Citizen came: After 20 years, Ojai woman joins American ranks
By Jay Ford Cullis

After living in this country for 20 years as a permanent resident, Serena Whitcomb's choice to become a United States citizen had less to do with the American dream, and more to do with the annoyances world travelers often experience.

"Everyone has their own reasons," she said a few days after her final round of naturalization. With citizenship and a U.S. passport, now, she said, "I don't have to be questioned at the airport."

Whitcomb came to this country from Lebanon with her family when she was 5 years old. Her experience thereafter was not unlike most American childhoods.

"I have no remembrance of Lebanon," she said stressing the differences between her experience and that of most of the foreigners who completed the process last Friday in the Los Angeles Convention Center. Whitcomb's perspective gives light to a process that thousands of people undergo every day in this country, yet millions more will never know.

A 10-page application starts the process, with a variety of questions regarding the applicant's past history.

"If you have complicated paperwork, like a name change," said Whitcomb, "you might need a lawyer."

Though the hassles might be less, the choice is more costly. With the help of Catholic Charities, Whitcomb paid only $350, while a friend went through the internet and paid $600. A lawyer means hundreds of more dollars, but many have no choice, she said.

Her application accepted, Whitcomb was then fingerprinted - one of the less appealing parts of the process.

"They had examiners who looked at every line of the fingerprint," Whitcomb said. "If all the lines weren't clear they did it again."
Next came an examination of five to 10 questions chosen randomly from a list of 100 that every applicant can study before his or her test.
"What are the colors of the flag? What makes up Congress? What are changes to the Constitution called?" Whitcomb said, reciting some of the questions she was asked.

"The guy was trying to trick me, going really fast," she said, laughing. "This was stuff I learned in high school."

For many of the applicants, though, the questions are some of the most complicated she or he will ever have to answer. Translators were made available and used extensively at all stages of the process, in a great variety of languages, Whitcomb said. While the applicant "must be able to read, write, speak and understand words in English," according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site, there is no requirement of language fluency.

Finally, upon passing the examination, applicants are allowed to take an oath of allegiance.

"The place looked like a refugee camp," Whitcomb said of the Convention Center during the ceremony. "They brought in a judge and the place became a courtroom for a day." Everyone repeated the oath, President Bush congratulated the crowd in a videotaped message, and Lee Greenwood's "Proud to Be an American" accompanied the new citizens as they made their ways out to tearful, cheering families. "It was like an airport terminal, families jumping up and down - for a lot of people it's a very big deal."

The hardships of the process may be an inconvenience for someone like Whitcomb, who has always called the United States home. But for many, citizenship was an accomplishment worth celebrating.
"They can never be taken back to the places they wanted to get away from," Whitcomb said.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

Back to the news