Citizenship-UPDATED WITH RESULTS...

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 12:27 pm

emmline wrote:
Bloomfield wrote:Eh, bonne chance, mon ami. Je te souhaite merde, eh?

This, I'm assuming, is a nice(?) thing to say Bloomie? I'm sure there's a subtle cultural nuance, I'm missing. Yeah.

Reminds me of my brother in ninth grade french class. A female acquaintance of his was cutting up, not paying attention, and about to be called on to say "I have a big ball of string," in French. Quickly, she asks my bro, the class brain, for the answer. He tells her what to say, and when her turn comes she stands up and with great confidence says "J'ai une grande boule de merde!" Teacher is not pleased.

Funny! You can have a lot of fun with languages... I, myself am guilty of having, as a teenager, misdirected many a tourist...
And yes, it is a nice thing to say. The proverbial "merde" being the equivalent of the more polite American "break a leg". Culturally, I'm not sure, but it could originate from the belief that stepping in doo-doo is good luck (particularly if you use your left foot!

)

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 1:55 pm

pthouron,
Not to worry about the INS interview. My wife passed with flying colors and she could not speak English very well at the time (25 years ago). We did, however, have an interesting interview before the final test. If you have seen the movie "Green Card" then you know how it went. We were married outside the USA and they suspected us of marying so my wife could claim citizenship. As in the movie, we were interrogated for about 45 minutes each and they were very detailed. But we convinced them that we did marry for the normal reason - so I could inherit billions from my eccentric uncle whose will said I had to be married before a certain date...oh, wait a minute, that's another movie. Never mind.
Bon chance!
Mike

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 2:24 pm

burnsbyrne wrote:pthouron,
Not to worry about the INS interview. My wife passed with flying colors and she could not speak English very well at the time (25 years ago). We did, however, have an interesting interview before the final test. If you have seen the movie "Green Card" then you know how it went. We were married outside the USA and they suspected us of marying so my wife could claim citizenship. As in the movie, we were interrogated for about 45 minutes each and they were very detailed. But we convinced them that we did marry for the normal reason - so I could inherit billions from my eccentric uncle whose will said I had to be married before a certain date...oh, wait a minute, that's another movie. Never mind.
Bon chance!
Mike

Thanks! I've had a green card for 22 years, so I am not even filing as the spouse of a US citizen (although my wife is just that). I am claiming citizenship on my own. I figure after 22 years of filing an IRS return, they can grant me the privilege!...

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 6:04 pm

Congrats!

Sounds like you got your green card about the same time my wife did, though she went for her citizenship as soon as she was eligible.

I wouldn't worry too much about the interview - the green card interviews are often nasty, but the citizenship interview is mostly to see if you understand how the government is supposed to work and what your rights and responsibilities will be. Anyone able to participate in the C & F political threads should be able to breeze through.

So can we expect you at the polls for every election now?

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:36 pm

Wow! Congratulations to you!

And DCrom's right. You gotta vote. In my house anyway, otherwise you can't complain.

Paul Anderson · Post by **Paul Anderson** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:37 am

When they ask you to name some of the Bill of Rights, don't do as I did and mention the second amendment. I got a really strange look for that. But, they still gave me the piece of paper. I know that I value my US citizenship more than most who were born here. You'll never regret it. Bienvenue.

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:38 am

Dear friends and whistling colleagues,

Let me put an end to the unbearable suspense: I know you are all waiting with bated breath to find out the outcome of my citizenship interview. I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is I passed all tests. The civics test was five questions any 10-year old should be able to answer, and the English test required me to write the following sentence: "Today, I will drive my car." I am glad my four years as an English major in college were finally put to good use.

After the usual background questions (i.e. "Do you belong to any organization whose goal is the overthrow of the US Government?"-do they really expect some day, somebody will say yes?), the case officer approved my application. The whole process took 20 minutes, and it was now 9:30am. I was told to come back at 11:30am for the oath ceremony. I felt safe in assuming I had that puppy licked.

The bad news is that I was not taking into account the wonderful efficiency of the INS - for which we are envied the world over. After sitting on my application for 18 months (not to mention the 25 years I have spent in this country and the dozen or so times I have left and come back), they suddenly realized that they had not one, but two "alien" files on me. Where or what the second one is, I sure as hell have no clue. Apparently, neither does the INS.

Soooo... although I have fulfilled the requirements to become a citizen, I will not be allowed to do so until the INS locates the mystery file, requisitions it and looks at what is inside. This process may take up to six additional months. Which sort of puts a crimp on my plans to vote next fall.

Well... INS: 1 - Patrick:0, but there will be a rematch, and hopefully, it will be on the shorter end of the six months.

Fondly,

pthouron

Goldie · Post by **Goldie** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:59 am

pthouron wrote: (i.e. "Do you belong to any organization whose goal is the overthrow of the US Government?"-

So, are you going to join the Democratic party after becoming a US citizen?

Colin

Ps Wishing you good luck with it!!!!!

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:21 am

Goldie wrote:
pthouron wrote: (i.e. "Do you belong to any organization whose goal is the overthrow of the US Government?"-
So, are you going to join the Democratic party after becoming a US citizen?

That IS a vicious way to ask the same question!

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:42 am

God works in mysterious ways. But there is no question that the INS is and has been a mess (maybe SCANDAL is a better word) for years.

Best wishes to a semblance of timely resolution, Pthou. It could be worse, your name could be Elian Gonzales.

Montana · Post by **Montana** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:50 am

This delay is that "covertly" part I mentioned before...

But seriously, why does one person need have two files? An efficient (aye, there's the rub) organization would have just one file per person.
So sorry about the SNAFU; we could have used another active voter. Depending on what happens in the election, you might want to put off citizenship for more than just six months...

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:00 am

The Weekenders wrote:It could be worse, your name could be Elian Gonzales.

depending on what they find in the mystery file... it might be yet!

pthouron · Post by **pthouron** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:01 am

Montana wrote:This delay is that "covertly" part I mentioned before...
But seriously, why does one person need have two files? An efficient (aye, there's the rub) organization would have just one file per person.
So sorry about the SNAFU; we could have used another active voter. Depending on what happens in the election, you might want to put off citizenship for more than just six months...

haven't given up on it yet. even six months may give me enough time to register before november. but you're right i now have the luxury of options...

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:13 am

pthouron wrote:haven't given up on it yet. even six months may give me enough time to register before november. but you're right i now have the luxury of options...

If you're going to vote Republican in Florida, i'm sure they can acommodate you.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 6:04 pm

pthouron wrote:
Soooo... although I have fulfilled the requirements to become a citizen, I will not be allowed to do so until the INS locates the mystery file, requisitions it and looks at what is inside. This process may take up to six additional months. Which sort of puts a crimp on my plans to vote next fall.

Patrick

Good things are worth waiting for. I have every faith that all will go well and optimistically if prematurely welcome you as a fellow citizen.

I find it oddly hopeful that our newest citixens still understand and covet the chance to vote in a free election when so many older Americans (including sometimes myself, sadly) question why it's even worth the trouble and frustration. Perhaps with attitudes like yours, we may someday return to a time when individuals mean more than the relative size of their bank accounts.