I grew up in a family of seven people \u2014 my mom, my three cousins, my two sisters and me. Six of them, having been born in Cambodia and immigrated to the United States in 1980, all went through naturalization ceremonies.<\/p>\n
Yet, it took until I was 35 and reporting for the Empire for me to go to my first one on Friday. And it took being on the ninth floor of the Federal building, seeing all these people dressed up and taking photos, for me to realize how strange that is.<\/p>\n
Where was I during these monumental days for my family? Why didn\u2019t I attend? Undoubtedly it was because I was a kid when all the ceremonies happened and was probably at school. I wouldn\u2019t have understood anyway what was going on and I probably wouldn\u2019t have cried like I did at Juneau\u2019s naturalization ceremony at the federal courthouse when 41 people took an Oath of Allegiance and became citizens of the United States.<\/p>\n
When Rose Fernandez from Mexico accepted her certificate and, wiping away tears, said, \u201cI just wait for this for so many years, so this is a big privilege for me,\u201d how could I not cry with her?<\/p>\n
The group that become citizens that day live in different Southeast Alaska communities and are originally from 10 different countries, including Hungary, Russia, Belarus, India, Canada and China.<\/p>\n
The people supporting them on their big day, those filling the courtroom audience, were taking photos (U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Longenbaugh had relaxed the normal \u201cno photography\u201d rule), some held a baby in their lap (one man referenced his wife and triplets when he accepted his certificate), a few had congratulatory flowers, and everyone was excited and happy; I could feel it in the air.<\/p>\n
Sitka resident Ron Davis was there for his wife, Kristine Davis, who\u2019s originally from the Philippines. The two were introduced in 2008, when Ron\u2019s Filipino coworker, Kristine\u2019s grandmother, played matchmaker. Ron and Kristine ended up talking on the phone for three months before Ron traveled to the Philippines to meet her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we first met, we were at the airport. Everything snapped right in place. It was like we knew each other for a long time,\u201d Ron said.<\/p>\n
Kristine moved to Sitka in 2009. Ron was looking for someone who\u2019d go fishing and hunting with him, and Kristine does.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo she\u2019s everything that I want,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it was Kristine\u2019s turn to accept her citizenship certificate, Ron stood up from one of the back rows to take photos.<\/p>\n
As she introduced herself to the audience, Kristine said, \u201cI am very happy to be an American.\u201d Then, breaking down in tears, she continued, \u201cI would like to say thank you to my husband. I really, really love him.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, she said she doesn\u2019t miss anything about the Philippines, except her brothers. She has six, and five of them still live there.<\/p>\n
\u201cSitka is home now,\u201d Kristine said. \u201cBecoming a citizen was my dream since I was a kid. It\u2019s the land of opportunity, and I love America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cho Youn, 62, is originally from South Korea but has lived elsewhere for more than half his life. He first came to the U.S. as a student in 1981, returned to South Korea as a translator during the 1988 Olympics and then moved to Argentina a year later, where he spent 20 years. He moved back to the U.S. in 2009 to be closer to his daughter who was born here, and chose Petersburg as his home.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to be an American citizen since 50 years ago,\u201d Youn said during the ceremony. \u201cFinally my dream has come true. During Korean War, without help from U.S. government, we would not have survived. We all Korean thank America. So I want to be on the American side now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other things said on Friday included variations of \u201cThank you,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m proud to be an American,\u201d and \u201cGod bless America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian Olivato, originally from South Africa and a six-year resident of Skagway, said it well \u2014 \u201cI\u2019m super stoked to be a citizen. This is pretty rad.\u201d<\/p>\n
And sometimes words aren\u2019t even necessary. Maria Feliciano from the Philippines, throwing her arm in the air, simply exclaimed, \u201cWahoo!\u201d<\/p>\n
I wish I knew what my family members said to the audience during their naturalization ceremonies if they had been granted that opportunity. I can walk up to total strangers to ask them questions like, \u201cWhat does this day mean to you? Why did you want to become a citizen?\u201d But when it comes to be my family, I\u2019ve so far been incapable of being a reporter.<\/p>\n
So I called my mom, Lan Phu. She lives in New York and became a citizen on Jan. 18, 1995. When I asked her why it took her almost 15 years, she said, \u201cI don\u2019t know. Time just flew by. I was busy raising children.\u201d<\/p>\n
She doesn\u2019t remember details of her citizenship ceremony, like how many people she became naturalized with, but she\u2019s pretty certain she went alone and she didn\u2019t get to talk to the audience when she got her certificate.<\/p>\n
Despite the fuzzy memory, worn with time, she said it was an important day for her. For one reason, becoming a citizen meant she could get a 10-year U.S. passport instead of constantly applying for re-entry permits on her green card every time she left the country, which can get costly.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd also I could vote,\u201d my mom said. \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to vote. In Cambodia, I could never vote. I never had a voice. So now I have a voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
When she said that, I remembered that my mom and my oldest sister volunteer at a local polling place during every election.<\/p>\n
The naturalization ceremony is a big part of so many Americans\u2019, so many Alaskans\u2019 stories. It\u2019s a big part of my family\u2019s story, and therefore a huge part of my own.<\/p>\n
I was born in the U.S. less than three months after my family arrived. I admit I take my citizenship for granted. But the ceremony and my mom reminded me that I shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Contact reporter Lisa Phu at 523-2246 or lisa.phu@juneauempire.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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