My Memory Lane To USA

I had opted for a name change during my naturalization to become a U.S. citizen.  As a result, I had turned what used to be my nick name that my English teacher picked out for me when I was in 7th grade back home, into my legal name as an American.  It's because I have been using this "English" nick name during my college years here in the USA and for working with my American colleagues and employers that I just wanted to make it legal when it was such an easy opt-in on the  naturalization application form.    I don't know how other immigrants feel about adopting a new American name as a new citizen.  But in my situation, I was just feeling tired and sick of having to explain to new colleagues or new employers as to why I preferred to be called my English nick name and not the legal name on my social security card, green card, and transcripts.  I think I probably had explained this over a thousand times through out the years: It's because nobody w...

One of the prototypes of social security card shown on the Social Security Administration website.  I haven't updated my new U.S. citizenship status with the Social Security Administration yet. I'm still having the old social security card with my old name. (Yes, I changed my name during the naturalization process.)  I was told at the oath taking ceremony that I must wait at least 30 days before going to the office of social security to update my new citizenship status.   Like most new citizens who are always overthinking about how to follow the U.S. law to the T, I'm starting to question, is it really 30 days? Is it really that long?  Is it even reasonable it takes this long?  Did I hear it wrong at the oath taking ceremony?  Now, I'm starting to go crazy.  Is this sad?  I think this has to do with the trauma of waiting in line for so long  to become a U.S. citizen. The many years of feeling insecure about  my future in the USA h...