A New American

April 29, 2008 will forever be a special day in my life. It is the day I became an American citizen.

That morning Michael, David and I headed to Portland to the CIS office for my citizenship interview/exam. Later that afternoon I was sworn in to become an American citizen. The ceremony was simple, yet very touching. The CIS director in Portland spoke to all of us, the 26 new Americans-to-be from 14 different countries. Then we took our oath of citizenship, and in a blink of an eye, we became American. We said our pledge of allegiance to the flag for the first time with a new meaning.

This was a very meaningful event for me. Although I have called the USA my home for almost 16 years, I am now a real American - in the words of the director of CIS - as American as the most direct descendants of the Founding Fathers.

I am grateful that I was able to move to the US together with my parents in 1992. America is, and has been for many generations, the greatest country on earth, one that people from all over the world, who are seeking liberty, opportunity, and hope, set their eyes and hearts toward. As someone who grew up in the then-totalitarian Russia, I place a great value on the freedom available to all here in the USA. The prosperity that is within reach for the average person is by far a different standard than what I am used to growing up. Yes, of course, there are problems, but as I keep in touch with some of my friends back in Russia, I understand they would gladly trade theirs for ours...

Yelena