While many people who come to the United States pursue citizenship, many more do not…but why? Is it too difficult? Too scary? Are emotions clashing? The answers to these questions are often, “Yes, yes, and yes.” The result can be a paralyzing fear that leads to inaction. Let’s talk about it, and perhaps the answers to those questions will change.
What is too difficult, really? You left your homeland, traveled to an unknown place on the globe…
What is too difficult, really? You left your homeland, traveled to an unknown place on the globe…sometimes without family or friends to support you. THAT was difficult, right? You could barely communicate with the indigenous people in this new land…THAT was difficult, right? You didn’t know where anything was, didn’t recognize what was once oh-so-familiar in the marketplace, didn’t have a clue where to begin…THAT was difficult, right? But here you are, navigating all of what used to be sooooo scary. Learning how to become an American citizen is totally do-able for one as courageous as yourself.
About those annoying emotions. Is it betrayal? Do you feel like you’re turning your back on your homeland to become an American citizen? The truth is, no one is asking you to stop loving the country you were born in! No one is asking you to turn your back on your countrymen. No one is asking you to deny your heritage or forget your roots. Becoming an American citizen is an opportunity to take part in the governance of your new home. To have a voice in creating the world as you imagine it, you must first acknowledge your responsibilities because…freedom isn’t free.