Questions, Questions
So I'm sitting here trying to fill out the big thing - the Application for Naturalization, which is Government Speak for "can I please become an American citizen". It's actually fairly straightforward, but I'm battling with two questions for different reasons.
The first one is about a name change (which C has already blogged about). Apparently I come from a country with very liberal laws regarding how you name your kids. You don't have to put the given name first. They actually allow you the freedom to put the names in the order that sounds best, if you can imagine such a thing. Should anyone try that over here I'm sure Condoleezza Rice would put on her Catwoman suit and come spank you with a wet noodle.
So do I opt to have my name changed at the same time as I swear to protect America from evil forces? It would be lovely to be able to put my real name on important paperwork, but I'm afraid it might hold up the process since it means the oath ceremony has to be performed in court. I think I'm going to go ahead and do it since, quite frankly, it pisses me off every time a stranger calls me Arne.
My second problem is how the heck I answer "have you ever been a member of or associated with any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, society or similar group in the United States or in any other place"? Do they want to know about the secret club me and two friends had when I was six years old? Probably not. Should I list the soccer club I played for briefly at the age of eight? After all, it's a club. How about the Boy Scouts? Who knows. How about the Swedish State Church (which I was born into and may actually still be a member of)? You tell me.
Decisions, decisions...
At least we have a clear winner (from the section Good Moral Character) in the category Most Amusing Question:
"Have you ever been a habitual drunkard?"
Damn, they're on to me!
The first one is about a name change (which C has already blogged about). Apparently I come from a country with very liberal laws regarding how you name your kids. You don't have to put the given name first. They actually allow you the freedom to put the names in the order that sounds best, if you can imagine such a thing. Should anyone try that over here I'm sure Condoleezza Rice would put on her Catwoman suit and come spank you with a wet noodle.
So do I opt to have my name changed at the same time as I swear to protect America from evil forces? It would be lovely to be able to put my real name on important paperwork, but I'm afraid it might hold up the process since it means the oath ceremony has to be performed in court. I think I'm going to go ahead and do it since, quite frankly, it pisses me off every time a stranger calls me Arne.
My second problem is how the heck I answer "have you ever been a member of or associated with any organization, association, fund foundation, party, club, society or similar group in the United States or in any other place"? Do they want to know about the secret club me and two friends had when I was six years old? Probably not. Should I list the soccer club I played for briefly at the age of eight? After all, it's a club. How about the Boy Scouts? Who knows. How about the Swedish State Church (which I was born into and may actually still be a member of)? You tell me.
Decisions, decisions...
At least we have a clear winner (from the section Good Moral Character) in the category Most Amusing Question:
"Have you ever been a habitual drunkard?"
Damn, they're on to me!