Ecstasy

The Judgment Day

2008-07-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

Had my visa interview on 14 may, guys chill the visa interview is not quite like the real judgment day where all your evil and noble deeds are evaluated. In my opinion visa interview is a normal, formal task and when you have all the things right in place u need not worry about your visa.

My visa appointment was at 8:15 in the morning so instead of going to VFS ,the visa facilitation centre I went straight to the consulate . Seeing a large number of people standing in front of the consulate made my heart sink, I thought it would take a lot of time to get the visa thing done. 2-3 guys working for the consulate asked people to stand in different queues according to their time slot. To my surprise the queues seemed to move in to the consulate pretty fast. I entered the consulate approximately at 9:15 and hereafter the drama unfolds.

Scene 1: Security Check

U are asked to go through a metal detector. If u abide by the laws of the consulate and pass the test u are given a wooden stick that u r supposed to keep through out ur interview. (I don’t know if they use these wooden tokens to keep the count of people inside the consulate but anyways u have to keep it with u through out the interview).

Scene 2 : Receiving Document

When u enter the consulate u are supposed to stand in a queue to get the documents that u had initially submitted in the US VFS Application Centre.Here you get your token number.

Scene 3 : Finger Printing.

U proceed to the finger prints counter where u are supposed to get finger print of both ur hands and then of both the thumbs.

Scene 4 : Wait Sate

After u are done with finger printing. U wait in the interview room. Now the consulate seems more or less like state bank where all the customers are asked to sit on chairs and the officers sit in cubicle. I sat besides the loudspeaker it is here where u can hear clearly your token number. Token numbers are announced randomly and do not follow any sequence so u have to listen carefully to very announcement made and see if ur token number is being called. (the announcement is somewhat like – token numbers 123,245,12,385 report to counter number 11 .)

Caution : do not miss your token number .

Scene 5 : Actual Visa Interview

I went in the cubicle and the VO asked me 3 questions. U don’t have to worry about the microphone ,it is powerful enough to catch ur voice.

Question 1: Why US ?

Answer: To do my Masters in Computer Engg with specialization in Software Engg.

Question 2: What do u do currently?

Answer: Work in IBM as an Associate Systems Engineer.

Question 3: Why do u wan to leave a good company like IBM and come to us?

Answer: For further studies, I would love to join IBM India after my Masters.

Vo: Ur visa has been granted.

Scene 5 : Smiles all over the place

I came out smiling and handed over my wooden token to security officer while exiting.

Visa Done … Final Hurdle Crossed.

7 O CLOCK DREAMZ

2008-05-20T03:59:00.000-07:00

This poem is for my best friend priyanka . My world revolves around her. We worked in the same company for 2 years and then she left the job to do her masters.This poem is dedicated to her, the sweetest girl i have ever seen, a gem of a person...

7 o clock dreamz , the evening is remembering..

All the laughter and cheer, all the sorrow and tears...

the evening is remembering ...

I hear your voice a thousand miles far and away..

I see u standing at the end of a long way...

7 o clock dreamz , the evening is remembering ...

All the intense nights, the love and the fights...

The care and the affection that held us tight...

The evening is remembering....

Without my honey bunny and your teddy bear,

life is empty and not so fair..

Without the girlee laughs and talks

life is empty and not so fair..

It was a unknown bond that held us together made me feel u r mine forever

Conscious knows what a dream is but sub-conscious not so clever...

7 o clock dremzz , the evening is remembering.

VISA PROCEDURE

2008-05-20T03:21:00.000-07:00

F1 visa is the most hyped thing in the entire Masters process. A lot has been said about the process, most of that sounds very irrational. In my opinion earning F1 depends on the individual and not on Lady luck (he he ).

I got my F1 on 14 May 2008 .This is what I did to get F1.

To book the Visa Date follow the procedure given below.

Pay the Visa Application Fee.

1) You must pay the Application Fee (US $131 payable in INR equivalent at consular exchange rate. Visa Application Fee at current exchange rate (Rs. 44/-) is Rs. 5,764) and VFS Service Charge at a designated branch of HDFC bank before applying for a visa. Do carry a photocopy of the passport while going to the bank. You need to submit the passport photocopy along with the application fee. For Pune the address of HDFC bank that accepts cash is given below.

Plot No.3, CPS 870
Bhandarkar Institute Road
Pune -411004
Banking Hours

Weekdays :
9.30am to 3.30pm

Sat :9.30am to 12.30pm

2) You will get 2 receipts from HDFC bank a pink colored receipt and a blue colored receipt that will have a code on it called bar code. The bar code will get activated in 2 working days.

Book Interview Appointment (Visa Date )

Normally June and July are the busiest days for the consulate. So I preferred to book an earlier date on May 14. I got Interview appointment at 8:15 AM which is pretty early. Usually morning appointments do not slip the schedule, and you don’t have to wait too long for your interview.

1) After your bar code gets activated go to the following site to book the visa date.

https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ApplnForms/FeeDetails.aspx

2) Do the required and fill up the forms DS-156, Ds-157 and DS-158.

If you want to see my DS forms for reference email me.( Restricted Access ).

3) After filling out the three forms the last page prompts for the SEVIS number. It is recommended to pay the SEVIS fee before u schedule an appointment because it takes 15 days to get the SEVIS fee receipt .Although you get an online confirmation/receipt and it is ok even if u carry the online confirmation print at the interview but the safest way is to pay it earlier and carry the fee receipt that comes to u by courier.

Submit Documents to the USVFS APPLICATION CENTRE.

It is recommended to submit the following documents at the application centre before 5 working days but I suggest submitting these documents as soon as you can. I did submit all these documents 14 days before my visa interview.

In Pune the application centre is located at

Sohrab Hall,
Opposite Jahangir Hospital,
Near Pune Railway Station
Pin 411011.

Submit the following documents :

1. DS-156 in original signed and with photo affixed.

2. DS-157 in original. if you are 15-55 years of age

3. DS-158 in original, signed.

4. Photocopy of Form I-20 / DS2019.

5. Proof of payment of SEVIS Fee Receipt I-901.

6. Photocopy of passport data pages (1st and last page).

7. Photocopy of the passport pages bearing “Observation” or “Remarks”.

8. Photocopy of Interview appointment letter.

9. Original HDFC fee receipts (Yellow / Blue copy).

10. Dependents applicants: photocopy of principal applicant’s Form I-20 / DS2019

11. Dependants must submit a photocopy of the principal applicant’s visa

12. Applicants applying for a visa renewal are required to submit a clear

photocopy of the previous visa

Points to Remember:

1) Do Sign the I-20 form.

2) Do sign DS-156,157,158.

3) The column named Full Name in Native Alphabet ( Column number 3 in DS-157)

cannot be filled online. So do not forget to write it on the Ds-157 print that u will submit at the application centre.

Prepare the Required documentation.

Ohh now this is the toughest part in the whole process. The VO seldom asks for the documentation file but we have to prepare it well. The way I had arranged my file is as follows. A lot of people say that u got to carry harmonium file but in my opinion simple folder that we use daily is also good enough provided that you know which document lies where.

The way I arranged my visa is as follows.

Folder 1 :

1) I-20

2) Passport

3) Interview Appointment letter

4) HDFC pink receipt.

Folder 2 :

1) Statement of Liquid and Fixed Assets

2) Sponsors Certificate.

Folder 3:

1) Bank Pass books ,FDs and supporting material like mutual funds , bank statements etc.

Folder 4:

1) Admit from the university that u have chosen .

2) Letter from the university stating scholarship

3) Relevant correspondence from the university like mail from the profs etc.

Folder 5 :

1) IT returns of the sponsor . ( 3 years arrange them in descending order with the returns for 07-08 on the top).

2) Prepare an annual income summary.

Folder 6:

1) Degree Certificate and Marksheets of all years of engineering.

Folder 7:

1) Transcripts and HSC and SSC certificates

Folder 8:

1) Experience letter from the employer.

2) Pay slips

3) Appointment letter (This is something that I had taken u don’t need it if u have experience letter.)

Folder 9:

1) Admits from other universities and relevant correspondence.

Folder 10:

1) Evaluation report of fixed assets.

Please add any additional documents that you feel are necessary and arrange the folder structure according to your convenience. That was how I arranged it.If u have any queries mail me at rujutaranade@gmail.com

Brand Wars

2007-03-07T04:43:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The Beatles or the Backstreet Boys? Star Trek or Star Wars? Pepsi or Coke ?Yankees or Mets?
They say you must like either one or the other.

The Cola War : Coke v/s Pepsi

Coke:

Birth of Coca Cola:
In May, 1886, Coca Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia.
A bookkeeper, Frank Robinson was the one who first scripted "Coca Cola" into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today.
The soft drink was first sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta on May 8, 1886.
About nine servings of the soft drink were sold each day. Sales for that first year added up to a total of about $50. The funny thing was that it cost John Pemberton over $70 in expanses, so the first year of sales were a loss.
Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as a tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut.

Asa Candler:
In 1887, another Atlanta pharmacist and businessman, Asa Candler bought the formula for Coca Cola from inventor John Pemberton for $2,300. By the late 1890s, Coca Cola was one of America's most popular fountain drinks, largely due to Candler's aggressive marketing of the product. With Asa Candler, now at the helm, the Coca Cola Company increased syrup sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900.

Death of the Soda Fountain - Rise of the Bottling Industry
Until the 1960s, both small town and big city dwellers enjoyed carbonated beverages at the local soda fountain or ice cream saloon. Often housed in the drug store, the soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages. Often combined with lunch counters, the soda fountain declined in popularity as commercial ice cream, bottled soft drinks, and fast food restaurants became popular.

New Coke
The introduction of Diet Coke in 1982 was hailed as the most successful product launch of the past decade.
On April 23, 1985, the trade secret "New Coke" formula was released.
On July 10, 1985, eighty-seven days after the new Coke was introduced, the old Coke was brought back in addition to the new one.
In 2006 Coca Cola are invited to introduce a new brand cola to celebrate the launch of Solar Navigator......................

Pepsi:

Birth of Pepsi Cola:
Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina was a pharmacist."Brad's drink", created in the summer of 1893, was later renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898 after the pepsin and cola nuts used in the recipe.

Rise of Pepsi Cola:
1931--U.S. District Court for Eastern District Virginia declares the National Pepsi-Cola Company bankrupt, the second bankruptcy in Pepsi-Cola history.

In 1931 end, Pepsi Cola was bought by the Loft Candy Company Loft president, Charles G. Guth who reformulated the popular soft drink.

In 1940, history was made when the first advertising jingle was broadcast nationally.

In 1964, Diet Pepsi was introduced.

BLIND TASTE:

Seduction

2007-03-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Temptation - act that looks appealing to an individual.
Never knew blogging was so tempting until i started.

"I can resist anything except temptation" - Oscar Wilde

Lets see how long can blogging seduce me.