it's official OMG

Just checking in to announce that as of today, I am officially an American citizen. I don't feel any more American now than I did this morning before the oath ceremony, but having taken this final step on the long bureaucratic route that started approximately 15 years ago has pushed a huge weight off my shoulders. Granted, there is still the name change thing and all the hassle that will come with it... but seeing as this was my only opportunity to legally change my name at no extra cost (besides the $675 I had to pay for the citizenship application... lol), I would have been stupid not to use it. I don't even have to make court appointments for it, since the oath ceremony took place before a judge and I received a legal document, proving my name has been changed, along with my citizenship certificate (which, of course, bears the new name). What I need to do now is notify all relevant institutions - starting with Social Security, where I need to update my status from permanent resident to citizen. But it's not terribly urgent and I don't have to do it all at once. I don't suppose any of my documents bearing the 'old' name (driver's license, credit cards etc.) have suddenly become invalid - that would be absurd, wouldn't it?

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