I am becoming a US Citizen

Pitit Soley
Jul 21, 2017 · 2 min read

I am becoming a US citizen. It was doomed to happen. You move to a country. You marry a US citizen and you give birth to two US citizens. It was doomed to happen and it is happening.

On Tuesday night, I went to look for the preparation book with all the questions, a brief history of the USA and some short civic lessons. My husband read me the questions before we went to bed. They were not hard.

Yesterday, I printed the questions at work and went through them. I was ready. I googled the name of my representative (Mike Capuano), the names of my senators (Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren). I am becoming a US citizen.

It is happening, it is inevitable. After five years, a green card, why fight it? It is convenient. It is logical. I can leave whenever I want now. And I have to file a US tax return wherever I am now.

In November, saddened, I said, I didn’t care. In January, I realized that it would give me a voice, a vote, legitimacy. I have given 2 daughters to America and it was my right now to take that citizenship.

Did I ever want to become a US citizen? Maybe, when as an international student, I wanted to be able to apply for financial aid. Maybe, when my friends were displaying their American passports in Haiti and bragging about going to the citizen lane at the airport. Maybe.

Convenience and logics. Love and respect. Different feelings, different emotions. More than ten years ago, I became Canadian. A choice. A desire. With pride, with love, with certitude. My reason is leading me this time. And why not?

My dad told me he wanted to fly for my oath ceremony. I told him not to come. He is excited, happy, living vicariously, realizing through me, his dream of becoming American.

I will be taking the oath of allegiance to the United States of America. I remember my Canadian citizenship ceremony. I was late, I went by myself and after they gave us cake and soda. I was the first to leave, work was waiting for me. I did not have time to think about it too much. It was the logical thing to do at the time, like marrying a long time lover. I still love Canada, I dream of Canada and desire Canada and long for Canada (and Justin Trudeau) and my parents.

But, I followed my heart in the US, you marry the man, you marry the country (this is what my mom said). So, I am becoming an American citizen. This is part of the deal. This is logical. This is convenient.

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Pitit Soley

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Daughter of the sun