2006 Archives
Welcome to America! Orients Diversity Visa Lottery Winners
U.S. Embassy Consular Section presented to Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery winners on October 19, 2006, an innovative panel discussion entitled Welcome to America! The impulse behind this orientation program is to help recent Diversity Visa Lottery winners make an easier adjustment to their new lives in the U.S. and to be equipped with the elements of successful integration into daily life. The panelists -- Americans and Cameroonian Staff alike -- gave ten- to fifteen-minute presentations on numerous aspects of American life, including education, U.S. law, finance, cultural differences, and job hunting. The audience of over seventy participants was extremely attentive and, among other group concerns, asked pointed questions about health insurance and enrolling in college. In addition to numerous informative hand-outs and a current temperature read-out for their destination city, self-made contact cards were also provided so that to participants could keep in contact with those going to the similar regions or cities in the United States. The DV winners praised the U.S. Embassy for making them "feel like Americans already" and for providing them with vital information for a much easier adjustment to life in the America. Based on the success of this panel, future panels are being scheduled to take place at regular intervals.