Eye-Opener: Memo

What "Constitutes" being an American?

After being in the United States for 12 years, I'm finally an American Citizen. Why 12 years you might ask, well I was waiting for the right time.

I consulted with my astrologist and made sure that the stars were properly aligned and also with my fortune teller to see if today was auspicious. Would you believe me if I were to say that I applied sometime at the beginning of the 2nd semester and I received a letter from INS a couples of weeks later stating that I would hear from them within 6 months (between Feb and July).

It would be ideal if my parents became citizens before I turned 18 so I would "automatically" become one. But things were always inhibiting them- mainly money. It took a great deal of money just to renew four green cards, imagine how much it would take to pay for the INS application fee (for three adults at least less than $1000 total). $1000 was not that dispensible in my household, especially since credit card bills, tuitions and supporting other family members were on top of the "priority list."

So fellow bloggers, I implore this question,: What constitues being an American? Is it a piece of paper that states one's "Americanhood," is it the color of your passport or the label of citizenship- American? What is an American?

So after waiting for 12 years to apply, less than 6 months to set up an interview and probably 2 months until I attend an official ceremony inducting me American Citizenship, I would "technically" become American.

Today I attended my interview at 10:40 a.m., I waiting 40 minutes until my name was called. My interview lasted less than 5 minutes. The INS officer asked me to tell the truth, restate my address, sign and print my name on the lines specified, and told me to write "I love this country." She then asked me if I knew Martin Luther King Jr, what the thirteen stripes represented in the flag, and what was the capital of PA. She handed me a piece of paper that stated my passing the interview, she told me about the letter that would arrive in the future telling where and when the ceremony will take place. She asked me if I had any questions. After this, I was done. She told me that the exit was to left of her office.

I passed the interview, and now I'm "waiting" again for that letter, which would approximately arrive before July. I'm somewhat of an American citizen, I'm just waiting for the "official" ceremony.

play idea

set: green chairs, american flag, picture of statue of liberty
two doors one on each side

main character: Mika Vicoli
sits in chair

flashes back to past (transitions)
Mother braiding hair of little girl
Father giving candy to son
Baby girls of a different ethnicity waving goodbye to another

A black woman approached Mika to ask to see if she could borrow the study sheet

Mika hears different languages tagalog from behind, spanish to her right, italian to her front, An African language mixed with french to her left

MDQ: What constitutes being American?

Posted by Michael Diezmos at May 17, 2005 12:07 PM