Miss Haas: Filipino blend in the American melting pot
- heisenhauer6
- Dec 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 15, 2024
What you need to know:
Miss Haas, who immigrated from the Philippines to the U.S., recently became a U.S. citizen.
For her, the accomplishment of citizenship is a lifelong celebration, but becoming a citizen does not mean that she will forget where she came from.
She has inspired her son to follow suit and embrace the opportunities citizenship brings.
Miss Haas moved from the Philippines
to the U.S. 12 years ago, living in the country as a permanent resident. This past November, she finally became a citizen of the United States after years of working hard and overcoming adversity.
“I had to leave my family behind—my four children behind—for a year or two so that I could settle here in the United States,” Haas said.
To Haas and her four boys, becoming part of the American fabric means more than just a legal status. And now, after years of waiting and studying, her dream of becoming an American citizen has finally come true.
“For me, having to pass the citizenship and being a US citizen is a celebration of a lifetime, so I will always be remembering this special day, and any time we feel the need to celebrate, or we have time, we’re going to celebrate,” Haas said.
Her son, Trevor, has spent over half of his life in the United States, so finally becoming a citizen will solidify his place and sense of belonging in the country.
“We’ve been here for 10 years, and it feels like it’s already impacted my life,” said Trevor Caubang, Haas's youngest son. “I feel like I’m becoming part of the American society, and I want to be actually fully integrated, rather than just being an outsider.”
One part of the process of naturalization includes an oral civics test in order to determine an applicant’s knowledge of the country.
“I actually studied a lot, I used a lot of different tools which are actually provided by the website, but at the same time, I researched on what they were supposed to be asking,” Haas said. “I joined a social media group where we share experiences with others, so I know what’s going on with other people.”
Now, after setting an example for her children, she’s helping her son study for his upcoming citizenship test.
“Now that my mom has become a citizen, it makes me feel excited because I look up to my mom a lot, and I want to be like her,” Caubang said.
Preserving her Filipino roots while embracing the American identity has been a vital aspect of Miss Haas's journey. Though she is now a U.S. citizen, she is determined to make sure her heritage will not be forgotten.
“In the Philippines, we have this traditional outfit, it’s called ‘baro't saya,’” Haas explained. “So during my oath-taking ceremony, I made it a point that the dress that I was wearing was inspired by the outfit—the ‘baro’t saya’—just so that in the future my future generations will see that I’m moving forward, but our Filipino heritage is never forgotten.”
On top of the civics test, the second part of the naturalization process includes an interview with a USCIS officer to verify an individual’s overall character.
“The officer that interviewed me was really accommodating, so it wasn’t really that hard on my part,” Haas explained.
For fellow immigrants, it is her hope that they will take the plunge and discover, as she did, that the journey is much less intimidating than it seems.
“I really had a lot of fears, like fear of being rejected, fear of not being able to complete it,” Haas said. “They just want you to have a good moral character, that’s what it’s all about. So overcome that fear, and just be a good citizen or a good person in general.”
Entering a new chapter, citizenship opens doors and brings new opportunities for Miss Haas and Trevor.
“I’m really excited to have certain privileges, such as the travel restriction is less when I become a citizen, and the right to vote would also give me a chance to have a say in US politics,” Caubang said.
“I felt like I have overcome all these struggles, and be able to come out with something very meaningful to me and my family,” Haas expressed.
It is families like this that contribute to the “great American melting pot,” enriching the nation with diverse stories of perseverance, heritage, and the shared dream of opportunity.
Comments