Thursday, June 21st, 2018 - On Becoming an American Citizen

I first arrived in the United States in 1977. I was an Aussie exploring the world, as Aussies are prone to do, and I was drawn to the National Outdoor Leadership School in Wyoming for a month-long outdoor program. The month-long time frame then grew like topsy and extended to six-months.

That's me in the center back row with the floppy hat! These are the women on the NOLS Course, August 1977, in the Absaroka Mountains, Wyoming.

This is the point in the story where my mother would have been be wise to warn me - 'Enough excitement already my dear; buy that ticket home now!', but the adventurous spirit drew me on instead to the Outward Bound School in Minnesota, where I remained and worked for the next three years.

It would be fair to say I was a pretty happy 'camper' in Minnesota at the Outward Bound School - and I ended up catching more than fish!

Most of you know the story from there - I met the lovely man, got married,  had two wonderful daughters and that move back to Australia just  never got on the agenda as the years went by. 

Sarah, Bill, Robyn and myself with Cassie, one of our dogs, in 1989

Finally, after 41 years and with lots of time to think now that I'm retired, it finally dawned on me that America is my home too, and it is long past time for me to own it.

Once I made the decision, the immigration process was pretty simple for me. I applied online in February. I had to make only two trips to Jacksonville - the first for 'biometrics' and fingerprints for the FBI background check, the second for my 'interview', language and citizenship tests. As an over 65 year old, I didn't have to prove I could speak English and I only needed to know the answer to 20 of the 100 standard questions. The ones I had to know were things I had learned during my 41 years of living here anyway, so it was not a challenge. 

The toughest question was the one asking me if I would be willing to 'bear arms to defend the country?!' I looked at my interviewer with quizzical eyes and said 'I am 67 years old!' She shrugged her shoulders at me in response and so I said 'Oh, sure!' I guess that was close enough to 'Yes' to satisfy her, as the next notification was for the ceremony.

So last Thursday, June 21st, 2018 found me sitting in a room in Jacksonville at US Citizenship and Immunization Services with 40 other souls from 28 different nations. 

You can see me grinning and waving my flag in the center of the picture. My REALLY short hair is another story, but that's me - the woman who's almost bald!

I also had a very dear collection of friends with me to celebrate the event and their enthusiasm was infectious.

Robin Lashley

Judy Skaggs

Heidi, Sandy, Barb, Barbara and Marcia - some of my YMCA knitting group.

In spite of such wonderful support, a small part of me was dreading the oath, which reiterated that requirement to 'bear arms!' Here's what I was required to say"

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

In spite of the requirement to agree to these words, dual citizenship is permitted. That gave me the courage to proceed and say what was necessary with joy in my heart. I even misted up as the Star Spangled Banner was being sung, as it was the first time I had heard it as mine rather than for others.

Following the ceremony, my friends helped me get many photographs and eventually, it was time to move on.

I'm smiling, but the Lady Liberty looks as if she may be weeping. That's why my most important task of the day was to stop by the table set up by the League of Women Voters to register to vote!

Now that is really the most important thing and is a way of bearing 'arms' that I happily completed!