Today, I celebrate a milestone that represents years of patience, commitment, and perseverance: my U.S. naturalization journey.
My story began in October 2017, when I got married. In 2019, I started the residency process, taking the first formal steps toward building a future in the United States. After years of paperwork, waiting, and uncertainty, I was finally able to enter the U.S. legally in 2022 and begin a new chapter of my life.
In 2025, I started the naturalization process. By then, I knew the path would require dedication, but I did not expect to navigate a period of changes in the citizenship testing standards. The civics questionnaire was transitioning from 100 to 128 questions, so I prepared for both versions to ensure I was ready regardless of which test I would face.
In 2026, my interview was approved, marking the culmination of nearly a decade of effort, hope, and determination.
This journey has taught me that borders are more than lines on a map. They can separate countries, but they cannot limit human aspirations, resilience, or the desire to belong and contribute to a community.
“Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through.”
Today, I’m grateful for every step of that process, for the people who supported me along the way, and for the opportunity to continue building a life defined not by where I started, but by the values, work, and purpose I bring wherever I go.
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