Given a travel related situation, and given a specific question about the situation, summarize the question into a title

Input: Consider Input: My parents are visiting Europe for 2 weeks (more details below). I currently live in the US but I'm hoping to join them on this trip. My parents made some changes to their itinerary due to availability constraints which put me in the following situation (as I already had scheduled my visa appointment): 

The Norway visa processing time according to their website is 15 business days. My intended travel date is on the 13th business day which gives me only 11/12 business days for the visa processing. No earlier appoinments are available. I still want to go ahead and take chances. My questions

1) How would they deem such travel plan if it starts before claimed visa processing time. 


Are they going to reject it? 
Are going to grant visa for a different start date according to their processing completion but stick to the end date according to
travel plan?


2) Here's a short version of itinerary: first 5 days in Norway, next 2 1/2 days in Germany, the rest is 1-2 days in a few other countries. I'd still love to join my parents even when their trip is 25% through. How do I convey that in my application. 

I'd really appreciate your comments.

Update

Happy to share that I got the visa on 7th day (not 7th business day, just 7th day). I applied for Norway visa in San Francisco VFS office.


Output: I want to travel to the Schengen area in 13 days, but it takes 15 days to issue a visa. Can I still apply?


Input: Consider Input: I'm an American traveling to Central America for the first time this summer. I'll be entering Costa Rica and Panama. 

My Spanish is pretty good, but not native, and I wouldn't mind using it, but as a general rule, should I try to address the border officer in their language when I can or should I stick to English?


How it went: I transited Costa Rica without being asked any questions at all, but I entered remote Bocas del Toro using only Spanish (and let me tell you, it was much smoother for me than for my English-only traveling companions) and exited Bocas in English (different officer).

All in all, I followed the advice here, and answered in the language I was addressed in.


Output: In what language should I address foreign customs and immigration?


Input: Consider Input: My friend and I arrive to the HK airport (by international flights) with a 40-minute difference. Where is the best place for us to meet? I've heard that all flights arrive to terminal 1. Is it a good idea to meet at some specific place in Terminal 1, before going through the immigration and customs? If so, where exactly? (The map says there are 8 levels, and I'm not sure which level and place is most optimal.)



Output: Where to meet a travel partner at the Hong Kong airport?