Last Saturday I had the honor of being sworn in as a citizen of the United States! It was one of the best moments of my life, and one of the biggest blessings I have received!
Ever since then, I have received many words of congratulations, and also many questions about why I did it. Some people wonder why I would become a citizen during one of the worst financial crisis in the history of the country. Usually, this is my answer: "a bad day at the beach is better than a good day anywhere else." In other words, as bad as things are in the US, it is still far better than most countries in the world. I come from South America, and have seen financial crisis and poverty before. Thankfully, I never lacked anything while I grew up, but I witnessed others who lived in extreme poverty. On the other hand, in the US I have been able to pursue my dreams, get married, go to school, move around a lot, and pursue my vocation (which is difficult to live on where I come from) while living a decent and peaceful life. The people of this country have treated me as one of their own, and the opportunities before me have abounded.
So, I became an American because I love this country and the opportunities it has given me. I love its people and its geography. I love its cities and its communities. And, I love the friends and relatives God has given me here.
I still love my home country, Venezuela, and love the country of my parents, Colombia (neither feeling will ever go away!). But now, the United States is my country too, and I think it's AWESOME!
A special thanks goes to my wife and my parents-in-law for helping me make this possible. You guys have always been very generous with me. Thank you!