Hello everyone! My name is María Cisneros, and I’m excited to share my story as I get ready to start an exciting new chapter in Riverdale, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., where I’ll be working as a systems engineer.
A Little About Me
I’m originally from León, a small city in the north of Spain. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Organization Engineering, and later, I was fortunate to earn a full scholarship with the Track and Field team at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where I completed my master’s in Project Management.
After studying there for a year, I received an extension through my student visa (F1-OPT), which allowed me to work on different projects in the Los Angeles area for another year. That chapter of my life deserves its own blog post!
How I Got the Offer
The opportunity to join the company came after months of research and networking. It’s a Spanish company, which it is an advantage. Not only we share a cultural connection, but it’s also one of the top engineering companies from my country. This role is a great chance for me to immerse myself in how things are done abroad.
How I Heard About the Program
I first learned about ArchitectUS through the company hiring me. They had worked with them before. I feel very relieved, because going through visa processes, is something that truly overwhelms everyone. It’s a huge time investment, and the constant uncertainty about whether you’re doing everything correctly… a ¨headache”…
The Embassy Appointment
About the process of filling out the application, and figuring out how to make the payment… was a journey too. The embassy could put it a little easier.
Gathering all the required documents – I almost forgtet to submit one! and, the visa photo requirement… It has to be less than six months old, so I had to get new ones taken. Now I have three extra copies of myself not smiling… that rule is…!
Luckily, I was told I didn’t need to go in person for the interview this time. I just had to mail my documents, and no, I didn´t have to book a train to Madrid at the last minute.
Everything went smoothly, and the process took around one week to get the visa approved and sent back. And here I am, at the airport, saying goodbye to the beautiful Barcelona to say hello to the hopefully also beautiful Washington, D.C.
I will keep you posted.
Best,
Maria Cisneros
