Preparation is key to naturalization interview - Part 1
One of the interviews I always look forward to attending is that of naturalization. For me, an application to become a US citizen is one last step in an immigrant’s long journey of his total realization of his American dream. It is a sign of one’s voluntary and willful assimilation into and adoption of a different culture that one is not born into. There is a section in the lengthy form that asks whether one supports the US Constitution, or takes the oath of allegiance to the US, or one is willing to bear arms or perform civilian work in times of war. These are very serious questions that require not just a yes or no answer but also a commitment of one’s life to a country that could theoretically be at war with your own birth country.
A naturalization interview is not always straightforward. For the more educated, it comes off as easy, but for those who are not proficient enough in reading, speaking and writing English and who are not familiar with American history, that could be nerve-wracking. In an already anxious situation of being interviewed, the civics and English tests are additional sources of stress and anxiety. But it is not without a remedy. The key to a successful interview is nothing but the age-old prescription of thorough preparation. And that preparation is easier because questions are already available to the general public at the USCIS website.
It is also helpful that the applicant understands the meaning of taking an oath. It is not only a perfunctory ceremony of raising your right hand and answering “I do” after being asked if you tell the truth. There were a couple of interviews that I attended before where the applicants were asked what they just did and what does an oath mean. One applicant was not able to explain what taking an oath was, so the interview did not proceed.
The way the interviews are conducted in so far as what I have attended lately is that the civics and English exams are given first. If you pass those, then the questioning on the N-400 form comes next. If you fail, the interview stops and you will be given instructions for your next interview.
Again, the very important tip here is preparation. Do not attend the interview half-baked and ill-prepared. Review the questions, review your form and understand the questions. It is not enough to memorize. It is also very helpful if you know the context of the questions being asked.
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As the war in Ukraine is still ongoing and does not seem to have an end in sight, it is also time for the Philippines to take a closer inside look at its dependency on foreign oil. Clearly, this war has needlessly increased the price of gas. A costly source of fuel is always a guarantee of a rise in the cost of the most basic necessities.
And as always, the middle class gets squeezed. The rich can afford and the poor has the government to help, but the middle class is always left on his own. It is time for the government to look for ways to alleviate the sufferings of the middle class who, while may not be in the frontlines in the streets of Ukraine, but nonetheless get hit by the shrapnel of unintended consequences.
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