Changes

So I finally found an apartment in Seattle, and I now have a place just for myself. It's an awesome feeling to be finally living in the real world, and my piece of the real world is not bad at all.

I'm in what's known as Capitol Hill in Seattle, or the "gayborhood", which provides me easy access to a lot of bars, clubs, stores and everything else. I'm also lucky to have all of my closest friends in Seattle within walking distance, which makes living here all the better.

My job is also going well. What really warmed my heart was how happy people were to see me come back for full time. I did an internship at my company last year and worked with those folks. Some of them didn't know I was coming back, and some thought I wouldn't be starting until November :) Even the HR folks, for some reason, thought I was starting October 6, and I had to kindly explain to them that NO, actually it's not like that. As a result I started a week later than I was supposed.

Funny thing is that all this is behind now. In general, I spent my summer worrying about things. In Bulgaria I was wondering if I would get my work authorization in time for my visa interview; then whether I could go to the interview in time for my departure flight; then whether the interviewers would give me the visa; then whether the visa will be for the necessary amount of time; then whether they would let me in the US with my interesting situation; then whether my bags would arrive because they didn't when I landed; then how long it would take the HR folks to solve my problem and whether my money would be enough to survive on until my first paycheck; then whether I would be able to find an apartment by the time my friend came back from Bulgaria and I would have to leave his place. Whew.

And things, as always, resolved themselves in ways I couldn't have anticipated, which only confirms the truth of the saying "When humans make plans, God laughs". On July 16 the American Embassy in Sofia answered my email from almost a month back, telling me they could schedule an earlier interview for me on the 18th (Friday). The previous day I had finally received my work permit from the International Office at Dartmouth, which made it possible to say "yes" to that offer.

Then on Friday I went to my interview. I traveled overnight by bus, and it was a crappy ride because the bus was packed, but not properly air conditioned. In the middle of summer I felt like I was going to be cooked in my own juices. I arrived in Sofia about 2 hours before my interview, then I had to wait about 1.5 hours for my turn to come, so I was quite ready to pass out right there, right then. Finally I heard my name, and braced myself for a deep-drill interview, with sly and misleading questions trying to fool me into making it sound like I have immigrant intent. The interview was like "So you have OPT for Microsoft? -Yeah. Where did you have your higher education? - At Dartmouth College. Did you like it there? -Yes, quite a lot. OK, your visa will be ready in about 2 business days". I was shocked, but just smiled and left. Then I took the bus back to Varna, which was much like the previous bus I had been on.

Then I finally received my visa on the 22nd, a day before I left for Seattle. It was all right. The flights were OK, but when I arrived in Seattle my bags weren't there. This was a little sad considering that ALL of my remaining possessions were in these 2 bags :)

Eventually I got my bags 2 days later, delivered right at my door. Then I started dealing with background checks and other shit my company wanted me to do ASAP. It looked like I was not going to be able to start for another 2 weeks, because the background check took between 7 and 10 business days. Endes alles, it took them 5 business days for me, and I was able to start a week later.

I solved the money problem by getting a credit card, so that is no longer an issue. I also found an apartment this week, so that's no longer an issue either. But I looked damn hard.

So yeah kids, too much worrying for nothing. But aren't we all prone to it? ;)