ESL Podcast 735 - Getting a Visa to Travel

relative - a person who is part of one's family; a person who one shares a relationship with through birth or marriage

Sheila doesn't have very many relatives, but her husband is from a huge family and he has more than 20 cousins.

on board - in agreement; ready and willing to be involved in something and support it

If you can get the boss on board, I'm sure your idea will be a success.

to give (something) a shot - to try to do something, even if it does not seem very likely to succeed

Kari asked me to make her birthday cake, and even though my cakes have always failed in the past, I agreed to give it a shot.

hitch - a minor problem; an obstacle; something that makes it more difficult to do what one wants to do

The company wants to hire new employees, but there's just one hitch: there isn't enough money to pay them!

extended - referring to relatives who are not part of one's immediate family; aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. (not parents, brothers, sisters, or children)

Most of his extended family lives on the West Coast, but he grew up in Tennessee because his parents moved there when he was a child.

visa - official permission for someone to enter a country and stay there for a certain period of time for a specific purpose, usually put in one's passport as a stamp or sticker

Do U.S. citizens need a visa to travel to Brazil?

on short notice - without very much advance notice; without very much time to do something

This restaurant is very popular, so it's impossible to get a reservation on short notice. You need to call weeks in advance.

citizen - a person who is identified with a particular country, with certain rights (like voting) and responsibilities (like paying taxes)

U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, regardless of where they are living when they earn the money.

border - the imaginary line separating two countries or states, showing where one begins and another one ends

The Columbia River forms most of the border between Oregon and Washington.

exchange visitor visa - permission to enter the United States as a participant in an exchange program where one applies and meets certain criteria, usually to study or work for a certain period of time

Seymour received an exchange visitor visa to study as a high school student in the United States for one year.

Visa Waiver Program - a program that allows citizens of 36 countries to enter the United States for up to 90 days without getting a visa

Brunei, the Czech Republic, and Malta are three of the countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

State Department - the part of the U.S. government that deals with international relations, passports, and visas

Raoul is studying Arabic and international relations and hopes to work for the State Department after he graduates.

to get on the horn - to call someone; to use a telephone

Please get on the horn and invite the heads of each department here for an emergency meeting.

embassy - the building where an ambassador and other staff members live in another country, officially representing their home country and maintaining the relationship between the two countries

The embassy hosts a fun barbeque each year on Independence Day and invites all the U.S. citizens living in that country.

consulate - the building where staff members are officially representing their home country, but focus more on assisting individuals and businesses than on international relations

We spent hours in line at the consulate, waiting for our visa interview.

to shape up - to begin to take form; to progress or advance

The conference is really shaping up. More than 200 people have already paid the registration fee to attend.

party planning - the act of making arrangements and preparations for a party or gathering

Party planning is overwhelming! We still have to make the guest list, pick a band, decide what kind of food to serve, reserve a facility, and send out invitations. (something) is (one's) middle name - a phrase used to describe how someone is very good at doing something and likes to do it

If you need help baking for the party, give me a call! Baking is my middle name.