Tuesday, May 20, 2008
By Andrea J. Cook
Rapid City Journal staff (South Dakota, USA)
For Boramy Em, 31, citizenship didn't come a moment too soon. Her husband, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Suntara Nop, has a four-year assignment in Germany. The family leaves from Florida on June 5.
The Nops are both Cambodian. Suntara Nop, 39, immigrated with his family 20 years ago. He has been a citizen for 15 years and has served in the Air Force for 12 years. The couple has been married for 10 years.
Both admit that relinquishing their Cambodian citizenship was not an easy decision, but they value the opportunity to make that choice.
"I think we appreciate it more, because we come from the other country," Nop said. "A lot of people here take things for granted."
Nop recalled suggesting a hiking trip into the mountains when they were living in Colorado Springs, Colo., shortly after the couple married. Fearing mine fields, Em refused to go into the wooded mountains. Children growing up in Cambodia are taught not to go into the woods because of buried mines, Nop said.
Em has not seen her family since leaving 10 years ago, and her parents have never met their grandparents.
"It's not safe," Em said.
After she has an American passport, Em hopes it will be possible to take her children to meet her parents.
Proudly watching their mom become an American citizen were Samantha Nop, 10, and Emily Nop, 7. The girls know how hard their mom worked preparing for Tuesday's ceremony.
Samantha and Emily helped Em study for the citizenship test, frequently reading and quizzing her on the test questions. With her daughters' support, Em managed to study for the test without taking any classes.
Second-grader Emily can tell you who South Dakota's governor is, name the state's U.S. senators, along with identifying the president and the vice-president of the United States and Rapid City's mayor.
Mom was a good student, according to Samantha.
Em praised her daughters' knowledge of American history. "They know all," Em said, smiling at her daughters.
When Em went to Sioux Falls May 6 for her test, the girls stayed behind in Rapid City with family friend Carol Seitz.
Nop said Andrew Jensen, the applications support center manager for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and other officials were very helpful in hurrying his wife's citizenship through.
Em has always planned on becoming a citizen, but the cost of the application process -- $680 -- is costly, her husband said.
When Nop received his assignment for Germany, the family faced a dilemma because Em's Cambodian passport had expired. While they waited on arrangements for her to complete the U.S. citizenship process, they renewed her Cambodian passport at a cost of $800.
Then, they learned that her naturalization application could be hurried along. Tuesday's ceremony invalidated Em's Cambodian passport.
Jensen also assisted in smoothing the way for Liliya Aumiller, from Russia, to complete her citizenship ahead of the normal quarterly procedures.
Her husband, Jeremy Aumiller, is also in the Air Force. The family, which includes daughters Angelina, 3, and Kamiliya, 18 months, will leave for the United Kingdom in August.
After the ceremony and tearful goodbyes, the Nop family left immediately for Denver so Em can apply for an expedited U.S. passport.
"She has to be there in person, and they didn't say the price, either," Nop said, smiling. "That can't be good."
But, whatever the price, Nop and Em both savor the freedoms they have as United States citizens.
"We feel blessed to be here," Nop said.
Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com
The Nops are both Cambodian. Suntara Nop, 39, immigrated with his family 20 years ago. He has been a citizen for 15 years and has served in the Air Force for 12 years. The couple has been married for 10 years.
Both admit that relinquishing their Cambodian citizenship was not an easy decision, but they value the opportunity to make that choice.
"I think we appreciate it more, because we come from the other country," Nop said. "A lot of people here take things for granted."
Nop recalled suggesting a hiking trip into the mountains when they were living in Colorado Springs, Colo., shortly after the couple married. Fearing mine fields, Em refused to go into the wooded mountains. Children growing up in Cambodia are taught not to go into the woods because of buried mines, Nop said.
Em has not seen her family since leaving 10 years ago, and her parents have never met their grandparents.
"It's not safe," Em said.
After she has an American passport, Em hopes it will be possible to take her children to meet her parents.
Proudly watching their mom become an American citizen were Samantha Nop, 10, and Emily Nop, 7. The girls know how hard their mom worked preparing for Tuesday's ceremony.
Samantha and Emily helped Em study for the citizenship test, frequently reading and quizzing her on the test questions. With her daughters' support, Em managed to study for the test without taking any classes.
Second-grader Emily can tell you who South Dakota's governor is, name the state's U.S. senators, along with identifying the president and the vice-president of the United States and Rapid City's mayor.
Mom was a good student, according to Samantha.
Em praised her daughters' knowledge of American history. "They know all," Em said, smiling at her daughters.
When Em went to Sioux Falls May 6 for her test, the girls stayed behind in Rapid City with family friend Carol Seitz.
Nop said Andrew Jensen, the applications support center manager for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and other officials were very helpful in hurrying his wife's citizenship through.
Em has always planned on becoming a citizen, but the cost of the application process -- $680 -- is costly, her husband said.
When Nop received his assignment for Germany, the family faced a dilemma because Em's Cambodian passport had expired. While they waited on arrangements for her to complete the U.S. citizenship process, they renewed her Cambodian passport at a cost of $800.
Then, they learned that her naturalization application could be hurried along. Tuesday's ceremony invalidated Em's Cambodian passport.
Jensen also assisted in smoothing the way for Liliya Aumiller, from Russia, to complete her citizenship ahead of the normal quarterly procedures.
Her husband, Jeremy Aumiller, is also in the Air Force. The family, which includes daughters Angelina, 3, and Kamiliya, 18 months, will leave for the United Kingdom in August.
After the ceremony and tearful goodbyes, the Nop family left immediately for Denver so Em can apply for an expedited U.S. passport.
"She has to be there in person, and they didn't say the price, either," Nop said, smiling. "That can't be good."
But, whatever the price, Nop and Em both savor the freedoms they have as United States citizens.
"We feel blessed to be here," Nop said.
Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com
