Interviews
Why I got my American citizenship (Japanese)
(Japanese) It was due to my laziness. I could’ve just stayed with my Green Card, but these Green Cards do expire, and it was such a hassle to renew it every time they expired. On the other hand, once you get citizenship, you never have to go though the process again, so I thought that would be the easier solution. It doesn’t matter whether my nationality is Japanese or American, as long as I have a passport from one country or another. It doesn’t matter whether I’m considered Japanese or American, as long as I have a passport that allows me to go see my parents [in Japan] in the event of an emergency. That alone is good enough for me. On top of that, I already have a house in this country, my husband is American… and I just can’t see myself “going home” to Japan anymore. But just because I’m American now doesn’t necessarily mean that it makes me “proud” or “glad” or anything. I got my American citizenship simply because I was too lazy to keep renewing my Green Card. Seriously. That’s the truth.
Date: March 1, 2007
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
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