CITIZENSHIP: A great privilege

My parents, my sister and I left The Netherlands on Oct. 11, 1949, and arrived in New York City on Oct. 19, 1949. We went to Salt Lake City, Utah as we had a sponsor there. I was 10 years old. After five-plus years my parents and sister became citizens, but I was too old to become one automatically at that time.

I went through the school years and graduated when I was 17. I got a job and met my future husband, who was a citizen. The time was past, where if you married a citizen you became one also.

Now it was my turn, but I was terrified of tests. All you had to do is mention the word, “test,” and my brain turned to liquid and all knowledge poured out!

So as it came closer to the presidential election last year of 2012 I really wanted to vote. I studied and we printed the papers I needed off the computer and read through them. I realized that it would cost $600 — wow — which we don’t have right now.

As I sat here watching the inauguration 2013 on TV, watching the president being sworn in and the speeches and also seeing the various armed services groups go by, I realized tears were running down my face. It’s all so cool.

This country means everything to me! Sometime I will be a citizen! I don’t think most people ever even think about it, “that being a citizen of the United States of America is such a privilege!”

YVONNE ELDER

Hayden