I became a U.S. Citizen on September 19, 2013. There were 45 others with me on that day at the immigration office in Fairfax, VA. They came from 25 different countries.

I immigrated here in 1984 – and have had the right to become a citizen for more than 20 years, but I've struggled with the concepts of citizenship and identity; cultural and political, so taking the oath on that day was a long time coming. I was very emotional, excited and full of pride.