wherein we achieve legitimate status

We arrived in NYC about a week ago with a mission: interview at the Korean consulate to get our visas, which allow one to stay and work in a country for a specified period. 
We prepared the paperwork during the days leading up to our scheduled interview. When the morning arrived, bagel desire got the best of us, and after a Park Slope bagel hunt (where coffee from Portland, Oregon's Stumptown roasters was also captured-double score!), we found ourselves with little time to prepare ourselves, and, upon leaving the house, realized we might be missing a couple crucial documents. This was after both Julio and KM had strived to always be, as in the parlance of their time, on top of their shit, every 'I' dotted and all that.
On the subway, we tried to calm the nerves, steady ourselves, right our spiritual ship.

We realized on the way that we had everything we needed for the interview. We became calm and brave, yet we knew anxiety is often around mysterious bends, particularly in big cities and government offices where the fates of mere kids like us are often not even the smallest glimmer of a speck of a thought to the movers and shakers.

We needn't have worried. Success was ours, after a fee of course. KM had it easy in her interview. I faced questions concerning my teaching abilities, why Korea?, are you and KM married? engaged? I don't even get this kind of grilling from my family! We both tried to break the ice with the traditional Korean greeting 'An nyoung hasayo', essentially 'Hello', but this fellow was all business. I suppose he does have the security of his nation in mind, but do we look like trouble? (Readers, consider this question rhetorical, but, if you must, respond where appropriate, citing of past experiences won't be necessary.)

YAY, US!