Sunday, October 25, 2009

Chasing An ELUSIVE Dream


Every hopeful Juan de la Cruz
Lines up and wait for his turn while
Uttering a silent prayer that
Somehow God will make a miracle
In the consul's decision to grant him a
Visa, visitor or immigrant, for such is
Everyone's dream to get one.

Maria dela Cruz and her son Joe are in a long queue waiting for their turn to be called for finger scanning before an interview with a consul. Inside the waiting lounge, "No 273", the PA system announced. Mother and son went to the booth that was assigned with their number.

"Magandang hapon", (in English, good afternoon), the consul greeted.

"Good afternoon sir," answered Maria and her son with a bright smile on their face. The consul tapped the keyboard of his PC.

"Your husband works in the US, right?", the consul asked.

Hesitantly, she answered "yes, sir"!

"How many kids do you have?, the consul went on.

"Three sir and he is the youngest", Maria answered while simultaneously pointing to her son beside her.

"How old are you?", addressing the question to Joe.

"Fifteen sir", Joe answered smartly. The consul smiled. And Joe smiled back at him.

Maria uttered a silent prayer. "Lord, please, make a miracle. I badly need a Visa, I want to also visit my husband there once in a while, and see some other relatives I haven't seen for quite a time now". Her palms were sweating, she looked ashen and nervous.

She jolted in a surprise when the consul suddenly spoke. "As of now", the consul said, "I can see that you can't establish to me of any strong evidence that you will likely return back to the Philippines".

"But sir", Maria spoke, almost in tears. The consul moved his head in complete disapproval while handing back to Maria their passports and a blue paper which he marked with an X stating: You did not establish that your social, family and economic ties outside of the US are sufficient enough to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent. 


"But sir, can we apply again?" her disappointed spirit tried to put up a brave front at the moment though deep inside her, she wanted to cry hard already.

"Of course, you can, for as long as you can prove to me that your status have changed already", the consul answered.

Maria picked up their passports and the blue paper, looked around her for the last time and felt as if all eyes were on them for being denied a visitor's visa.

"Thank you sir!", she uttered with pain in her voice and took her son's hands and left the place.

Outside the embassy, she saw the sad look in her son's eyes. And he whispered, "Mom, you should have denied that Dad is working there, because that might be the reason that they denied us of our visa?". "No, son, we couldn't lie, they can see it in their database, and the more we will lie the more we will no longer have a chance to apply for the next time around", Maria answered as if to pacify her son's disappointments.

"Mom, I can no longer have the chance to see my Dad in his workplace and our relatives there. And my dream of going to Disneyland with my friends and cousins", Joe uttered, almost in tears.

"Well, honey that's life. Getting a visa is an elusive dream. Don't worry, we'll try again next year and hopefully,  God will touch the heart of the consul who'll gonna interview us by then", Maria said to her son. Joe just gave her mother a poignant smile, took her Mom's hand and they left the embassy grounds hand in hand, smiling at each other sadly.

They took a cab and on their way home, tears rolled down Maria's cheeks while her son looked outside the cab in deep thoughts, thinking when will his dream can come true.

(I wrote about this prompt, maybe in a an unusual way to illustrate how we Filipinos really consider being granted a US Immigrant or Non-Immigrant Visa a dream come true, especially when you have relatives living there and you wish to join them even just a few months only.)


Written for One Single Impression prompt

56 comments:

  1. It's such a difficult process at the moment. You've encapsulated the word here.

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  2. woww..u captured the essence..amazing..wonderfully written..is it rlly.?? omg..!!!

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  3. hi amity..wonderful..u started with an acro and carried the rythm soo beautifullyy..congrats on this wonderful piece..

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  4. Hey Mads,

    i rendered the prompt in a different way and thanks for your very positive reaction...:)

    yeah, that's true mads, sad isn't it?

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  5. hello Prams,

    what can i say, but thanks so much for your great reaction...:)

    miss yah!

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  6. hello Prams,

    what can i say, but thanks so much for your great reaction...:)

    miss yah!

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  7. Living in America, never venturing outside of it, I guess I don't appreciate it as much as I should. Especially being who I am, and how the dark brown color of my skin holds me down for the most part. But I so appreciate you allowing me to see how important a visa is to someone who think America is a dream come true ... certainly gives me hope that one day, maybe not in my lifetime, this country will indeed be a heaven for all.

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  8. Amias:

    thanks for the not so encouraging reaction from you...:)

    but you know, being separated from loved ones because they work there, is a dream come true for his family to be granted a visitor's visa.

    we Filipinos seem to think that America is a dream come true, you know!

    nice day Amias...:)

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  9. Amias:

    thanks for the not so encouraging reaction from you...:)

    but you know, being separated from loved ones because they work there, is a dream come true for his family to be granted a visitor's visa.

    we Filipinos seem to think that America is a dream come true, you know!

    nice day Amias...:)

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  10. I think so many of us have dreams of a better place for whatever reason! I look back at my short time in Tasmania and so wish I could have found full time work there in my idea of paradise! But it was not to be! However, after a few shuffles, I have found the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and my here and now is growing on me!
    Thank you so much for the lovely comment on my blog!

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  11. Dear Amity Me .. I did not mean to dis-encourage you. America is a wonderful place, but it has not always been kind to me, pesonally.

    Your story made me take a second look at it, as I have never lived outside of America, and I might not appreciate it as much as others who see it as a dream come true.

    That said, I so enjoyed this story, as it help me to appreciate my own country, looking from the outside in.

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  12. Hello Gemma,

    sometime, somewhere, we have dreamed of places where we want to be, and this story of mine, to the characters, going to America seems so elusive to them, though they're dying to get to the place.

    thanks Gemma for being here, and thanks for sharing me your view of wanting to be in a place and you did have...:)

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  13. Dear Amias,

    i know, i know, and i understand your feelings about my story, no offense meant Big Sis?

    i love reactions like yours...:)

    love yah Big Sis!

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  14. Very emotional and powerful statements here. To relate strongly to things we so often take for granted.....

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  15. thanks Rob for taking the time to see my work...:)

    yes, isn't it?

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  16. its not just the acro or the rhyme ...i loved the way u expressed her feeling through ur words...just a wonderful read :)...

    urs..hemu..

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  17. This was so touching to read...I had so much compassion for this woman and her son. Beautiful!

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  18. A refreshing and different take on this prompt that I really enjoyed even though it painted a sad picture.

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  19. US is a dream for many and you have captured it so well

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  20. a sad post.. the elusive dream still continues to elude.. eh Amity? this post flowed so well!! :)

    the emotion that i could identify through ur words made this a very well written one! Kudos Amity! :) well captured!

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  21. Thanks so much for your wonderful short story. You are very talented.

    love, Melanie

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  22. I am a huge lover of books and when my eyesight was better, I had my nose in a book all the time.

    This was a very enjoyable read.

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  23. Hemu:

    good morning...:)

    thanks for the read...:)

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  24. Sweetest in the Gale:

    thanks for being touched. my purpose here was attained if that was how feel.

    good morning...:)

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  25. Linda hello...

    well, thanks so much for identifying it as different from the others though it was rendered on a sad note.

    good morning...:)

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  26. Jeeves:

    thank you so much...:)

    have a nice day!

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  27. Leo:

    ...thank you so much...:)

    have a great week ahead, and see you for the next week's prompt...:)

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  28. Hi Missy;

    thanks to you, too...:)

    have a great day ahead...:)

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  29. Hi Maggie,

    ...oh Maggie, this should have been your comment on my other older post...:)

    but anyways, thank you so much...:)

    have a great week ahead...:)

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  30. Hi Maggie,

    ...oh Maggie, this should have been your comment on my other older post...:)

    but anyways, thank you so much...:)

    have a great week ahead...:)

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  31. You portrayed this situation with such power and hope. Nice work!

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  32. Hi Amity. Yes, this is a serious thing. I do regret that people are having such a hard time visiting here. One of my DIL's is from Venezuela, a SIL is from Trinidad, and a cousin married a lady from the Philipines.
    We are a multi-national family here. The new cousin was a nurse. That made it easier for her to get permission to come as it was almost a sure thing she would be accepted by the U.S.
    If the lady in the poem's husband was a registered worker here it would not be as hard. Since that subject was not talked about, I assume he was an 'undocumented worker.' The U.S. would reject her VISA so it is good that the authorities there would not let it go as that would be bad for their record. They are supposed to screen for adequate documentation.
    ..

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  33. Thank you for this lovely window on the world of a Filipino experience ... one that we don't (or rarely) have to contend with as US citizens. Blogging brings us closer in understanding.

    Peace,
    JP/deb

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  34. Hi Tumblewords:

    thank you so much...:)

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  35. Hi Jim:

    her husband is a registered worker there, and there would be some other reasons but it was not completely narrated in the story which might be the reason for the denial of a Visa.

    i guess, the lady do not have strong family and economic ties such as having a business, having a lot of money in her bank account, etc.

    btw, thanks Jim for the comments...:)

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  36. Hello JP:

    ...thanks so much for your reaction...:)

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  37. Its same everywhere dear ! the pain, disappointment, sadness, shattered dreams ... all linked to one visa ! the most elusive dream !!

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  38. it is an elusive dream, what disappointment they must feel, missing families is always the hardest part

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  39. Nicely written bringing out the travails of getting an US visa with an acrostic as a bonus.
    Thanks for the comments.Pl see the new alignment taking note of your suggestion.Thanks
    kpartha12@gmail.com

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  40. Quite elegantly expressed !! on a different note, myn friend has applied 5 times work visa to US from India and has been rejected every other time! stating different reasons... do understand the pain really...very beautifuly expressed both the woman and her son's emotion..cya around!

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  41. interesting piece.....thanks for your words!(I am from Chile)

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  42. Hello PS:

    ...yes, it is, that's why i though of writing about it...:(

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  43. Hi LIssa,

    good morning...:)

    yes, it is...:)

    thanks for being here...:)

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  44. KP:

    sure, I will when i have time...i'll be quite busy this week and will not be posting much...:)

    have a nice day!

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  45. Hi HaRy;

    i like how you define my output, and thank you very much HaRy...:)

    c yah, too!

    have a nice day...:)

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  46. Hello If;

    thanks for droppin' by here and thanks so much for your comment...:)

    it would be nice having a friend from Chile...:)

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  47. You were able to show the frustration very well, which is what happens when things are elusive. Nicely done!

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  48. this is ture for india too my dear!!!

    great use of the prompt dear Amity!I love visitng your blog!!

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  49. Hello Jukota;

    ...yeah...and thank you so much for your comments...:)

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  50. Hi there Shrads;

    is it? didn't know that, till others and you told me so...:)

    thank you so much, me too, i always visit your space as long as i see new post from you...:)

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  51. your tale is well told and great for this prompt.
    i experienced this once as an American who wanted to stay longer in Canada. I had no convincing story that made them think I would return to the USA, so Canada said you can not stay. It was quite sad for me. There are rules and if we do not fulfill the needs of the rules the answer is 'no'. There is no creative solutions in these situations.

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  52. What an excellent take on the prompt. I never realized that this happened and the magnitude of the feelings involved. Thanks for sharing this~

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  53. Hello Tammie;

    oh really? isn't it Tammie?

    no creative solutions to hold on to...!

    the best is really to fulfill the requirements of the law.

    nice day Tammie!

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  54. Hi Patti,

    it does happen Patti and more often than not, denial of a visa is dreaded always by applicants, and for the second and succeeding attempts, fear is always there, hence really an elusive dream to be granted one...

    have a nice day Patti and thanks for droppin' by my site!

    :)

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