Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Naturalization process.
Yes, I am going to be American soon.
We went to homeland security on Tuesday (4/24/07), on the way, as usual like every time when we go to Jacksonville for immigration process, we always stop by St. Augustine and Jacksonville beaches.


















11 comments:

Wuching said...

i heard its not easy getting naturalised in america, have to learn this & that lah, history lah, know your allies & your enemies lah before they test u summore then only then u pass & become a yank! true onot? i got naturalised in oz few years back, so easy like going to a free concert & free lunch summore! kekekeke

JamyTan said...

No lah, not difficult lah. They give u a small book and somemore audio cd. Easy questions lah. Actually also good to know cos we from British system very different, good to know also lah, otherwise mon cha cha living in the country.

I like US better than australia cos here more opp. to earn money lah, u know I very money face one lah...

Aus more government control, here more freedom. Eg. my monkey does not have to go school, I homeschool him , he can sit for all kind of tests, I think he can finish his Phd in 19yrs liao.

Many more $ making jalan here. Aus more rigid like British and the European. Here people more creative and also love $ more (like us cina lah :):).

If u happen to drop by here, let me know, we can bring u jalan jalan.

Francis Ho said...

Congratulations Yankee!

JamyTan said...

My husband is very offended when I said I call him Yankee. He is a Southerners and does not like to be called Yankee.

For those of us who are not from America, we tend to call all Americans Yankee but the Southerners are not too happy with that terms; they felt it is a degrading term :)-.

The Southerners see the Northerners as bullies, so they (Southerners) called them Yankee :)

Francis, u might not believe this but US 1st president is in my hubby family tree :)-. FIL is very into geonology research.

It is my mother who persuaded me to get my citizenship ! I have lived her for 7yrs, would have qualified 2yrs after I came here but have not give it a very deep thought until my mom strong persuasion recently.

But, I can say I love this country , a lot of freedom, a lot of opportunity, great country.

Francis Ho said...

Is there a 'politically correct' term for 'yankee'? Didn't realise that it is 'degrading' when they actually uses it in an old song that I can recall when I was a kid. Hmmm

JamyTan said...

Francis,

Don't worry lah, I don't take offense with Yankee. Aiya, these offensive thingy only for Northern / Southern American people lah.
In fact, I think most Americans we met oversea are from big cities in N.E or West coast , less from the South.

This Southerner/Northerner is a big difference here. Only realized that after I moved here (esp. married a Southerner whose roots are really South - Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee :)-.)

Very lembek , laid back in the South, but the minute u drive from Virginia to the Northerner state, u notice the 'kangcuaness' :)-

Read this explanation by Wikeipedia : "In the American South, the term is sometimes used as a derisive term for Northerners, especially those who have migrated to the South. As some Southerners put it, "A Yankee is a Northerner, and a Damnyankee [written and pronounced as one word] is a Northerner who moves (or comes) South". Southerners, by and large, resent being labeled "yankee" when travelling abroad."

But most of us who is not native American, this fit more of our concept of Yankee (extract from Wikepedia) " The term Yankee (also Yank) has a number of possible meanings, but in almost all contexts, it refers to someone of American origin or heritage. Outside the USA, "Yankee" is a slang term for an American. In certain Commonwealth countries, notably the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, "Yank" has been in common use since at least World War II, when millions of Americans were stationed in the UK. Internationally, "Yank" is today roughly analogous to "Brit, Pom or Pommy" (someone from the UK), "Aussie" (someone from Australia) or "Kiwi" (someone from New Zealand). Depending on the country, "Yankee" may be considered mildly derogatory; it is less so in Commonwealth countries. Recent usage in Europe indicates that Australian tourists are sometimes called "New Yanks."[1]"

So in the future, if you meet An American, ask them when they are from. These are some of the Southern states : "TN, Virginia, kentucky, Georgia, N/S Carolina, Mississippi,Louisiana,Arkansas, etc...". and they called themselves confederated states (they fight against the Northerner in the civil war). - by Wikepeidia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America

Generally, Southerner don't like to be called Yankee. They felt that Northerner look down on them, and in some ways, the Northerner tend to look down on Southerner, they think they are backwards and call them 'redneck', which is another degratory term.

A lot of Southerners are very conservative cos the bible belt is located in the South. The Southern Baptist is a huge religion organization. Remember the only protestant church in Brunei ? Well, in the morning, it is occupied by Anglican group, in the evening, it is occupied by Bethel church, an American Southern Baptist Church ! The conservative south are mostly Republican states. They are the ones who also believe in having guns :)-.

The kind of Americans that Dr M does not like (ie corrupt Western culture) definitely not from the South. I think Dr. M need to visit Southern states, he will be terkejut :):):).

My husband is more conservative than I am. He would not even want to go to Hooter restaurant. U might be shock , A ? My sis was shocked that we don't go Hooter :)-.

Unknown said...

Hi. Thanks for linking me and congrats on your naturalisation! BTW, I really enjoyed your photos of the durians in your previous post!

JamyTan said...

U are welcome. I love yr blog, esp. yr pictures. I am sure my Malaysian friends around the world will enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

i was in Brunei last month for 10 days and was trying to find a protestant church but wasn't able to. kindly give me the exact address please?
i would be very grateful for your help.
thanks.
rizza

Anonymous said...

i was in Brunei last month for 10 days and was trying to find a protestant church but wasn't able to. kindly give me the exact address please?
i would be very grateful for your help.
thanks.
rizza

Anonymous said...

i was in Brunei last month for 10 days and was trying to find a protestant church but wasn't able to. kindly give me the exact address please?
i would be very grateful for your help.
thanks.
rizza