Today I had an appointment to be interviewed to become an American Citizen. And... apparently I passed. (They gave me a booklet at my last visit, when it was a good deal warmer, full of questions to study up on, like "who was the father of our country?" and "How many members of congress are there?" (435, I learned.) I passed those with flying colors (as I have to spell it now, it's required by law). The only sticky point, and Jami reading this is going to blow her top, was when she asked me if I had ever been arrested and I said (as I'd answered on the form) "no" but then went on to blather about a speeding ticket. As I hadn't been arrested for this, I thought it was irrelevant banter (which will be the death of me, oddly, for somebody who doesn't like to talk to other people) but she got very interested and asked for a year and date. I didn't then add that I'd had LOTS of tickets, so I focused on one very old one that happened coming back from a conference the first year I was in Arkansas. This came back to haunt me shortly thereafter, because when she tried to submit the amended form, the computer wouldn't accept it, so she had to call over to her neighbor (another missing "u") who told her that she now had to check a box to show that the ticket was not a disqualifying offense. After my sphincter had tightened considerably, they both smiled at me and asked if I was available February 11th for the official swearing in ceremony! I should have felt huge relief, but I'd just signed something that said that I renounced former citizenship, and I was suddenly feeling that this wasn't something I wanted after all. The only reason I applied (spurred on by the fact that a French colleague had done the same thing and found it incredibly easy, and got joint citizenship, so now can use a French passport OR a US passport depending on which one requires a shorter queue) was because (a) I would have had to go to similar lengths next year to renew my Green Card anyway, (b) under Trump, who knows if a Green Card is actually permanent, and (c) it's getting to the point when I might want to claim Social Security, so why not make sure I'm eligible.
Anyway, that's my big news. Overshadowed somewhat by Thomas's big news, that I don't know if I'm allowed to share. Here are some pictures:
As you might gather, it was BLOODY cold (see previous post). But that meant the freeway was blissfully clear, although I also saw big LED signs saying "Severe Windchill: Curtail Travel" or words to that effect.
The majority of the questions I was asked were about being a member of rebel groups, terrorist groups, paramilitary groups, conspiring to overthrow regimes, etc. Made me feel very staid and boring, but this time I resisted the urge to follow Oscar Wilde's example when asked at customs if he intended to overthrow the US government by force and he replied "sole purpose of visit". (Might not be Wilde, but it was someone, and it SOUNDS like him.) I even agreed to take up arms to defend the US (well, I said "sure" in a non-committal sounding way). Made me feel a bit dirty.
