Thanks a lot britsimon, tons of info there, indeed...
Here is a quote from AOS 2014 thread:
"All 2014 diversity visas have to be distributed between October 1st, 2013 and September 30th, 2014. No exceptions. If you don't get an interview until September 30th, you don't get a green card."
"You need to make a decision whether you want to do AOS in US, or go back to your country and do CP, because AOS is considerably slower than CP. People who are current in a given month may get their interviews in that month or the following month in Consular Processing; whereas in AOS you wait for an average of 60-90 days after you send your package to USCIS. That means that while you are waiting for your turn, people in your country/region whose case numbers are behind you are getting their visas before you. If you have a high CN (
and also possibly from a country with low number of selectees), it is advisable to do CP."
So CP seems safer in my case, however I'll further investigate the AOS path. Once in US I plan to save vacation days for the next summer, when hopefully I'll get the invitation for interview.