The end of the journey..

[bly 0]

The end of our journey, my reflections on the Oath Ceremony and our journey.

My then fiancée arrived in the USA 4 years and 14 days ago...

Flash Forward to today: I witnessed my wife become a US Citizen. It was a nice ceremony held in Mason Ohio. We arrived at 8am, 2 hours of paperwork time. The Ceremony started promptly at 10am. It was personal, funny at times, and beautiful from start to finish. The local Boy Scout troop presented and removed colors, we had representatives for our state Senators speak briefly. The federal judge in charge kept everything light but yet serious at the same time, he seemed to have nack for telling a good short joke at the right time and being as serious as the situation deserves at other times. At 10:50 it was over, certificate in hand, we left.

The 77 people sworn in today represented people from all corners of the earth, ranging in places I have been to, to countries I’ve never heard of. Eritrea is a country? Yes it is, but I had no idea until I googled it this afternoon. We had 3 former soviet countries represented, Korea, China, Vietnam, our neighbors to the north and south Canada and Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, in all 5 of the 7 continents were represented. (Sorry Antarctica and Australia!)

I spent some of my day reflecting how life has changed in the last 5 years.

When I was waiting for my K1 to be approved, I checked the USCIS site twice (ok maybe 15 times) a day for any update. It’s a difficult wait, waiting for your new life to start. Then her arrival, a mild yet sunny day in April of 06, followed closely by a wedding attending by friends and family alike. So many forms; K1, AOS, Work and Travel documents, removing conditions and citizenship. By the end of the journey we didn’t bother to look online anymore for a status updates. We were busy living our lives, snail mail updates were fine. Sometimes the USCIS mail would even sit unopened for a couple hours on the kitchen table, oh the travesty that would have been 4 years before.

Of course many other things have changed, 4 years of marriage will do that. We are talking about starting a family. We’re going to apply for her American passport this week, oh, that will be a bonus, easy international travel! No more odd stares at the Cancun or Ontario airports having to fill out extra paperwork traveling on a Ukrainian passport. We’ll be able to visit some friends in Europe without having to obtain visas. We are both playing on the same level starting today, we are both Americans.

This journey for us is over… I wish everyone else peace and god’s speed on their journey. I bid you all Adieu!

[fPf_iMc 1]

I know it has been a looonngngg journey for you both and I know it's not that easy... but you made it! Congratulations!!!

[redglasses 1]

Congratulations!!!

[-B&T- 1]

Congratulations!

[v333k 59]

congratulations!!!!