Today has become a very special day for the Oh family. As a sister, a daughter, & a member of this family, I couldn't be prouder of what we were able to accomplish that took a span of roughly 10-years. My brother’s departure from the immigration office this morning concludes our journey to becoming American citizens. I am extraordinarily happy and proud of my brother, who successfully passed his citizenship interview under some special circumstance. Though his interview method was somewhat different from the rest of us, due to his health conditions, with the help of my dad as his legal guardian, my brother was able to meet the basic requirements. Yes, that also meant he needed to answer several questions on his own, which took several days of practicing interview questions with me. It’s not always easy to convince a person that my brother, who will not be able serve in the military or get a job (& pay income taxes), deserves to be an American citizen. And just like we expected, convincing the immigration officer wasn’t necessarily easy. But, my brother did it and we are so proud. We, the entire family, were all there to support & congratulate his accomplishment.
Although mom & Wonho didn’t go through the Oath Ceremony just yet, all of us are officially/unofficially citizens of this country. It has been frustrating, tired some, time-consuming, & money-draining process that only took us 10 years, but we did it. And that’s all it matters. “Citizenship Process” can finally go away in our thoughts…no more ridiculous lump sum payments (for 4 of us!!), random trips to El Paso for interviews (aka me), and no more having to explain what a green card is. Now that (aka Citizenship Process) is off our shoulders…forever!
Thank you to everyone who are constantly sending me & my family congratulations message, phone calls, and emails from far distance away. We are always so appreciative of your support, and our 10 years in the U.S. has so far been memorable.
I think my dad will FINALLY be able to sleep like a child tonight. :)
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