It has been a very long time since I last wrote on this blog. I thought it might be a good time to start writing again. I also want to share what I have been doing because a lot has happened since then.
A few blog posts ago, I wrote about getting my green card. Well, now I have become a U.S. citizen! I am American! Yay!
Japan does not officially allow dual citizenship, so many Japanese people choose not to become U.S. citizens. Many hope to return to Japan someday when they retire. So why did I decide to become a U.S. citizen?
The answer is simple: I love the United States.
For a long time, it felt a little strange living in the U.S. as a Japanese citizen. I had spent most of my adult life in America. I paid taxes here, worked here, built my life here, and received support from this country. At the same time, I hadn't really contributed much to Japan in recent years, and Japan was no longer the place where I lived my daily life.
Sometimes I wondered: Am I Japanese or American? I felt like I didn't fully belong anywhere, and that made me sad.
Eventually, I realized that I wanted to commit myself to the United States and become part of this country. I also wanted the U.S. to protect me as one of its citizens.
The process was not very complicated. I submitted the application, paid about $900 in fees, and then attended an interview and citizenship test. I had to study U.S. history, geography, and government. After I passed the test, I attended the naturalization ceremony and took the Oath of Allegiance.
It was a very special moment, and I was so excited.
I am proud to be both Japanese by birth and American by citizenship. Both cultures have shaped who I am today, and I am grateful for the journey that brought me here.
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