Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Here, in America, 'I have my life'

BETH QUIMBY

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John Patriquin /Staff Photographer; Tues. 02/09/2010. New citizens Anita Soares is photographed by her husband Savio after a Naturalization ceremony was held at the Falmouth Middle School. They are from India and now live in Portland.

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John Patriquin /Staff Photographer; Tues. 02/09/2010. Asha Ali (in center) from Somalia and now Portland was among 44 people from 26 countries to receive their US Citizenship at a Naturalization ceremony held at the Falmouth Middle School.

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Staff Writer

FALMOUTH — The last time Lisa Cooke of Falmouth watched the Olympics with her husband and children, she realized it was time to become an American citizen.

Cooke, a native Australian, rooted for Australia while her British husband, Paul, cheered on the United Kingdom's athletes. That left their two children, Douglas, now 8, and Adelaide, now 11, to support the U.S. teams.

''They were not too pleased with us,'' Cooke said.

That was part of the reason why Cooke swore the oath of U.S. citizenship Tuesday with 46 other people from 24 countries in a naturalization ceremony at Falmouth Middle School.

Every year, about 1,100 foreign residents in Maine become U.S. citizens. Most take the oath in administrative ceremonies held in courtrooms.

The ceremony at Falmouth Middle School, which has become an annual event, is a much more elaborate observance. This year it featured performances by the school chorus and a speech by Reza Jalali, a writer and refugee activist who lives in Falmouth.

The group was surrounded by hundreds of camera-toting friends, family members and fifth-graders, who acted as hosts after studying U.S. immigration.

The soon-to-be citizens came in all sizes and skin shades, with different accents and different stories of how they ended up in Maine. But they all wore the same broad smiles as they received their certificates of naturalization.

Mama Sora, 25, said he moved to Maine from Mali to attend Husson College in Bangor. ''And then I met this beautiful lady,'' he said.

Five years later, he is married and has a 3-year-old child. He's about to get his bachelor's degree and he's working in customer service for Bank of America.

''Everything has come so fast,'' said Sora, who plans to go on to graduate school and some day work for the federal government.

Suad Abrar, who entered the U.S. on a lottery visa, moved to Lewiston from Somalia five years ago with her son. She said her life would have been very different in her homeland.

''I would stay home and take care of children and cook,'' she said. Here, she is able to work, attend adult education classes and drive her own car.

''I am helping myself. I have my life. I like it in America,'' Abrar said.

Anita Soares and her husband, Savio, moved to Portland from Goa, India, 11 years ago. She said their decision to become citizens came easily.

Their daughter, who is 5, is a citizen and they have built a life in the U.S., where many of their relatives now live, Anita Soares said. The couple said they are eager to vote, but not so enthusiastic about being able to serve on a jury.

Cooke said she didn't intend to stay in the U.S. when she landed what she believed would be a temporary job in 1991 as a physical therapist in Boston.

Then she met Paul, who works for a Japanese paper company. The couple had two children and moved to Falmouth for its quality of life and proximity to an airport.

As a new citizen, she said, it will be easy for her to cheer for the American athletes when the Winter Olympics open this week, especially since Australia won't have a large presence.

But the summer games may be a challenge, Cooke said, because her sister was an Olympic swimmer for Australia.

''Yes, that will still be difficult, won't it?'' she said.

Staff Writer Beth Quimby can be contacted at 791-6363 or at:

bquimby@pressherald.com