—————————————-VISA INTERVIEW————————————–
Interview Date: 25/06/2017
Scheduled Time: 9.30
Reached embassy: 8:45
Entered Embassy: 9: 35
Called for interview: 9:45
Counter Number: 5
VO was a white German lady.
VO: ‘Good Morning’
Me: Good Morning Mam.
VO: ‘Please forward your documents along with originals, photos and Passport’.
Me: provided.
VO: ‘Please give your fingerprints’.
Me: Provided.
VO: she punched my passport on the machine and with a surprising voice asked ‘You married’?
ME: Yes, Mam. I also have a baby boy of 4 months of age.
VO: She smiled and asked ‘So, you are going for masters. What is your program’?
ME: Yes, Mam. I am going for Joint Masters in Heritage Management and Site Management.
VO: ‘You already have a masters. What was on that?
ME: It’s on Archaeology.
VO: What is your current occupation?
ME: Currently I am working as an Assistant Keeper at a Museum in Dhaka?
VO: Which Museum?
ME: Currency Museum.
VO: O… I didn’t visit that. As you already have a masters, why you again want your 2nd Masters?
ME: In Bangladesh, The archaeological study doesn’t much concentrate on Archaeological conservation and site management. But my interest is to be an expert on Archaeological conservation. That’s why I want to complete this master’s to gather theoretical as well as practical knowledge on archaeological conservation. Moreover, my previous masters don’t have the opportunity to work on a thesis.
VO: ‘Quite interesting’. How many semester you will have to complete?
ME: 4 semesters.
VO: ‘Do you know which courses you will have to complete in your 1st semester’?
ME: Yah. I will have to complete 5 mandatory courses. Those are……..
VO: ‘What is your future plan’?
ME: After completing masters, I will pursue for PhD. And then want to come back Bangladesh and join in a higher position in Currency museum. I also have a plan to open a Archaeological Conservation and restoration firm. In Bangladesh, Archaeologists mainly concentrate on historical research, as a result all the govt. and private funded project on Archaeological conservation depend on foreign conservation expert. So, there is plenty of working opportunities for anyone with the knowledge on archaeological conservation.
VO: ‘Yah, I can understand, they mostly depend on foreign expert. And there are many archaeological heritage sites in Bangladesh. Where you will live in Germany?
ME: Well, I will stay at University Hostel in Cottbus. I have already applied for the hostel.
VO: ‘And If you do not get a place in the hostel’?
ME: Then I will book student dormitory. But they have confirmed me that they will assign a hostel room at the end of August and its very easy to get a room in Cottbus.
VO: ‘Who is financing your study’?
ME: My parents.
VO: What they do?
ME: My father is a deputy director in a medicine company.
VO: ‘And your mother’?
ME: She is a housewife.
VO: smiled and looking at my masters transcript, then asked: What is Bio-archaeology?
ME: answered.
VO: ‘What is Zoo-Archaeology’?
ME: answered.
VO: She was looking closely at my bachelor transcript and then asked: What you have learned in the course ‘Western Medieval Civilization’?
ME: Answered.
VO: ‘You will have to pay 5400BDT for VISA fees’.
ME: Will I have to pay here or in the bank?
VO: ‘Yah, here. Today the banks are closed’.
ME: I paid the fees. Then asked: Will you keep my passport?
VO: ‘No, we don’t keep original passport’ then she return all my original documents. She put a seal on my passport and sent that back. Then asked: Have you ever visited Germany before?
ME: No.
VO: ‘Is this your 1st passport’?
ME: No, Mam. I have another old passport.
VO: ‘Have you visited any other countries’?
ME: Yes, I have visited India for research purpose.
VO: ‘Ok. It will take 4-6 weeks and we will call you to come along with your passport’.
ME: That’s all?
VO: Yah, that’s all. Have a nice day.
ME: Thanks mam. Then left the counter.
My profile:
It was a long interview. There was only two student applicant. May be that’s why she took that much time to discuss. I am confused if it was good or bad….
My Intended University: Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus, Germany and Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
Course: Joint Masters in Heritage Conservation and Site Management.
Bachelor: Archaeology, CGPA: 3.29, Masters: Archaeology, CGPA: 3.12 (Jahangirnagar University)
Working Experience: 5 Years (2.5 years in an International Archaeological Research Organization and 2.5 years in Currency Museum)
Publications: 4 Research Journal Papare (2 local, 2 International); Book Publication: 2, Internationa Conference: 1.