THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607030068
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 77 lines
ROSEMARIE O'GRADY still remembers the flowered dress she wore with the open back and bow, and the ponytail in her hair. The T-shirt with the American flag she got from her husband still rests in her bureau.
Most of all, she remembers the date like it was etched in stone - July 21, 1990 - the day she became a citizen.
Today, the 35-year-old O'Grady will return the favor, organizing the swearing-in ceremony at Town Point Park for 26 new citizens from Jamaica, England, Pakistan, Uruguay, the Philippines, Korea, Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Iran, Grenada, Hong Kong, Haiti, Greece, Panama, Cambodia, Columbia, El Salvador and Antigua.
The ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. Fireworks, of course, will follow.
``I think the neatest part - and the part I remember so well - was when we all stood up individually and told them what country we were from,'' O'Grady said. ``It was like saying to the world: I'm an American citizen.
``It's almost like a wedding, except your married to a wonderful country.''
She first came to America in 1973 as Rosamaria Uribe Quintana, a 13-year-old from Mexico City who traveled to Westfield, N.J., to learn English. After one year of studies, she returned to Mexico City. By the time she was ready for high school, she was back with family friends in Jersey.
From the very start, she said, she'd wanted to become a citizen simply to vote. In Mexico's fledgling democracy, she said, ``we already knew who would be president before we voted.''
``In Mexico,'' she added, ``you were very aware of your limitations as a citizen.''
She became a Blue Devil at Westfield High School, graduated and went to Lynchburg College, where her student visa kept her secure. In her junior year she transferred to Virginia Tech. There she got a master's degree in English as a second language and met her husband.
``If I hadn't married,'' said O'Grady, ``I would have probably gotten several doctorates.''
The couple moved to Virginia Beach in 1985, and the citizenship process began.
After her first child was born, she befriended another citizenship applicant, Anupama Keats, a native of India.
Together, the two women crammed for their citizenship exam two to three times a week. While their two children played together, the mothers studied.
The exam is somewhat daunting to both non-citizen and citizen alike. However, Mike Eigner, a local Immigration and Naturalization Service agent, said officials want to help people pass. ``We kind of really bend over backward to help them,'' he said.
The failure rate locally is about 2 percent, Eigner said.
``If they can't say who the president is, or if they don't have a real command of the English language, we'll probably have to fail them,'' he said. ``But if they can't list the three branches of government, we're not going to fail them on something like that.''
At noon July 21, 1990, O'Grady took the oath, crying as she still does every Fourth of July or every time she recites the Pledge of Allegiance.
Two hours later, she was celebrating her citizenship as well as her daughter's first birthday with about 20 children.
``It was just a double-whammy,'' she said.
Today, O'Grady will be there for 26 others, helping them with their paperwork, making sure there are enough flags, and crying when the ceremony is complete.
And when July 21 rolls around, she will think back to the day when someone else helped her.
``On my daughter's birthday, I always celebrate two things,'' she said. ``My daughter's birthday and my birth.''
``And this year,'' O'Grady added, ``I'll be 6.'' ILLUSTRATION: Drawings by Janet Shaughnessy/The Virginian-Pilot
Every person applying for citizenship in the United States must pass
an examination showing that he or she is knowledgeable about U.S.
history and government. Here are some of the questions thay may
appear on the test:
Answers on Page E7.
KEYWORDS: U.S. CITIZEN FOURTH OF JULY by CNB