Avoiding the '5 minute video' blue slip

[ameriken]

After reading faq's, posts, etc, my only real concern about Jie's upcoming interview (my worrybird) is her being so shy and nervous, that she may get a VO with an accent and she will 'blank' everything she knows about english.

 

While her vocabulary is limited, we never have any trouble conversing or understanding each other.

 

I have suggested that she practice her listening skills by watching some of her movie DVD's without the subtitles/dubs and force herself to 'hear' the different American accents, and know and understand as much of the dialogue as possible. I have also tried to teach her some of the American accents, and have given her some phrases to help her build the VO's confidence in her English skills (like "how are you" or "how you doing" , etc).

 

I am not so concerned about vocabulary because I dont think she will encounter any words at the interview she does not know, and I think the vocabulary at the interview will be simple enough. Just hearing someone other than me speaking is my main concern.

 

Anyone know of any CD's, DVD's etc she can get in China that could help her tackle this......listening to dialogue, accents, etc?

 

Any other suggestions to help prevent this common blue slip?

[IluvmyLi]

After reading faq's, posts, etc, my only real concern about Jie's upcoming interview (my worrybird) is her being so shy and nervous, that she may get a VO with an accent and she will 'blank' everything she knows about english.

 

While her vocabulary is limited, we never have any trouble conversing or understanding each other.

 

I have suggested that she practice her listening skills by watching some of her movie DVD's without the subtitles/dubs and force herself to 'hear' the different American accents, and know and understand as much of the dialogue as possible. I have also tried to teach her some of the American accents, and have given her some phrases to help her build the VO's confidence in her English skills (like "how are you" or "how you doing" , etc).

 

I am not so concerned about vocabulary because I dont think she will encounter any words at the interview she does not know, and I think the vocabulary at the interview will be simple enough. Just hearing someone other than me speaking is my main concern.

 

Anyone know of any CD's, DVD's etc she can get in China that could help her tackle this......listening to dialogue, accents, etc?

 

Any other suggestions to help prevent this common blue slip?

183604[/snapback]

Ken it's nice the you want Jie to be prepared. I think it's just the luck of the draw on which VO we get and if he or she wants to be a hard azz.

 

Li and I will practice the sample questions and try to get her to answer as many as possible in English.

 

Some VO's don't care if she can speak a word of English. While others will be looking for weakness and jump all over her.

 

Good luck.

[michaelj0183]

After reading faq's, posts, etc, my only real concern about Jie's upcoming interview (my worrybird) is her being so shy and nervous, that she may get a VO with an accent and she will 'blank' everything she knows about english.

 

While her vocabulary is limited, we never have any trouble conversing or understanding each other.

 

I have suggested that she practice her listening skills by watching some of her movie DVD's without the subtitles/dubs and force herself to 'hear' the different American accents, and know and understand as much of the dialogue as possible. I have also tried to teach her some of the American accents, and have given her some phrases to help her build the VO's confidence in her English skills (like "how are you" or "how you doing" , etc).

 

I am not so concerned about vocabulary because I dont think she will encounter any words at the interview she does not know, and I think the vocabulary at the interview will be simple enough. Just hearing someone other than me speaking is my main concern.

 

Anyone know of any CD's, DVD's etc she can get in China that could help her tackle this......listening to dialogue, accents, etc?

 

Any other suggestions to help prevent this common blue slip?

183604[/snapback]

She can have that interview in Chinese. I think it would be a mistake to have it in English; my girlfriend told the VO she could speak English and she had her 3 minute interview and was denied. The VO asked for supplementary information: 1. notarized copy of every page on my passport. 2. detailed statement on the evolution of our relationship (including when, where, and why we got engaged. 3. a copy of every phone bill from beginning to end. 4. detailed statement on what I did in China; (and including name and address etc on where I purchased tickets and if anyone accompanied me to China). I did not accompany her to Guangzhou but most like if I had things might have been different. So you may want to do some of that stuff in advance especially the notarize copy of the passport. Also let her hold your passport while she is in her interview so she can show the VO that you are actually there. You will not be allowed in the actual inteview.

[BillV 8-16-2004]

After reading faq's, posts, etc, my only real concern about Jie's upcoming interview (my worrybird) is her being so shy and nervous, that she may get a VO with an accent and she will 'blank' everything she knows about english.

 

While her vocabulary is limited, we never have any trouble conversing or understanding each other.

 

I have suggested that she practice her listening skills by watching some of her movie DVD's without the subtitles/dubs and force herself to 'hear' the different American accents, and know and understand as much of the dialogue as possible. I have also tried to teach her some of the American accents, and have given her some phrases to help her build the VO's confidence in her English skills (like "how are you" or "how you doing" , etc).

 

I am not so concerned about vocabulary because I dont think she will encounter any words at the interview she does not know, and I think the vocabulary at the interview will be simple enough. Just hearing someone other than me speaking is my main concern.

 

Anyone know of any CD's, DVD's etc she can get in China that could help her tackle this......listening to dialogue, accents, etc?

 

Any other suggestions to help prevent this common blue slip?

183604[/snapback]

Ken it's nice the you want Jie to be prepared. I think it's just the luck of the draw on which VO we get and if he or she wants to be a hard azz.

 

Li and I will practice the sample questions and try to get her to answer as many as possible in English.

 

Some VO's don't care if she can speak a word of English. While others will be looking for weakness and jump all over her.

 

Good luck.

183605[/snapback]

My wife's interview was no problem since I also used the sample questions everyday with her. Her one problem was the VO asks to see the tickets of my trips to China. She asked her to repeat the question in Mandarin and then understood what she wanted to see.

[IluvmyLi]

I will have my SO do what David has suggested long time ago.

 

"I can speak some english, I am learning. But I will understand you better if you speak in chinese".

[ameriken]

183604[/snapback]

She can have that interview in Chinese. I think it would be a mistake to have it in English; my girlfriend told the VO she could speak English and she had her 3 minute interview and was denied. The VO asked for supplementary information: 1. notarized copy of every page on my passport. 2. detailed statement on the evolution of our relationship (including when, where, and why we got engaged. 3. a copy of every phone bill from beginning to end. 4. detailed statement on what I did in China; (and including name and address etc on where I purchased tickets and if anyone accompanied me to China). I did not accompany her to Guangzhou but most like if I had things might have been different. So you may want to do some of that stuff in advance especially the notarize copy of the passport. Also let her hold your passport while she is in her interview so she can show the VO that you are actually there. You will not be allowed in the actual inteview.

183612[/snapback]

I will be there, and intend to do everything you suggested........but I am surprised about the interview in mandarin........isnt that instant blue slip? Wont a request to do it in mandarin tell the VO 'my english isnt good' and result in us needing to do the video?

[ameriken]

I will have my SO do what David has suggested long time ago.

 

"I can speak some english, I am learning. But I will understand you better if you speak in chinese".

183618[/snapback]

Todd, do you know where that thread is?

[Randy W]

Have her learn to heart (in perfect English):

 

"I didn't understand what you just said. Would you repeat that in Mandarin?"

Edited January 17, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[michaelj0183]

I will have my SO do what David has suggested long time ago.

 

"I can speak some english, I am learning. But I will understand you better if you speak in chinese".

183618[/snapback]

Yes, that is good advice for Li. It is very important to get your point across to the interviewer. When my Mei (also from NanNing) was denied I sent an e-mail to the Visa Unit and for some unexplained reason they decided to send her a letter and invited her back to GZ to pickup her visa. She is on her way now as we speak. She said that the VO denied another woman the same day as her and that woman did not leave his desk when directed to but instead she just stayed there and cried, and the VO changed his mind and approved her. So a few tears cannot hurt either.

[IluvmyLi]

I will have my SO do what David has suggested long time ago.

 

"I can speak some english, I am learning. But I will understand you better if you speak in chinese".

183618[/snapback]

Todd, do you know where that thread is?

183620[/snapback]

Ken I have no idea. I copied things that I thought were important, but have no way of finding the original post.

 

I bet money David can find it for you.

[michaelj0183]

I will have my SO do what David has suggested long time ago.

 

"I can speak some english, I am learning. But I will understand you better if you speak in chinese".

183618[/snapback]

Todd, do you know where that thread is?

183620[/snapback]

Ken I have no idea. I copied things that I thought were important, but have no way of finding the original post.

 

I bet money David can find it for you.

183626[/snapback]

I agree with BillV. It all depends on the luck of the draw. I wish I would have gone to GZ for the inteview I would love to see how efficiently the U.S. Government is operating.

[frank1538]

...but I am surprised about the interview in mandarin........isnt that instant blue slip? Wont a request to do it in mandarin tell the VO 'my english isnt good' and result in us needing to do the video?

183619[/snapback]

Jingwen conducted her interview in Guangdonghua (Cantonese) after she told the VO that she only spoke a little English. Actually, the VO asked her if she preferred Putonghua (Mandarin) or Guangdonghua. Jingwen chose Guangdonghua. I don't know if things are tougher these days but remember the criterion is being able to communicate with each other and not whether your SO speaks English.

[david_dawei]

From my first encounter with this webpage, my sole focus was on those '5' minutes.. and I put most of my effort to search and organize the interviews to look for anything that would help towards avoiding the blue slip... most of the results of this can be found in the FAQ for sure...

 

But, the language issue was particularly of interest since my SO did not speak any english when we meet and I had hoped for her english to be "good enough" by the interview time. In the end, and with some advice from another member,

 

I decided on the following:

1) The previous year had many denials which wanted a video; the current one showed decline in video.. despite...

2) I also noted that more and more SOs were doing the interview in chinese (but a decline in videos!)

3) My SO would not be completely comfortable attempting english.

4) We prepare a 'battle plan' which she played out to perfection in the interview (see link):

--a. she would open in english and request chinese;

--b. answer anything simple in english, but use chinese to show no hesitation in answering

--c. clearly labled outside of folders in chinese so she could quickly retireve anything asked (nothing was asked for).

--d. We had a very clearly backup plan if the blueslip came.. my SO was thoroughly aware of the interview as possibly two phases with a return visit if more was requested... the blue slip was only one of two colors she should expect to say your done or we want more info..

 

Which VO you get is a crap shot.. and I still feel it is a waste of time to try and figure out the personalities of the VOs as if to anticipate their differences.. Let your SO be comfortable and natural. I would say that they do better spontaneously than applying too much thought as to which way to 'act or speak' to a specific VO, in a moments notice.

 

My advice is that the SO do it in chinese

 

 

Interview experience, Questions, etc

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12690

Edited January 17, 2006 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[yuehan123]

It's been a long time our interview, maybe it's changed since then. My SO said that the announcements and directions from security inside the waiting room at the old place were in Cantonese, not Mandarin. Maybe somebody who has been recently can comment on this.

 

I met one lady who got a denial, not because her English was bad, but due to the fact she hired a translator and the translator made multiple errors on the G-325.

 

The ladies my SO knew who used only Mandarin, or only a little English, before switching, all passed.

[chef4u]

We were told that it is ok to do the interview in Chinese. I do not know if that means one has a choice between Mandarin or Cantonese. My SO speaks both. But, I find this simply unbelievable that a person would be denied due to their lack of understanding or their ability to communicate in the English language. Especially, when you considered the lack of understanding of the language here in the States. It appears in newspapers and local news on how poorly our students are doing in English. In addition, the adult population as well. My goodness, we are simply asking these VO's to let us be with the one we love!! My SO communication skills are unbelievably fantastic to the one person who really cares about her......me!!

 

After reading this thread.....I and my Uncle Dino will be going to Guangzho for my SO's interview.