MY EMBASSY INTERVIEW!

Disclaimer: I've written this before with the notion that I would be able to pass my visa application as an Au Pair in Denmark hassle-free. But we know how life is; not everything that we plan comes into fruition. I am publishing this right now so other people can see the step-by-step guide even if it did not work out for me. This would definitely help out others who wants to be an Au Pair in Europe. I'm still waiting for the result of my appeal to the Danish Immigration Appeals Board. They declined my application because they said that they did not found the stay to have a natural correlation with my life. The decision confused me a lot because this is a cultural exchange experience. Anyway, more of this later when I am finally able to write the result of the appeal.

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I am writing this today, July 22, eight hours after my embassy interview.

I am freaking out right now because I felt like I made a terrible boo-boo as I was really nervous during that time that I failed to count properly. I just couldn't think straightly. Anyway, I will tell you a lot more details down below.

Hours before the Interview

I woke up really early since I wasn't able to sleep properly the night before. I am always like this. Even when we have scheduled fieldworks the next morning during my undergrad years, sleep would elude me all the time. My classmates thought that I was joking and even laughed at me when I told them about this but damn, I couldn't really have a good night sleep if I have such big events the following day.

I was up at 5am, when I slept at around 1am or so. The cold wasn't helping too so I was really uncomfortable and worried that I might get sick because of it. I just lie down in my bed, checked my game and waited for my boyfriend to call me at 6am. He promised to help me practice answering the set of questions I've prepared (see previous blog) so I wasn't really stressing out about that. The previous night though was another story but I wouldn't really tell you about that.

So we practiced. Then we chilled a bit afterwards to watch One Piece and Ken's video about that stupid TLC show (sister wife?). We said good bye at 9am and I started to prepare. I also answered some officemates who really doesn't respect the meaning of a "time off" or a filed leave. I mean it's okay for my friends but for those people that I SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO NOT CONTACT ME!? Chill, bruh. I have been so sick and tired of their bullshit all week and it's not my fault that we are not able to achieve their deadline. Not my problem.

Getting There

My appointment is for 12:30pm. As it was raining a lot these past few days, I decided to NOT commute as I am wearing a really nice office attire (gray skirt and blue blouse, y'all! Feeling girly-girl!) I really tidied up for today, even wearing the clips that I bought years ago for my long hair (now, I am sporting a short one).

I was already dressed up at 9:50am, taking photos for my jowa to judge me (and he did judged me). I told myself that I would be there as early as two hours before my appointment. I checked my Grab for fares and I reserved a car at around 10:40 or so. Already late in my mind but wth! I was trying to watch a portion of the H3's Families Podcast. 

As I am currently residing in Mandaluyong, the Grab ride only lasted for about a good 20 minutes or so. I looked at my phone when the driver dropped me off at the building where the Danish Embassy is located. It was 11:03am in my clock. I immediately asked the guard the time I can go up and wait there and he told me it's gonna be at 12:00pm. 

Waiting Time

There was a Burger King in the building itself and an adjacent KFC next door. I opted not to stay inside of both establishments since my braces just got readjusted and it is an agony to eat. I also don't want to eat, ngl. I don't want to smell bad or something when I do the interview. I am already freaking out of nervousness and another concern wouldn't help me.

So I walked. Walked like a madman in the rain. Walking is something that I would do if I am restless. I explored that portion of BGC with a wet feet and doll shoes albeit a tranquil spirit. I saw a Jollibee nearby but decided against it as well. At first I was contemplating to just get an ice cream and sit there but then I remembered that I don't have any cash with me (first world problem, I know). I walked in the opposite direction of the Jollibee and saw from a far a church (I think it's St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church if I am not mistaken). Also played with the idea of just sitting there for awhile and maybe pray but the church is close (as it should be during this pandemic). 

I then found myself following directions to get to the Uptown Mall. I am not familiar with the mall so I just walked and walked until I get there. Despite the rain, I noticed that there are some people dining out in al fresco style. They don't mind to get wet. Kinda fun imo if only I could eat properly.

Once I got to the mall, it was already 11:13am. Walking felt forever but since I am a fast walker, only a short amount of time has passed. I told myself that I should stay in the mall until 11:30am or so then start walking back to the embassy.

And so I walked some more. I entered a Toys R Us store and looked at their Barbie stuff. I did not saw anything special but it was quite interesting that Mattel is now selling some dolls packaged inside a reusable pouch. A good idea considering that the plastic they use in their packaging bothers me a lot. They should do that for all their dolls (save the environment as much as you can). I did not buy anything in there. I just looked around.

Before I knew it, it's almost 11:30. I called a friend to chat with him for a bit to amused myself. He was working on the side and his connection was really shitty. He blamed it on his headset though and I was not buying it. Haha. I felt like he was in a rave or something. I was still on a call with him when I decided to head back to the Danish Embassy. I panicked a little bit because I couldn't remember where I entered the mall and there seems to be three entrances in there. He then laughed at me and told me that I would be really stupid to get lost when I am a geologist. I don't really know why it matters because I can also get lost in the field, lol.

When I got out of the mall, after some curious stares from the guard there who heard me panicking that I couldn't remember where I came from, it was raining harder than it was earlier. I sucked it up and walked back immediately as time was moving a little bit faster now that I am rushing. I have to stop though two blocks away because it was really pouring hard. I have to stand in front of a bank with other people who were also waiting for the skies to calm the f down.

In the Building

I managed to get into the building unscathed at 12pm sharp. With only my feet wet, I did the standard Covid Info Sheet. The guard then asked me to go to the front desk and show my appointment to the receptionist. Surprisingly, they did not asked for any ID card. I was weirded out by that but that's one less hassle to deal with.

The receptionist just wrote my name and he told me to just hop on the elevator and press the 11th button. While waiting for the elevator though, I saw this girl wearing a denim miniskirt stand next to me. She's also waiting. I thought about the "dress code" that this building is implementing. I guess they accept a denim miniskirt inside then.

The girl hopped in the elevator with me as well and surprised, surprised, she's also alighting on the 11th floor. It was now really weird because I was trying to figure out if she's working for the embassy. 

So the elevator door opened and I got so confused. The girl entered on the first door in that floor. So there's another tenant in the 11th floor aside from the Danish Embassy. Forgot the name of her company.

The Danish Embassy Premises

Once you get out of the elevator, turn right and walk directly to the door where you can see a police officer and a guard hanging out. That's where you're going to be interviewed.

Surprisingly again, they are both nice unlike the experience of that girl I watched on YouTube. They even made some small talk with me, asking me if I was cold since I moved from where I was sitting down and if it's raining hard outside.

Anyway, your belongings will be surrendered and put in a locker where the key will be given to you. You will be then asked to sit down in another lobby facing two doors where the interviews will be conducted. A glass panel separates the interviewee from the interviewer. You will not have a direct contact with them.

I was the only one waiting in there and it was getting a little bit lonely. It stayed that way until the interview started at exactly 12:30pm (I supposed since I waited in there to what it seems to be forever). I was alone. No one else came for the 12:30pm schedule. 

So the most interesting part:

They will tell you first that the interview is gonna be conducted in English to test your English Proficiency but the final decision is still up to SIRI (Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration). They will also inform you that they will be recording your answer so they would be typing while they are interviewing you. Then the interview will commence.

Here are the questions that were asked to me:

1. Why do you think English is important?
2. Tell me about your family.
3. Why do you want to be an au pair?
4. What are the tasks that you will do as an au pair?
5. What is your highest educational attainment?
6. From the date of your graduation up until this point, describe what you've been doing or working on.

Since I was wearing a mask (double masks!), the interviewer asked me quite a few times to repeat my answer because he couldn't hear me. I think they were used to the situation though because he was really apologetic every time he asked me to repeat my answers. I was talking really loud though, I felt I was shouting.

About the fucked up I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, it was about my contract with a Bureau I've worked before as a Contract of Service. In reality, I wasn't lying. They did made us sign a 6-months contract when in reality, we only worked for 5 months. Don't asked me what happened to that 1 month salary, I don't know what to tell you. So in my application form, it was written that the job started in February, not January. Technically, the data that I said vs. the data that I declared in writing were NOT compatible. So I am nervous about that. I don't know what to do with it.

After the interview, they would tell you if you passed the English Proficiency or not. They will then tell you to sign the transcript of the interview and then repeat once again that the result of this will not affect the decision of SIRI (well, that sucks).

Aftermath

The interview was probably really short. The guard was really surprised when I got out of the door because he asked me if it was already over. I obviously said yes and he was really confused. I then asked him if it usually last longer while I was getting my stuff and he confirmed it. He said that it usually does take long. I got scared by that comment. What if I already failed? 

Anyway, after my interview, I informed my host mom that I was already done with it and now we're just gonna wait for the visa. She was really happy about it and the fact that I managed to get an earlier date for my interview (I surprised her with it). She then told me that she will call SIRI on Monday and asked immediately for the status of it. She said that she's gonna give the embassy some time to send the documents from Manila to Denmark before she calls them. Besides, she was also in a holiday in Spain with her family. She also mentioned that their current au pair is with them. I kinda felt happy about that. Haha. I hope they would also be comfortable enough with me to take me to holidays.

Conclusion

Well, the waiting and preparations were grueling but the event in itself was rather uneventful (at least for me). I let nervousness get the best of me and I kinda slipped in there a bit. I am just gonna wait for the result for now and trust in fate and God that this will work out fine.

Tschuss for now.

Or in Danish, farvel. 

[Life Blog] Prepping for my Embassy Interview

I am actually writing this exactly one week before my Embassy Interview but surprised, surprised, you'll be reading this months after. 

So it's July 15 today. Yesterday, I got a call from VFS granting my request that my appointment be moved earlier than what it is. It's just a 5-day adjustment but it's a big thing when it comes to visa processing. Time is gold and I am running out of it. My host family is actually expecting me to be in DK next month, on the 2nd of August, but sadly, it can't be done.

I was actually surprised that I got my sched for the interview almost a month after my VFS appearance. That isn't the case most of the time but I guess there is a stream of applicants of all types and the embassy is overloaded already due to cancellations and delays caused by COVID. Well, in my experience, you can get an earlier appointment IF it's truly pressing and if your host family ask you to do so. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THOUGH to rig the system by buying tickets going to another part of the Philippines just to make your appointments earlier. It's unfair for everyone.

I am writing this blog to document my preparation before my interview. It's something that I am really preparing for and I am nervous about. I know people who passed it already say that it's done just to check your English proficiency but think twice. I've watched tons of YouTube videos about this and I am certain that it's not for that. It can be a part of it but it's NOT for that.

Before the interview

1. Reading your application form (AU1 Form) and taking notes of the important things in there

I am not saying that you have to memorize some part of it but you have to absorb what is important. As I am not really sure what to expect and I am just getting my information from previous applicants, I try to outline my notes as best as I can to accommodate all information that I think is relevant. 

Here's a sample of my notes:

Name of applicant:

Passport number:                     Expiration date:

Year of Graduation:

Expected Date of Entrance to Host Country: 

Rate:

Contract Period:

Name of Host Parents:

Address of Host Family:

Languages in household:

Name of children in the family:

Birthdays of children in the family: (take note of their age)

Weekly number of hours:

Duties and schedules: (page 17 of 23)

The most important part of the application form is the Conditions of the Au Pair Stay with the family (from pages 15-16 if you're doing the paper-based application and page 3 if you're printing from the online platform). This section includes your rights, privileges and the legal amount of light household chores that you're allowed to do while staying with the family. It also includes the things that you shouldn't do while you're an au pair in your host country. Remember, kababayans, that you are representing your country and any wrongdoings of yours will greatly impact and affect future applications of other Filipinos who wants to pursue this cultural exchange program. So be very careful and follow the laws.

2. Prepare the things that you will bring

If you look this up online, you'll see that there's no specific list of what you should and shouldn't bring during an embassy interview.  Most YouTube videos aren't clear as well when they discussed this so I am gonna try my best to list it down for you (at least for the Royal Danish Embassy interview, but I guess it'll work for the others as well?)

1. Embassy Interview Letter
2. Pen
3. Valid ID Card

3. Practice answering common interview questions in English

Although most of us are bilingual and has been speaking the language since we're toddlers, an anxious and nervous state can still make you stutter or lost your train of thought. Aside from this, it's been proven time and time again that being prepared will give you success.

It's a good thing that the Checklist issued by the Norwegian Embassy contains some guidelines that can be helpful to every au pair applicants. You can practice answering on this set of questions which you can access on this website completely. 

But for an easy reading and concise reference, here are the questions that they listed:

1. Why do you wish to be an au pair? Why this host country?
2. How did you find out about the au pair scheme?
3. What does it mean to be an au pair?
4. How did you get into contact with the host family?
5. Do you know anyone living in your future host country? If yes, what are their names and how do you know them?
6. What will your duties in the host family be?
7. How many hours will you work each day? Please describe briefly how you imagine it will be.
8. How many hours will you work each week?
9. What will you do if your host family offers you to work more hours than what is stated in the contract, so that you can earn extra money?
10. What will you do if someone outside the host family asks you to do extra work for them?
11. What are you planning to do in your host country when you are not working?
12. Do you already have any knowledge of the host country's language?
13. What are your plans for learning the language while you are in the host country?
14. Does your host family have an au pair at the moment? If so, what is their name?
15. What are you planning to do when you are finished being an au pair in your host country?
16. When are you planning to return to your home country?
17. Do you have children of your own?
18. Describe your life at the moment. Are you working? Are you studying?

There are also some questions that I gathered from the group chats that I am a part of. This is specific for the Danish Embassy interview:

Why is English important?

Tell me about your family.

Tell me about yourself.

Tell me about your host family.

Why do you want to be an au pair? Why Denmark?

What did you do after you graduated?

What will you do when you finish your contract?

As you can see, most of them are lateral questions. Work out your answers on this and practice answering in English and you'll be fine. Another tip is to make sure that you countercheck your answers with what's written on your application form. Don't lie and don't give made-up and/or incomplete answers. This website has some great tips on what to avoid during visa interviews.

4. What to wear

If you go to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark website, you'll be able to locate this portion once you scrolled down. It's literally below, as if it's a foot note of some sort.

Locate the portion of ACCESS PROCEDURE AT THE EMBASSY and take note what the last thing that they wrote in there:

As you can see, there's a dress code that is being implemented in the building. There's nothing specific in there but as a general rule, follow this one and you'll be fine:

Your office clothing will do just fine.

5. Know how to get there

One of the most important one, I guess. Everything that you do before the interview will be nothing if you fail to appear on time. In order for you to avoid the hassle and bustle of the city life, plan ahead your route so there will be no surprises for you when the time comes.

In your embassy letter, it is stated that you should be there 15 minutes before your appointed time BUT I would recommend to be there an hour before your schedule just to make sure. It will also give you time to freshen up, set your phone on airplane mode and for you to calm your nerves before the actual interview.

So, if you're like me who doesn't own a car or knows anyone who can take me there, and you're also going to have your interview in the Danish Embassy, here's a little tip for you personally checked and tried by myself. Being someone from Makati, I am still gonna claim that BGC is in Makati City for the lols. It's a walking city so prepare for a whole lot of walking, okay?

Danish Embassy address: 11th/F 11th Corporate Center, 11th Avenue corner Triangle Drive, Bonifacio Global City

Starting Point: MRT 3, GUADALUPE STATION

1. From the MRT station, alight from Guadalupe Station; if you're coming from the north, use the bridge to cross to the other side. This will take you to Guadalupe Mall. If you are not familiar with the place, don't go inside the mall. Use the staircase to go down and pass through the wet market. This will take you to the jeepney/e-jeepney terminal directly. I am from Makati and I still get lost inside that mall.

2. Walk and look for the terminal to Pateros/C5. Currently, there are also e-jeepneys in there going to C5-FTI. That's what we are gonna ride in order to get to the Embassy.

This photo is taken in 2019 and during those times, they were only catering Pembo-Pateros rides. Currently, there are e-jeepneys in there going to C5/Market-Market

If you don't want to ride the e-jeepney (but I really think you should), you can look for a jeepney. There is an FTI-C5 Terminal down the road from the Guadalupe Mall. It is easy to locate but you will walk from the MRT Station for quite a bit.

3. Ask the driver to drop you off at Kalayaan PSBank or mention 11th.

4. Walk straight along 11th avenue until you reach the first intersection.

5. When you see Burger King, you're at the right building already.

I hope that this blog helps you!

Now for the Embassy Interview experience!

Tschuss.