Citizenship

Though I have been quiet on my blog of late, big things have been happening in this Newell family, and it is only now that I have been able to sit down and give a quick update.  All of our efforts from the past few months have culminated in one significant result: Diep is now a U.S. citizen.


Congratulations go to Diep, of couse, but this was definitely a team effort.  Diep and I both traveled back to the U.S. twice after our home leave in July to finish the naturalization process, and while we were gone Megan stayed home; not alone, but with her older cousin.  I am very proud of her for the maturity she showed while we were away.  I would like to think she was rewarded accordingly with gifts from the land of the big BX.

Diep also made me proud by learning all 100 questions in English that the USCIS required for her citizenship test. She tackled this project with less than one month's notice, and she also managed to familiarize herself with the naturalization form which she was also questioned on.  This was doubly daunting because her interview took place between just her and the USCIS interviewing officer.

I would like to think I got a little out of the whole process as well. I learned all of the answers to the questions Diep got as well, and I also got a glimpse of the joys and sorrows that take place in the USCIS office everyday.  Seeing the hopes and dreams in the eyes of those waiting to be tested and the joy and sorrow of those same individuals as they walked out of the testing rooms. I definitely have taken for granted my native born right of citizenship, but I hope I have adjusted my perspective, at least a little.

Probably not surprisingly, we hit our bumps along the way.  All of these issues we were confronted with now seem very insignificant, especially in the light of the fact that we started this process by sending in the initial request form in the beginning of August and finished it on November 14th.  Counting from the day the USCIS actually received our form, it comes out to four months (almost to the day) from beginning to end.  That is incredibly efficient in my mind and I am grateful for the automation and streamlining that must be in place for that to happen.  More incredibly, Diep got her first U.S. passport in just three hours at the Atlanta Passport Agency.  All I can say is "WOW!"

Everyone is in Hanoi now and we are looking forward to our Christmas break when we will all spend some time in Saigon and Bangkok for a few days.  Looks like it will be a very Merry Christmas and and a Happy New Year!