I've just been accepted as a permanent resident here in the US, with the green card (actually mostly white) arriving a few days ago. It's taken me 7 years of patience and struggle, but now I've graduated from a temporary work visa tied to a single employer, to an independent person, free to follow my dreams. It's a giddy feeling, both the new-found security that I won't have to leave the country and the liberation of having no restrictions on my professional life.
I'm counting down the days to naturalization now, just 5 years from now I can be a full citizen. I knew very quickly after arriving that I belonged here, as much as I miss my family and friends from Britain. America is full of encouragement for people dreaming big dreams, it's the best place in the world for doing something that's never been done. Thanks to everyone who's kept me going through the long process of getting this sorted out, especially Liz.
Congrats on getting your card, Pete!
The best thing about it that you didn't mention is that when you fly in to the US from the UK, you can go in the faster/shorter US Citizen line at immigration... And of course you can still use the UK citizen line when you land in the UK. Double bonus!
Posted by: fewquid | May 17, 2008 at 08:21 AM
I was tempted to drive down to Tijuana purely to cross the border a couple of times. I can't tell you how grim going through the non-residents line has been recently, it's a big reason I haven't gone back to the UK for the last two years. At least I wasn't stuck like this bloke though:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/14/us/14visa.html?ei=5070&en=46f6c549f90b4a34&ex=1211428800&adxnnl=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1210781305-7TI0yYgVYqqqnszJSNl5/A
Posted by: Pete Warden | May 17, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Congrats on the green card, Pete! It'll be exciting to see where your dream-following takes you. Best wishes!
Posted by: Daniel McLaren | May 31, 2008 at 01:00 PM
Thanks Daniel. I'm still grinning!
Posted by: Pete Warden | May 31, 2008 at 11:42 PM