Now I can vote for ABO !! Yahoo.

[OrangeCrush]

After a whole lotta time (and money), at 11:00AM on Friday the 13th, I became another proud American. While my main impetus was to avoid having to renew my green card every 10 years, I get the added bonus of finally being able to get a vote in exchange for my tax dollars.

The consultancy I'm working for had shipped me up to the Alberta oil sands for a short term project that seems to be becoming a long term project ... and I therefore missed my original date for naturalization - only a week's notice and no way to get back in time. This time they scheduled me for even further away (Fayetteville, AR instead of Ft Smith) but gave me 3-1/2 weeks notice. I had to get up at 4AM to get there on time, and managed to be 1-1/2 hours early (which allowed me an IHOP visit).

It was an interesting, and moving, ceremony ... the judge was an old friend of Sam Walton and was appointed to the bench 3 months after Sam passed away. He gave a moving speech, using himself and Sam Walton as examples, on the possibilities for those who made use of their opportunities, whether born here or becoming naturalized. That was the moving part. The interesting part was the makeup of the applicants. Being in northern Arkansas, I would have thought it would be substantially different ... and please don't think I'm being racist in noting the mix: 5 Vietnamese, 1 Cambodian, 1 Pakistani, 2 Tiawanese, 1 Ukrainian, 1 Canadian and 25 from Mexico. This must've been more common than I'd thought since the INS officer was very proficient (much experience apparently) in calling latin names.

I need to check with Guinness to see what the record for citizenships is ... I now hold 3, since the States stopped requiring formal renouncement of previous citizenship quite a while ago.

[TravelinLite]

Congrats fellow American.

[Bob oldwinger]

Well done and congratulations.
Bob

[ssncob]

Good for you !!!

[CJS]

Welcome Orange Crush.
Glad to have you.

[HiYoCheeto]

Congrats, Pete!

Jennifer is gone, so Michigan is now looking for another Canadian/American to take her place, come on back. You can even CHOOSE to not wear a helmet as of Friday, Thank You, Governor Snyder.

[robeth]

Congrats, Pete!

Vote safely.

.

[jgfan]

Anyone BUT OBAMA!!!!! Congrats to you!!!!! I can tell you are a VERY smart man!!!!!! Im with ya all the way!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rustydust]

Did I miss it? What's ABO?

Anyone But Obama

And congrats on your citizenship! And your desire to vote the POS out of office!

[treeman]

Congratulations on becoming a U.S. Citizen. We need more voters of your intelligence!

[GiteeupGo]

After a whole lotta time (and money), at 11:00AM on Friday the 13th, I became another proud American. While my main impetus was to avoid having to renew my green card every 10 years, I get the added bonus of finally being able to get a vote in exchange for my tax dollars.

The consultancy I'm working for had shipped me up to the Alberta oil sands for a short term project that seems to be becoming a long term project ... and I therefore missed my original date for naturalization - only a week's notice and no way to get back in time. This time they scheduled me for even further away (Fayetteville, AR instead of Ft Smith) but gave me 3-1/2 weeks notice. I had to get up at 4AM to get there on time, and managed to be 1-1/2 hours early (which allowed me an IHOP visit).

It was an interesting, and moving, ceremony ... the judge was an old friend of Sam Walton and was appointed to the bench 3 months after Sam passed away. He gave a moving speech, using himself and Sam Walton as examples, on the possibilities for those who made use of their opportunities, whether born here or becoming naturalized. That was the moving part. The interesting part was the makeup of the applicants. Being in northern Arkansas, I would have thought it would be substantially different ... and please don't think I'm being racist in noting the mix: 5 Vietnamese, 1 Cambodian, 1 Pakistani, 2 Tiawanese, 1 Ukrainian, 1 Canadian and 25 from Mexico. This must've been more common than I'd thought since the INS officer was very proficient (much experience apparently) in calling latin names.

I need to check with Guinness to see what the record for citizenships is ... I now hold 3, since the States stopped requiring formal renouncement of previous citizenship quite a while ago.

As they used to say on Hee Haw - Saaaaaaaalute!

[Rocketman911]

Good for you!

[jburd]

Congrats, and welcome. We can use all the voters with common sense that we can get...

[Consciouspilot]

Congratulations and welcome to the great USA my fellow American. You are obviously wise as well!
NOBAMA 2012

[TJRANCH]

[trike lady 1500]

on becoming a U.S. citizen.
You can vote the creeps out of Washington .

[DIESEL-DAWG]

Congrats and hope you take advantage of voting. Welcome to our America, American!

[RiFF RaFF]

We will trade you for Justin Beeber!

[stearman]

and thank you for your help with ABO.

[laen]

Congrats. Notice you live in Mena--------------Can't remember the name but sure like the Steak House there in Mena on the east side of HWY 71. Stop there everytime thru Mena

[zaT111]

Congrats Peter!!!!! Give us a shout if you are up Rochester, NY way.

[JonJohn]

Congratulations and welcome.

[ScottR]

Congratulations! We were all immigrants at one time!

[bgross]

Willkommen, Freund!

[OrangeCrush]

Congrats. Notice you live in Mena--------------Can't remember the name but sure like the Steak House there in Mena on the east side of HWY 71. Stop there everytime thru Mena

Chopping Block ... always very popular with bikers.

[Harry Robinson]

and thank you for your help with ABO.

I second that.
Welcome

[OrangeCrush]

Willkommen, Freund!

Dankeshoen

[jwen]

Welcome!!!!

Oh and we need all the tax payers we can get!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!