The 14-year-old stood up with her right hand in the air alongside 52 other children from 19 countries and pledged her allegiance to her new country. Her new home.
It felt right, Hangi said with tears of joy in her eyes.
Provided By Iowa State Fair/Matthew Putney
Her mother, who facilitated the multi-month citizenship process, sat in the front row of the MidAmerican Energy Stage on Tuesday
, Aug. 12 with a beaming smile.
“It’s a relief to have it done,” Hangi said.
Hangi and her mother live in Des Moines, but they came to America as refugees from Congo. It’s just the two of them together in Iowa, Hangi said.
At one point, Hangi and her mother had to resubmit some information for her citizenship, resulting in more delays. Hangi couldn’t help but wonder if they had “forgotten about her.”
The two anxiously waited since January for Hangi’s final documents to arrive in the mail. All of the stress finally concluded for them Tuesday.
Smrika Biswa, who is from Nepal, also was in the crowd of the new American citizens Tuesday. The 14-year-old thought twice about what she would wear on the day of the citizenship ceremony. She planned an outfit ahead of time, but a trip to the store on the eve of the ceremony led her to something else: A black pantsuit paired with a blazer and small golden hoop earrings.
Biswa was joined by her cousins and 9-month-old brother. After accepting her citizenship certificate, she shared her handheld American flag with him. The two posed for pictures together, Biswa looking professional and proud, her brother getting a kick out of the the flowing miniature flag.
Biswa also had some nerves ahead of the ceremony, but the citizenship process was seamless, she said.
“Everything went smoothly. It was not that scary,” she said, hoping to offer comfort for others.
For those wading through the U.S. citizenship process, which can take years depending on where the person is from, Hangi said to remain positive — because it is worth the wait.
“For those who haven’t got theirs yet, be patient,” Hangi said. “You will get there.”
Stay in the know with stories that matter — visit HolaAmericaNews.com for the latest news, culture, and community updates!
Facebook Comments