Citizenship attained, an American gained

When one turns 16 after being 15 for an entire year, it is said that he or she will possess this overwhelming feeling of sweetness; a colossal difference at the very hour that one was born, but the unbendable truth is that there is no feeling of significant difference.

This feeling is parallel to the expectations one may have when becoming a citizen in a country where he or she has lived unable to identify as such for a year.

“I was excited because I was now considered American, but other than that I did not feel any different,” said Moaz Choudhery.

The easiest way of description is this, “A natural born citizen is not necessarily excited about their blue passport because it is theirs – they know they have it – and they know that no one can take it from them.”

Moaz’s citizenship is the color of his eyes, solely belonging to him, it is unattainable by any other being.

The process of citizenship was one of  length and rigor.

It all began in March of this year with Moaz’s purchase of a N600 form, an 8 page application in want of personal information. For example, required in the form was a copy of Moaz’s’ father’s passport, Moaz’s transcripts from Tunstall in order to prove his attendance, and three simplistic, blue background pictures of Moaz’s front and side profile. Once completed, Choudhery stamped and sent his application to the US Embassy. After an anxious two months, Moaz received a letter on August 9, one day before his birthday, telling him that he had been approved for citizenship.

“I knew at that moment that I was going to be a citizen – the application process was over,” said Moaz with a smile.

He was invited to take the oath of citizenship on October 6 at Middlodhan Middle School in Richmond, VA; along with 28 other students from 19 different countries. However, Moaz was the only recipient from Pakistan. The ceremony was carried by the Heads of the US Embassy; the national anthem was sung by three students of Middlodhan, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison by those gaining their citizenship, and then one by one each new born citizen was called to the stage to receive a certificate and a handshake. The ceremony was then brought to a close by a separate group of children from the school; they presented a congratulations to their guest through song.

For a moment after gliding across the stage with a handful of a hundred students watching him gain what he had waited so long for, he possessed this feeling of excitement and then almost as if in the same moment, calmness.

“I finally had the powerful blue passport!” exclaimed Moaz.

Moaz is the only one in his family, besides his father, that holds citizenship. Luckily, Moaz attained his citizenship before he reached the age of eighteen. There are many things that come with being  18, one of those more infamous things is the challenge it is to become a citizen if one is not naturally born. Unfortunately for Moaz’s mother, brother, and sister they must live in the US for five years before even beginning the application for citizenship due to their age excision of 18. They have one year down, and four to go.

Moaz’s life has consisted of a series of interesting events. His father moved to the states in the year 2000 in order to start his first convenient store which is located in South Boston, hesitantly leaving Moaz and the rest of his family behind. In December of 2015, Moaz and his mother entered the US. Moaz had a feeling of angst as he and his mother entered this unfamiliar country.

“I felt as if I was responsible for protecting [her],” stated Moaz.

Moaz formally met his father for the first time when he was 14 years old.

He now helps his father run his second opened convenient mart, E-Z Stop. According to Moaz, he had a “luxurious” lifestyle  while living in Pakistan, but being apart of this ulterior American dream: work to play, has taught him the value of saving one’s money.

Moaz has been educated excessively. He is able to speak English and Urdu eloquently, and is also capable of reading Arabic. Not only has Moaz absorbed British curriculum from his school in Pakistan, Lacas, but he is also completing courses here at Tunstall.

“I spent 15 years at Lacas, so I left behind many friends, but education quality here at Tunstall is much better,” said Moaz.

After graduation next spring, Moaz plans to attend DCC for two years and enroll in an IT program, where he will pursue his ambition of being an engineer in the US Army.

With expectations of greatness for America, none of Moaz’s assumptions fell short.

“Pakistan is out of shape; [here] there is less corruption. In Pakistan you find bomb blast, kidnappings, human trafficking, terrorism,” explained Moaz.

“People in Pakistan believe life in America is much better, but what they do not know is – they are right,” he concluded.