GoHorseShow.com just found out that top Amateur competitor Tiina Volmer was sworn in as a U.S. Citizen on January 13th, and we wanted to know why this Canadian decided to get dual citizenship and whether she thought the process was difficult.
“Since I was a young girl I was fascinated with the United States,” Tina says. “I always wanted to move to the US which I did ten years ago. My current Green Card expires the end of 2012, and this was motivating me to complete my application and requirements to get my citizenship.”
Volmer explains that she applied in September of 2010 and received an appointment for fingerprinting at the end of November, but she had to postpone her appointment due to it conflicting with her showing at the AQHA Amateur World Show. Of course, horse people know that everything is scheduled around the shows! Soon after the World Show. she rescheduled her appointment and completed the fingerprinting.
“When I went for my fingerprinting, they gave me a book and cd with 100 possible American history, civics and geography questions. You must get 6 out of 10 correct. Some questions are easier than others. Examples of some questions – who was the first president of the United States, the year the constitution was written. It’s a good basic review. They check over paper work, do the test and then given a swearing in date and time. There were 30 different countries getting sworn in.”
Tiina’s boyfriend, the ever resourceful Tim Kimura helped her study for her test.
“I think it was great that she wanted to get her U.S. citizenship. I was leery of her understanding U.S. History, so, we got apps to quiz her and she had a DVD with test questions. We quizzed before we went to bed,” Tim said. “As a perfectionist, she didn’t want to fail that test.”
Kimura adds, she knew “We the People”, but didn’t know the rest of the preamble. I downloaded School House Rock from iTunes and showed her the cartoon telling about the Preamble,” he explained. “I’m excited for her–it’s a process… The hardest part was her finding the immigration office in Irving, Texas. She stressed that morning fearing she would be late for the testing and interview. But she found it. Her mom had a hard time crossing the border the other day, so, she feared the immigration interviewer, but she was nice.”
Volmer tells us that on the morning of Jan 13, 2011, at 6:20 am she drove to Irving, Texas to take her history test and interview. After correctly answering the first six questions correctly, she passed that portion of the test. Tiina was then told to come back later that day to be sworn in at 1:30pm.
“It was very emotional and exciting somewhat compared to standing in the line in a finals class hoping your number is not called till the end,” she recalls. “But, looking around the room and seeing the various countries people come from makes me appreciate the way the United States gives everybody an equal opportunity for freedom and democracy. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to live as a citizen of the USA. Saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag as a US Citizen brought on a whole new respect and meaning.”
(Pictured right is red white and blue flowers from her boyfriend Tim Kimura after she was sworn in as a US Citizen)
