behind Bank Rakyat Taman Melawati Branch),
If you're coming from the opposite direction of Bank Rakyat, then you'll see Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN/NRD) branch office first.
Call 019-2226825 or 03-41086825 for appointment.
This is not an advertorial - I wasn't paid anything, what I have gained is good service from very friendly women staff who love what they do best - to make other women look and feel good. :-)
I used to have really thin straight hair as a little girl and as puberty set in, it grew thicker and instead of straight, it began to curl to waves by the time I was in my 20s.
I did my first hair rebonding in 2010, courtesy of my cousin Tyng who 'treated' me to my first hair straightening session in Nov 2010. I broke the rules for the first five days and ended up with less than satisfactory result.
WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS (minimum THREE FULL DAYS) AFTER YOUR HAIR REBONDING SESSION:
1. DO NOT TIE UP YOUR HAIR (EVEN FOR SHOWER CAPS, I didn't tie up my hair and just let it roll up a bit but loose, into the shower cap).
2. DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR, no matter how oily your scalp is, DO NOT WASH IT or else the effect won't be as nice, put the confinement ladies hair powder (or any other powder) as hair powder will make the hair less oily (popular among Chinese ladies who needed to observe the no-hair-wash for one-month rule after childbirth, seriously).
3. I think these are the top two rules, cannot recall anything else, but oh, AFTER the first five days maintenance are crucial as well, but oh well, that goes to any normal hair care, like steaming/treatment/scalp treatment, etc.
Anyway, I digress.
For 2011, I decided to have my hair rebonded for the second time. I took advantage of a RM88 opening promotion and here is the result:
Reminds you of a female ghost with long hair or the Malay will say pontianak/kuntilanak, right? lol. I blogged about it as well in June 2011 (check out my June 2011 archives) and am very satisfied with the result, and this time around, I tried very hard not to break the two rules above.
ONE BIG RULE: You are supposed to wait AT LEAST (minimum) SIX MONTHS between rebonding before you do your next rebonding, if you don't want healthy hair, go ahead and do it at a shorter interval. For naturally curly/wavy hair, there is one exception to the rule, which is to NOT do rebonding on the entire length but only on the roots, so the damage isn't as bad. Talk to your hair dresser for what suits you best. The main concern is your hair will be so damaged, it will break/fall out.
So the NUMBER ONE RULE OF POST-REBONDING MAINTENANCE IS: REGULAR TREATMENT. Regardless of what hair treatment, having some/a few is better than nothing at all, be it home treatment/daily hair serum, regular serum after hair wash, or salon treatment (varies in types and prices), do it for the sake of good strands of hair!
Now, I followed the ONE BIG RULE and waited longer than six months for my third rebonding. I did it in Feb 2012, and I really swear I plan to make it the only rebonding session for this year for the health of my hair.
This is the result (I trimmed my hair length and dyed it black 3 months before this in Nov 2011) after the rebonding:
This time around (current rate) it costs me RM158 for rebonding plus on the spot treatment. Still cheaper than most places in Klang Valley (Selangor and Kuala Lumpur).
Compare the before (in red, hair dyed light brown),
and after (in fuchsia, hair dark brown) pix:
Call it illusion or whatever, due to the hair colour which is darker, but my hair looks thicker and shinier and definitely healthier, right?
Secret? Tonnes of hair product? Not necessarily. lol Monthly salon treatment(about RM80 per month), plus daily serum and more concentrated serum on ends after each hair wash), plus scalp treatment *inclusive in salon treatment* and also hair tonic to promote hair growth (don't really stick to a regime, so I guess the salon treatment helps a lot).
MY ADVICE after years of trial and error is:
Stick to a hairdresser, go for regular hair treatments, try to stick to a regular home regime (I do miss it a few days in a week), and voila, soft silky hair. Rebonding without regular treatment will only damage your hair further and the effect isn't nice, trust me, coarse hair which is dry and always in disarray after awhile, so the rebonding effects will come to naught, so please treat your hair nice and 'invest' in some treatment!
No prizes for guessing my fav salon/spa at the moment. :) I am a regular, so just mention Sue's name for some special rates. Just say "Saya kawan Sue" even though I don't know you personally. Haha.
The map to go to Arowana Beauty Spa is on the right.
Address:
Arowana Beauty Spa
328 (Ground Floor), Jalan Negara,
Melawati Square,
Taman Melawati,
53100 Kuala Lumpur
(Behind Bank Rakyat Taman Melawati Branch),
If you're coming from the opposite direction of Bank Rakyat, then you'll see Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN/NRD) branch office first.
Call 019-2226825 or 03-41086825 for appointment.
This is not an advertorial - I wasn't paid anything, what I have gained is good service from very friendly women staff who love what they do best - to make other women look and feel good. :-)
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
US VISA INTERVIEW - SHARING MY EXPERIENCE (2012)
Hubby asked me to join him this time round for a work trip to the United States of America (US), and having given it a miss last year (2011) when he went alone without me, I jumped at the offer and started planning our trip, etc, etc.. and the inevitable has to be done - the US Visa for Malaysians.
I checked out the website and found that I needed a soft copy of my visa photo (as well as the hard copy), hence I paused filling up the online form and went for my photoshoot, I look horrid in the photo but oh well, it is only the visa, better I look horrid in person than beautiful in photo but horrid in person, right? (self-consolation). Please ensure the background is white and it is 2" by 2" (please check for exact measurement of photo).
This website is quite comprehensive, it is their official website so it'd better be! http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/niv.html
Just follow the instructions (there are MANY) and you should be fine.
After the photo (and get the soft copy of the hard copy as well!), upload your photo (it should be resized to the correct dimension) and you shall get another form receipt, two pages to proof you have submitted the DS-160 form, there is NO NEED to print out your entire application form unless for own safekeeping.
That ends the preliminary steps.
Next, let's talk about money. The cheapest visa are the usual tourist/business (including for reporters) which costs RM448 - payable only at Standard Chartered Banks (any branch). Get the visa deposit form, fill it up, and REMEMBER your passport number or bring your passport with you as you need to fill up your passport number when you pay. I made the MISTAKE of not taking note of my passport number and needed to visit Standard Chartered twice. Don't repeat mistake! KEEP THE RECEIPT!!! You need it when you go back online and during the interview, so keep the receipt safe and with you at all times!
SETTING AN APPOINTMENT
Upon payment, there is no set window period, but just don't wait too long ya? I waited till CNY was over before I set my interview (and I submitted my DS-160 form online on Jan 17, my interview was on Feb 21, just because I chose to). One month is okay, I think. Did not read anywhere if there is a time limit to submit - pay - set interview - and finally attend interview.
Go to : www.ustraveldocs.com/my
Log in, set up an account first, of course, it is NOT linked directly to the DS-160 form that you submitted online, I entered my name as Sue Tiong an it was accepted even though it isn't my full name, I guess for interview setting it isn't too important as the application form?
You need to enter the receipt number, should SHOULD NOT include your passport number - the less-than-intelligent bank teller whom I ask said it is all the digits all the way including my passport number - NOT!!! And that effiminate (soft) guy of the bank teller dare to scoff at me as if I should not be asking that question. If you don't know, say so, and don't give wrong information!
Upon inserting the receipt number, you should be able to open the page where you may select your preferred choice from the many slots/dates for interview. In Malaysia, there is only one place for the interview regardless of where you are in Malaysia, you need to travel to Kuala Lumpur at the US EMBASSY at Jalan Tun Razak for the interview and it is only on weekday mornings. I chose a Tuesday, 10am interview as it is the 'latest' time slot (scared of traffic jam during morning rush hour). Then all you have to do is to wait patiently for your interview day to arrive.
ON THE DAY OF INTERVIEW
On interview day, it goes without saying you need all the documents ready the night before, and preferably with a good night's sleep, and you should arrive at least 20 minutes before your interview time.
Take a taxi straight to the door steps, or if you don't mind 10 minutes of walking, take the Kelana Jaya line up to Ampang Park and exit and walk all the way towards the white PNB building, just walk on the opposite site, you should pass all the car showrooms, Micasa Hotel and Suites and the See Hoy Chan building before you arrive at the Embassy, you cannot miss it, with its grey concrete walls that gives you no view of what transpired inside.
I don't opt for public transportation, hence I contributed to the thinning ozone layer by driving and parked some 7-min-walk away from the embassy at RM4 per entry open space parking lot, or we Malaysians say, open-spaced carpark. The nearer you park, the more expensive the parking fees are, but it won't go more than RM10 maximum, depending on where you park. Had to double park and surrender the keys to the Indian guy, and I don't really mind as my car is already 13 years old, and bears many 'battle' scars, hence off I paid RM4 and surrendered the keys (with a proper number stub to reclaim the keys later), and off I walked towards the embassy.
I told you my hubby went to the US the year before right? Since it is only a one-off-thing for the next 10 years, he forgot most details about the visa application process despite it being not even exactly a year since it passed. Okay, human memories fail us sometimes. Hence, to NOT repeat the same mistake of forgetting, lest you become not-so-much-of-a-help to future friends or family members who needed to apply for a US visa, I am writing this blog post, so that it will come in handy, if not my personal social circle, if it shows up in a google search for Malaysians who are looking for more info to apply for a US visa, I hope this blogpost will be of some help!
BE PREPARED TO PHYSICALLY WAIT (and go to the toilet before starting your wait)
The rule of thumb is you should arrive 20 minutes earlier, and you should also be prepared to wait in line (with some benches over a 50m or less stretch) for about an hour. My wait time OUTSIDE the gates was about ONE HOUR and 40 minutes. Arrived at about 9.40am in front of the gates, got into the Q, found a seat, by the time I was called inside and got a number, it was 11.32am, embassy clock. My interview was set at 10am. Since at 9.50am, even those whose interview was set at 8.50am hadn't been called in yet, I walked away for some seven minutes to locate a 'safe' toilet. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO visit the washroom before reporting to the front gate of the embassy as you never know how long you need to wait outside (there are washrooms INSIDE in the waiting area but we were stuck outside for so long).
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR DOCUMENTS
You will need to provide ANOTHER form of photo identification BESIDES YOUR PASSPORT, such as driver's license or your identification card for Malaysians OR a photocopy of your passport if you are non-Malaysian, for you to exchange for a pass to enter the embassy grounds, they will clip your identification with a tag, which you should get back the moment you surrender your visitor pass upon exit.
The first stage of 'reporting' is at the front gate counter (which took about over an hour for me to reach in Q) - where the guy will tick off your name and this is where you show your interview appointment letter, which I forgot to bring, but he asked me what time was my appointment and I told him and he crossed off my name/or was it tick it off, anyway, I was kinda relieved I was on the list as I have nothing to proof my interview time as I didn't print out that piece of DOC!!!
SECURITY CHECK
Only two persons (or ONE family with small children) are allowed to be in the security check point at any one time, it was all tinted glass, so no one knows from the outside what is happening inside. Be prepared to surrender your electronic devices (hand phone, iPad/tablets, laptops, camera, thumb/pen drive included) upon entering the security check/scan room. Also be prepared for a bag search. Water bottles are allowed provided you take a sip in front of the security officer and in front of the CCTV. Keys are supposed to be kept at the security together with your mobile phones, and you will be given a tag with a number for you to reclaim your stuff upon exit.
ALWAYS wait for instructions and don't be in haste and the security officers will talk to you nicely, the guy in front of me was too hurried to reclaim his backpack after the scan that he was told off by the guard. The same guard used a softer tone with me, so be patient, stand there and wait and let them do their job.
MORE WAITING
The building itself reminds me of the US government offices they portray in the movies depicting the US gov. A walk up a flight of steps and you will enter a lobby area with another guard and a reception/enquiries counter. The guard would point a blur person (like me) to the left to press A for tourist/non immigrant visa. Then I was told to wait at the waiting lounge on the right - this is where the restrooms are! Go while you can as you have about 5-10 minutes with about 8 people in front of you (as indicated on the ticket for the number).
There are two screens at the lounge - one had an 8TV show of an exchange students-programme in the US involving Malaysian students which I think was pre-recorded and showed again and again for the visa applications and the other one was showing a video of US national parks and also instructions of how to take the hand and finger prints and also instructions of visa collection in three languages, English, Chinese and Malay, I tried to read my book and finished about 20 pages.
You will be called by number, electronic display board will display your number, with A and C as the prefix, A for the 'cheaper tourist visa' and C for the more expensive one (you can check the proper names on the website I provided above).
First, your number will be called and you proceed to counter 1 or 2 for the 'registration', where you surrender your print-outs and your passport and your receipt.
1. Passport
2. Interview Appointment Confirmation Letter
3. The confirmation that you have submitted the DS-160 form (two-pages)
4. If you already submitted the soft copy of your photo, then only ONE piece of the required TWO visa photos (then why asked us to bring TWO, I printed FOUR to be safe, lol).
I think that's all.
The Malay lady was quite nice and did not scold me or anything when I failed to produce my interview appointment confirmation letter, I just smiled sheepishly and said "lupa bawak". Then she asked me what time was my appointment and I told her 10am, and she just ticked my name off the list, I got through! I thought my RM448 is gonna go down the drain at the moment! Phew! SO PLEASE bring all the four items above!
ACTUAL INTERVIEW
After that Counter 1 or 2 'checking', you would have surrenderred your passport and return to the waiting lounge on the right again. This time, you wait for another 5-15 minutes until your number is called again.
Then you proceed to Counters 3/4/5. This is where your hand print (four fingers on each hand) and thumb prints are taken. Then there is no need for you to return to the waiting lounge and just wait at that area - it reminds me of a bank with counters and long waiting chairs, some people prefer to stand while I just took at seat next to a complaining Malay lady and waited. The lady beside me was complaining to another guy that her appointment time was BEFORE 10am, but her friend, a guy, whose time was 10am, had his interview over and done with and she was still waiting. Oh well, must be some delay in the process, I guess.
Less than 5 minutes later, my number was called, don't expect to sit down during the interview as it is just like a over-the-counter-bank transaction, you are standing up the whole time. My interview was over and done with in about three minutes. The guy before me was saying to a lady that he only got THREE questions, I got more though. My interviewer is a dark-haired Caucasian man.
My questions: 1. What is the purpose of your visit to the US?
I replied to follow my husband who is on a conference.
2. Does your husband hold a US Visa?
Yes
3. What is the name of the company (of your husband)?
I mentioned the name and he knew the name, obviously judging by the next question.
4. Are you going to California (the HQ)?
No, we are going to Florida, where the conference is going to be held.
5. How long are you going to be in the US?
Two weeks
6. So you are teaching?
Yes
7. What are you teaching?
Public Relations
8. Which university are you teaching at?
I answered
Then he returned the receipt to me (he actually returned it before the questions above) and said - there is no problem with processing your visa... thank you.
I said thank you and left the counter with a card with a serial number (to be surrendered upon visa collection), collected my stuff, returned the tags, turned on my phone and called my hubby and said, "I got the visa".
VISA COLLECTION
You can collect the visa yourself at Wisma MCA, or you can opt to have it delivered, if you enter your office address, make sure that the card/stub with the serial number is given to the person who receives parcels/mails. Approved visa can be collected on the next working day at 3pm (check the exact time on their website) and if via delivery, within a few days after interview.
US here I come!!!
p/s- This serves also as a reminder just in case I wish to renew my visa in 2022, 10 years from now. :-)
I checked out the website and found that I needed a soft copy of my visa photo (as well as the hard copy), hence I paused filling up the online form and went for my photoshoot, I look horrid in the photo but oh well, it is only the visa, better I look horrid in person than beautiful in photo but horrid in person, right? (self-consolation). Please ensure the background is white and it is 2" by 2" (please check for exact measurement of photo).
This website is quite comprehensive, it is their official website so it'd better be! http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/niv.html
Just follow the instructions (there are MANY) and you should be fine.
After the photo (and get the soft copy of the hard copy as well!), upload your photo (it should be resized to the correct dimension) and you shall get another form receipt, two pages to proof you have submitted the DS-160 form, there is NO NEED to print out your entire application form unless for own safekeeping.
That ends the preliminary steps.
Next, let's talk about money. The cheapest visa are the usual tourist/business (including for reporters) which costs RM448 - payable only at Standard Chartered Banks (any branch). Get the visa deposit form, fill it up, and REMEMBER your passport number or bring your passport with you as you need to fill up your passport number when you pay. I made the MISTAKE of not taking note of my passport number and needed to visit Standard Chartered twice. Don't repeat mistake! KEEP THE RECEIPT!!! You need it when you go back online and during the interview, so keep the receipt safe and with you at all times!
SETTING AN APPOINTMENT
Upon payment, there is no set window period, but just don't wait too long ya? I waited till CNY was over before I set my interview (and I submitted my DS-160 form online on Jan 17, my interview was on Feb 21, just because I chose to). One month is okay, I think. Did not read anywhere if there is a time limit to submit - pay - set interview - and finally attend interview.
Go to : www.ustraveldocs.com/my
Log in, set up an account first, of course, it is NOT linked directly to the DS-160 form that you submitted online, I entered my name as Sue Tiong an it was accepted even though it isn't my full name, I guess for interview setting it isn't too important as the application form?
You need to enter the receipt number, should SHOULD NOT include your passport number - the less-than-intelligent bank teller whom I ask said it is all the digits all the way including my passport number - NOT!!! And that effiminate (soft) guy of the bank teller dare to scoff at me as if I should not be asking that question. If you don't know, say so, and don't give wrong information!
Upon inserting the receipt number, you should be able to open the page where you may select your preferred choice from the many slots/dates for interview. In Malaysia, there is only one place for the interview regardless of where you are in Malaysia, you need to travel to Kuala Lumpur at the US EMBASSY at Jalan Tun Razak for the interview and it is only on weekday mornings. I chose a Tuesday, 10am interview as it is the 'latest' time slot (scared of traffic jam during morning rush hour). Then all you have to do is to wait patiently for your interview day to arrive.
ON THE DAY OF INTERVIEW
On interview day, it goes without saying you need all the documents ready the night before, and preferably with a good night's sleep, and you should arrive at least 20 minutes before your interview time.
Take a taxi straight to the door steps, or if you don't mind 10 minutes of walking, take the Kelana Jaya line up to Ampang Park and exit and walk all the way towards the white PNB building, just walk on the opposite site, you should pass all the car showrooms, Micasa Hotel and Suites and the See Hoy Chan building before you arrive at the Embassy, you cannot miss it, with its grey concrete walls that gives you no view of what transpired inside.
I don't opt for public transportation, hence I contributed to the thinning ozone layer by driving and parked some 7-min-walk away from the embassy at RM4 per entry open space parking lot, or we Malaysians say, open-spaced carpark. The nearer you park, the more expensive the parking fees are, but it won't go more than RM10 maximum, depending on where you park. Had to double park and surrender the keys to the Indian guy, and I don't really mind as my car is already 13 years old, and bears many 'battle' scars, hence off I paid RM4 and surrendered the keys (with a proper number stub to reclaim the keys later), and off I walked towards the embassy.
I told you my hubby went to the US the year before right? Since it is only a one-off-thing for the next 10 years, he forgot most details about the visa application process despite it being not even exactly a year since it passed. Okay, human memories fail us sometimes. Hence, to NOT repeat the same mistake of forgetting, lest you become not-so-much-of-a-help to future friends or family members who needed to apply for a US visa, I am writing this blog post, so that it will come in handy, if not my personal social circle, if it shows up in a google search for Malaysians who are looking for more info to apply for a US visa, I hope this blogpost will be of some help!
BE PREPARED TO PHYSICALLY WAIT (and go to the toilet before starting your wait)
The rule of thumb is you should arrive 20 minutes earlier, and you should also be prepared to wait in line (with some benches over a 50m or less stretch) for about an hour. My wait time OUTSIDE the gates was about ONE HOUR and 40 minutes. Arrived at about 9.40am in front of the gates, got into the Q, found a seat, by the time I was called inside and got a number, it was 11.32am, embassy clock. My interview was set at 10am. Since at 9.50am, even those whose interview was set at 8.50am hadn't been called in yet, I walked away for some seven minutes to locate a 'safe' toilet. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO visit the washroom before reporting to the front gate of the embassy as you never know how long you need to wait outside (there are washrooms INSIDE in the waiting area but we were stuck outside for so long).
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR DOCUMENTS
You will need to provide ANOTHER form of photo identification BESIDES YOUR PASSPORT, such as driver's license or your identification card for Malaysians OR a photocopy of your passport if you are non-Malaysian, for you to exchange for a pass to enter the embassy grounds, they will clip your identification with a tag, which you should get back the moment you surrender your visitor pass upon exit.
The first stage of 'reporting' is at the front gate counter (which took about over an hour for me to reach in Q) - where the guy will tick off your name and this is where you show your interview appointment letter, which I forgot to bring, but he asked me what time was my appointment and I told him and he crossed off my name/or was it tick it off, anyway, I was kinda relieved I was on the list as I have nothing to proof my interview time as I didn't print out that piece of DOC!!!
SECURITY CHECK
Only two persons (or ONE family with small children) are allowed to be in the security check point at any one time, it was all tinted glass, so no one knows from the outside what is happening inside. Be prepared to surrender your electronic devices (hand phone, iPad/tablets, laptops, camera, thumb/pen drive included) upon entering the security check/scan room. Also be prepared for a bag search. Water bottles are allowed provided you take a sip in front of the security officer and in front of the CCTV. Keys are supposed to be kept at the security together with your mobile phones, and you will be given a tag with a number for you to reclaim your stuff upon exit.
ALWAYS wait for instructions and don't be in haste and the security officers will talk to you nicely, the guy in front of me was too hurried to reclaim his backpack after the scan that he was told off by the guard. The same guard used a softer tone with me, so be patient, stand there and wait and let them do their job.
MORE WAITING
The building itself reminds me of the US government offices they portray in the movies depicting the US gov. A walk up a flight of steps and you will enter a lobby area with another guard and a reception/enquiries counter. The guard would point a blur person (like me) to the left to press A for tourist/non immigrant visa. Then I was told to wait at the waiting lounge on the right - this is where the restrooms are! Go while you can as you have about 5-10 minutes with about 8 people in front of you (as indicated on the ticket for the number).
There are two screens at the lounge - one had an 8TV show of an exchange students-programme in the US involving Malaysian students which I think was pre-recorded and showed again and again for the visa applications and the other one was showing a video of US national parks and also instructions of how to take the hand and finger prints and also instructions of visa collection in three languages, English, Chinese and Malay, I tried to read my book and finished about 20 pages.
You will be called by number, electronic display board will display your number, with A and C as the prefix, A for the 'cheaper tourist visa' and C for the more expensive one (you can check the proper names on the website I provided above).
First, your number will be called and you proceed to counter 1 or 2 for the 'registration', where you surrender your print-outs and your passport and your receipt.
1. Passport
2. Interview Appointment Confirmation Letter
3. The confirmation that you have submitted the DS-160 form (two-pages)
4. If you already submitted the soft copy of your photo, then only ONE piece of the required TWO visa photos (then why asked us to bring TWO, I printed FOUR to be safe, lol).
I think that's all.
The Malay lady was quite nice and did not scold me or anything when I failed to produce my interview appointment confirmation letter, I just smiled sheepishly and said "lupa bawak". Then she asked me what time was my appointment and I told her 10am, and she just ticked my name off the list, I got through! I thought my RM448 is gonna go down the drain at the moment! Phew! SO PLEASE bring all the four items above!
ACTUAL INTERVIEW
After that Counter 1 or 2 'checking', you would have surrenderred your passport and return to the waiting lounge on the right again. This time, you wait for another 5-15 minutes until your number is called again.
Then you proceed to Counters 3/4/5. This is where your hand print (four fingers on each hand) and thumb prints are taken. Then there is no need for you to return to the waiting lounge and just wait at that area - it reminds me of a bank with counters and long waiting chairs, some people prefer to stand while I just took at seat next to a complaining Malay lady and waited. The lady beside me was complaining to another guy that her appointment time was BEFORE 10am, but her friend, a guy, whose time was 10am, had his interview over and done with and she was still waiting. Oh well, must be some delay in the process, I guess.
Less than 5 minutes later, my number was called, don't expect to sit down during the interview as it is just like a over-the-counter-bank transaction, you are standing up the whole time. My interview was over and done with in about three minutes. The guy before me was saying to a lady that he only got THREE questions, I got more though. My interviewer is a dark-haired Caucasian man.
My questions: 1. What is the purpose of your visit to the US?
I replied to follow my husband who is on a conference.
2. Does your husband hold a US Visa?
Yes
3. What is the name of the company (of your husband)?
I mentioned the name and he knew the name, obviously judging by the next question.
4. Are you going to California (the HQ)?
No, we are going to Florida, where the conference is going to be held.
5. How long are you going to be in the US?
Two weeks
6. So you are teaching?
Yes
7. What are you teaching?
Public Relations
8. Which university are you teaching at?
I answered
Then he returned the receipt to me (he actually returned it before the questions above) and said - there is no problem with processing your visa... thank you.
I said thank you and left the counter with a card with a serial number (to be surrendered upon visa collection), collected my stuff, returned the tags, turned on my phone and called my hubby and said, "I got the visa".
VISA COLLECTION
You can collect the visa yourself at Wisma MCA, or you can opt to have it delivered, if you enter your office address, make sure that the card/stub with the serial number is given to the person who receives parcels/mails. Approved visa can be collected on the next working day at 3pm (check the exact time on their website) and if via delivery, within a few days after interview.
US here I come!!!
p/s- This serves also as a reminder just in case I wish to renew my visa in 2022, 10 years from now. :-)
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