3/20/2007 Tuesday
2 days after we got back from our NY trip. I am to be naturalized to become an American citizen today. I don't know how to describe my emotions... I've been living in this beautiful country for almost 16 years, and almost over half of my life so far. I've never felt like a stranger on this land. It's always been my home. Although deep in my heart I will always think of Taiwan as my motherland. I am not really super excited, just relieved that this process has finally come to an end and no more tiring appointments to meet.
We left the house early at about 7:30am because we had to be there by 8:15am. Of course we were late... travelling in the super RUSH hour is not fun at all. Acaica cried and screamed while the car just stopped and went on the highway. (later I found out it was because she pooped.... poor baby, she loves to be clean). We made it finally, the 2 of us. And although we were late, we were not really that late... it was just in time to get in for the ceremony. The officier checked my ID, took away my greencard, and we started the ceremony. The place is Dallas Convention center, ballroom A. There are over 600 people becoming citizens today. Amazing!!
I finally got time to check Acacia's diaper... and what an explosion!! I felt SO sorry for my little girl. No wonder she was crying so hard in the car. I got back to the ballroom, and I decided just to sit on the carpeted floor, not among the 600 people, it was way too crowded and Acacia didn't like being so close to strangers. I felt like I was watching all these people getting naturalized, and I was just a visitor, or a family. But I was in tears watching this video they were showing, and when I heard the black lady sang the national anthen. It is a beautiful country because it's made of different peoples, and all the people of the US love this country. Yeah, I was getting a little emotional sitting on the floor with Acacia.
After the long ceremorny, I finally got my naturalization paper. It bears the same function as a birth certificate of any American. And I appreciated when the officier said "welcome, my fellow Americans".
So on this day, I become an American.
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