VO (几分钟后回来,操作着鼠标,看着屏幕): Were you going to do PhD before?
ME (我立刻意识到她看着我的9次拒签记录在向我问话。实话实说,不怕!): Yeah, PhD. Same, Electrical Engineering. In 2002, I was going to the University at Buffalo. No scholarship. But the last one (我指的是6000), I changed to something like University of Nevada, Las Vegas. (只见她一会看屏幕一会看我,鼠标好像不断在拉滚动条:我的记录好多!) In 2003, I got a small scholarship. Oh, sorry. For the first time in January (指7000), I selected Cleveland State University, no scholarship. But later the University of Idaho gave me a small scholarship, just one third of the overall expenses…
VO (插话): _+(*&(^*&%^% Boise State University…
(我立刻意识到她给我更正校名,因为并不是U of Idaho,只不过Boise Sate U在Idaho。我没有反应,也不多谢她纠正,只管往下说。)
ME: Yeah, this school gave me a scholarship and I was going to pay the rest myself. They arranged a tutor for me and the tutor provided research plan to me! So I decided to go there. I still remember the latest refusal. The nice visa offer told me that it was very difficult for me and hoped I could have substantial changes. So I was here to study and do research. So I am here.
(VO见我说完,满意地笑了。什么都不问。有起身到附近找了什么。这时Issued那个单词还没被圈住)
VO (回来): It looks that you’ve been accepted by two universities.
ME (立刻意识到她已清楚知道我有两个offers。镇定!): Yeah. The other one is University of Texas, San Antonio. Actually, I accepted the Ohio University in March. The UTSA was very late. (为了调整状态,故意叉开话题) Do you want my explanation?
VO: yes! (笑了。大概我真像个小孩子。)
ME: Actually, UTSA sent me a mail in late April. It just said that I was accepted so I was going to decline it. But later, in May, my mom told me that there’s something had been sent to China. She doesn’t understand English! Ten days ago I received a postal mail from UTSA again. And I got to know that they awarded me a full scholarship. Actually, more than 100%. (VO一边听一边笑着点头) So I told them thank you and I can’t accept them, since I’ve accepted Ohio University. My mom has sent the mail to me and I found an I20. Actually, the I20 from UTSA is still kept by me (我好猛啊!). But I am going to mail it back to them soon.
VO (很满意): Yeah! (突然,挤眼睛) which is the best? (她竟然不用Better)Ohio?
ME (我觉得VO不该在这种场合对比两所学校。蛮严肃地说): I like the research area at the Ohio University, even though they haven’t given me a full scholarship.