President Jeff, guests and fellow Rotarians, the title of the first part of today's program is: Experiences of a LEGAL immigrant.Do we yet need to convince anyone that we are proud to be an American?
You better believe me; we both really are. It is easy to be an American if you've been born in this country. To become an American citizen however is much more difficult; at least if you do it the proper, that means, the legal way.
I got my American citizenship on April 23 of 1993. The day after, Mariette was telling several friends that she'd slept for the first time in her life with an American...
Mariette became a U.S. citizen half a year later; in December of 1993 and, as I have said already, we both are mighty proud of it.
We are equally proud of our Dutch background, and I will give you a few reasons for that.
– The Dutch were the very first to recognize the new American Republic in 1776 when they saluted to the flag of the Andrew Doria from the Dutch Island of St. Eustatius (as depicted in this painting by Philips Melville).
– The Dutch have maintained the longest, un–interrupted friendly relationship with the U.S.
– The Netherlands is the only country, which paid back, in full, the Marshall plan money given to them after WWII.
– Although a small country, approx. ⅕ the size of Georgia, with twice the population, the Dutch are with 130 billion the third biggest foreign investor in the U.S. after the U.K. and Japan and the biggest foreign investor in the state of Georgia. This just for the records. Some of you may know the procedure for the naturalization process but for those of you who don't, I like to share some of our experiences.
As often, Pieter got spelled wrongly...
It all started when I, in 1983, accepted the job as Vice President Training & New Developments for Campbell Soup's mushroom division (at that time the largest mushroom producer in the U.S.) and designed a so–called Dutch technology farm for them, build in Dudley by a Dutch company and a second one in Hillsboro, Texas.
With the help of Campbell's legal department, we of course immediately applied for the green card. For that purpose, we first had to make a trip to the American Consulate in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, filling out a bunch of forms and showing all sorts of documents like birth certificate, passport, and they were especially eager to know if we'd ever been a member of a communist organization. Remember, that was in the time of Mr. Joseph McCarthy.
For the first time we felt discriminated somewhat since none of these forms were in the Dutch language.
We also had to prove that we were strong and healthy and had to provide them with a set of x–rays showing that our lungs could handle the American air...
I'm not sure how often and how many fingerprints they took in all (show card!).
Furthermore, we had to go to all the cities we ever lived in, over the years, that yielded three for us, and ask the authorities for a stamped document stating that we'd been good law–abiding citizens and never got engaged with law enforcement etc.
Campbell Soup had to proof to the INS that I was a high–level specialist in the field of modern mushroom production and that this very specialized knowledge was not available in the U.S. This way we got a so–called third preference status, which means they move you up in the pile of applications. Not only all our diplomas had to be translated by a certified translator but also, we had to show all the original documents (not copies) regarding our education etc., to a legal representative.
On August 29 of 1983, we came to Dublin via Atlanta, and yes fingerprints again, our green card still pending. That meant we were not able to work here, we were not officially employed yet by Campbell Soup, therefore not on the payroll and didn't receive any salary...
We didn't have a Social Security number and that meant we also were not able to buy a house. Again, keep in mind, I'm still talking about doing everything the proper, absolute legal way.
This situation sometimes created complications. I remember one instance when we bought our first groceries and tried to pay with my Visa card, issued by a Dutch bank. It didn't work, for whatever reason, it was the wrong one. So, I then wrote them a check from the Farmers & Merchants Bank (oh yes, they trusted us, even without a Social Security Number). The clerk asked if she could see my driver's license. Of course! So, I pulled out my International driver's license. She never had seen such a thing; it was the wrong one she said... you better give me your Social Security Number. Sorry, I don't have one yet. BIG problem. I got somewhat annoyed and told her perhaps she also might want to know my religion? Now, I can tell you that we are Roman Catholic and I bet that will be wrong again!
After almost one year we both got our green card, then got our salary paid retro–active over one year and two weeks, could buy our house etc.
With every story I'm telling you, you have to put yourself in our shoes. Imagine that one of these days they put you in a small village, the size of Dublin in 1983, in e.g. the southern part of France. Of course, you studied some French but then you figure out that the locals over there speak French like e.g. Jeff Davis speaks English. Even studying the book from Uncle Remus didn't help us too much.
When we were moving into our first house in Brookwood, we got an envelope from the Dublin Welcome committee, with all sorts of coupons from free dry cleaning to a free dinner for two at restaurant Circle Y. Mariette suggested that we save that coupon for Friday evening in order that after a week of hard work we could have a special treat to look forward to.
Friday evening came and we dressed up, the European way, and we drove to town; expecting to find the restaurants in the city–center. We drove around and around, no Circle Y. Then we started asking and had people stare at us very suspicious and we got several different directions. When we finally figured it out, in the middle of nowhere, it was around 8:30 PM of August 1983 but we'd found it! Can you imagine how the people were looking at us? The catfish was good...!
We quickly learned that most people in Laurens County are nice and very helpful to newcomers like us. We still had a lot more to learn! Mariette figured out that a snapping turtle is for sure not a pet and she almost lost the tip of her finger when poking at a huge grandpa turtle...
We got an invitation from Griffin Lovett to go together to the Swampland Opera in Toomsboro. We both love classical music as well as opera, so this made us look forward to the event. When asking Griffin about the dress code he assured us that casual would be fine... To the opera?! Nevertheless we thoroughly enjoyed the country music and the gospel songs in the barn. At the dinner before, Griffin told them that we'd come all the way from The Netherlands—that got us a free dessert!
Now you can laugh about it but again, think about the small village in France...
Having a green card allows one to live and work in the U.S. as a resident alien but it still doesn't make you an American. We wanted to go it all the way; we e.g. liked to have the right to vote.
To apply for U.S. citizenship again is not such an easy process especially for us with all our traveling. You must be available for half a year, once applied for it. First of all, we had to prove that we lived in this country for at least 5 years. Although living and working in Italy, Indonesia and India, we always paid our U.S. taxes, social security premium etc. That has proven to be very helpful.
I can state that the people from the INS in Atlanta are for sure not the friendliest and most helpful. We also figured out that if you give a black person some authority, they would use it against you. Not referring to the customs officers at the Atlanta airport; we think that most of them are the friendliest in the world!
You also have to prepare for a kind of verbal test. To be ready for the notorious 100 random questions, we had to refresh our knowledge about American history, the government structure etc. I remember that my examinator, after three questions said: 'I better give up because I'm convinced that you know more about American history etc., then I do'.
Again, some Americans love to talk about discrimination. Besides, of course, English, most of the INS material is available in Spanish as well but not in German, Dutch or Italian. The biggest shock for me however came when I was somewhat complaining to the INS official about the costs and all the paperwork involved. Somewhat cynical he told me: 'This is because you did it the wrong way!' Flabbergasted I reacted: 'I did what...?'
'Yes', he replied, ' you should have taken a boat to Miami, telling them that you'd lost all your documents and just walk in...!' (With liberty and justice for all!)
Maybe because we had the wrong haircut or something like that, but we never clearly understood why the INS people were scrutinizing us the way they did and why some criminals and other questionable people can enter this country that easily and live here without the proper documents or on long expired visas.
With our experience we e.g. really never understood why senator Ted Kennedy sponsored the 1990 immigration law, which says that mere membership in a terrorist organization or advocacy of acts of terrorism should not exclude foreigners from receiving U.S. immigration visas. Can you imagine? The same INS that allowed more than half a million foreigners who should've been deported, to get lost within this country...
Quite often people ask us if we still have the Dutch nationality and a Dutch passport. In fact they are talking about dual citizenship. Despite what some people might tell you, in most cases, there's nothing like that, beside a few exceptions. Our adopted daughter Liz is such an exception. She is born in British Columbia and therefore has a Canadian birth certificate. Because of the adoption she automatically will have our nationality as well.
First of all, during the ceremony, when you are sworn in as an American citizen, you raise your hand, and you pledge the following oath of allegiance:
Some people will say: 'Oh, but that's just a formality'. Not so for us!
So far about the moral aspect and now the legal aspect. The very same time you're sworn in, you must swap the old green card for the new U.S. certificate. If we would try to renew our Dutch passport, issued from the Consulate General in Houston, Texas, we would have to send it in with the green card (which now you don't have anymore!). So legally that is the dead end at least with the Dutch government.
Personally, we always ask those people; why would you like to have dual citizenship? If you like it here, then go all the way. If you don't then you should have one single citizenship but not the American! For both of us, Mariette and I, we love this country and we're proud to be an American!
To everybody who's asking us what our opinion is about the U.S. we make this statement: 'The U.S. is by far not the ideal society, but you will have a hard time to find a better one!'
We hoever never understood why they cut our Social Security by more than fifty percent because we worked for the Dutch government, although I have paid my full 40 units.
Therefore, next time we will lose all our paperwork and arrive by boat in Miami!
God bless America!!!
March 29, 2002
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