The proudest Americans
Dinner Date CJ Fitzwater
America is a land of unique cultures and individuals, and it has been that way even before the Pilgrims settled in Plymouth 404 years ago with many native tribes maintaining distinct cultures that set them apart from one another.
In the late 18th century, the term “melting pot” was coined to describe the kind of heterogeneous society America was becoming. This term suggests that cultures and races blend together as foreign elements with different cultural backgrounds are introduced.
However, I once read a perspective advocating for the term “salad bowl” instead, as it more accurately represents each culture maintaining its own traditions and distinct identities while still participating in the broader American culture. Instead of everything melting together like a sauce, a tomato stays distinct from an onion, cucumber or lettuce.
If you want to see the proudest Americans, I suggest attending a swearing-in ceremony for new U.S. citizens. I’m the general manager of Northeast Auto Auction in Kittery, Maine, and I work with a fantastic team that makes my job not only easy but also fun and colorful.
One of my hardworking co-workers is Andrea Lumasac Penney, whom we call Dea. The stylish 27-year-old is a native of the Philippines and is not only part of our team but also a waitress at The Old Salt in Hampton and an Instagram model.
Dea met Jacob, a North Hampton, New Hampshire, native, while she was in Colorado on a J-1 student visa. At the time, Jacob was working as a snowboard instructor and chef.
In 2020, Dea returned to the United States on a K-1 visa, which allows U.S. citizens to bring their noncitizen fiancés to the U.S. for marriage, after which the fiancé can apply for permanent residency. Introduced in 1952 and reformed by the Immigration Act of 1990, the K-1 visa has facilitated international relationships and family reunification.
Dea had been studying in her spare time for her naturalization exam. A few examples of questions on the 100-question exam include: “How many amendments does the Constitution have?” (27) and “How many U.S. senators are there?” (100). It is not an easy exam, but it is one that each applicant seeking naturalization must pass to become a U.S. citizen.
The oath is even more interesting. Here is the oath each new citizen must say, feel free to take this opportunity to raise your right hand and take the oath as you read along: “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
I met Dea, her husband, Jacob, her mother-in-law, Jodi Penney, sister-in-law Jesse Piekarski, best friend, Diana Sturm, co-workers Anna Fontaine, Jen Kimball and Jen’s boyfriend, Marc Cogswell, at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Bedford, New Hampshire.
The security was pretty tight, so the line to enter the building was a bit long, but the excitement of the 20 or so people getting sworn in, along with their families, created a sense of anticipation as we slowly made our way through the X-ray scanner and metal detector.
Even the security guards shared in the joy, offering the oath takers their first congratulations on becoming a U.S. citizen. We waited until the room was filled and ready for the ceremony to begin. The USCIS official welcomed everyone, explained the process, and asked all the new citizens to raise their right hands. We held flags as Dea took her oath and received her official certificate of naturalization.
After the ceremony, we ventured across the street to what used to be the Bedford Mall, where I had worked as a teenager at MVP Sports. The mall is long gone, replaced by a cluster of densely packed retail stores and restaurants.
Dea chose to have breakfast at Tucker’s, a chain with six locations throughout New Hampshire that prides itself on sourcing as much food as possible locally. Last year, they spent $2.7 million on locally sourced ingredients – over 55% of their total budget. After a brief wait while they prepared a table for nine, we all sat down. Many of us had just met that morning, and the meal gave us an opportunity to get to know each other better.
Jodi was cautiously proud of her son, his marriage and Dea’s new citizenship. Jesse was also beaming with pride. Jacob, a charming young man, with a great sense of humor, and clearly in love with his wife, pulled out his wallet to show a cherished photo of himself and Dea from their first date in Colorado in 2019. The picture, taken when they were slightly younger, showed Dea holding a bouquet of tulips. Jacob proudly shared that he had “traded tulips for two lips” with a kiss from his beautiful young date.
When the food arrived, I was mistakenly served Marc’s plate, likely because someone said it was for “the guy with the beard.” Mark has a slightly longer beard than I do, and even though it was our first time meeting, I recognized him as a dealer at The Brook in Seabrook.
His girlfriend, Jen, a hardworking mother, juggles her job at the auction with serving at the Library Restaurant in Portsmouth, a high-end steakhouse in the historic Rockingham Hotel, now converted into condos. I sat next to my longtime work companion Anna, who only ordered a pumpkin latte for breakfast. I couldn’t resist the tempting menu and opted for the drop biscuits and gravy. I’m a sucker for a good biscuit, and as I prepare to become Santa for the holiday season, I’m in my “bulking up” phase.
We all chose from the very diverse menu that included omelets, breakfast bowls, skillets, and an even more expansive lunch menu. Across from me sat Diana, a beautiful young Russian immigrant who is here also on a K-1 90-day fiancé visa, and is also in the process of becoming naturalized.
She chose a couple of slices of pumpkin bread, calling it a breakfast dessert since she had already eaten earlier that morning. What was missing was Dea’s Filipino family; they would have loved to be there for this wonderful moment, but they were half a world away.
Despite that, the group of Dea’s American family, and once strangers made up her company, we were a “salad bowl” tossed together by Dea’s magnetism, witnessing an important moment not only for her but for the other 20 or so brand new proud Americans.
“Dinner Date” is a series of stories written by Salisbury resident C.J. Fitzwater about the places and people he meets locally for dinner. If you are interested in meeting and telling your story, send him an email at cfitzwater@ymail.com.
Curious Traveler 
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