Twitter and the Naturalization Ceremony
My regular readers know that although the main focus of this blog is Microsoft Outlook efficiency, I sometime digress into topics that I think you may find of interest. Today I was inspired by a message on Facebook from my new friend Eric G. Herman to write about a stream of tweets I posted on Twitter during my husband’s United States Naturalization ceremony in October. Besides being inspirational, this tweet stream had some other implications that many of you who don’t quite get Twitter yet may find interesting.
This past October 29th, my husband Mushahid became a United States citizen along with about 2000 other immigrants at the M. O. Campbell Educational Center in Houston, TX. Before and during the ceremony I made posts on Twitter (also known as “tweets”) about the experience – below is my Tweet stream:
- At my husband’s naturalization ceremony
- Hmmn told to be here at 7:00 am – just told ceremony won’t start for an hour & to buy concessions
- Concession stand at
- @NSKinsella and child on their way here for Mush’s US Naturalization ceremony
- Color guard just entered auditorium for husband’s US Naturalization ceremony
- Thanks to everyone who tweeted congratulations on husband’s becoming a citizen!
- Still waiting for ceremony to begin – lots of people here!
- @AllicatCO he’s British, but his parents are originally from
- Yeah – court is in session!
- Color guard just dismissed
- Apparently you can request a name change at the same time you become a citizen
- Taking oath now
- Wow that was so cool! 8 members of armed services just became citizen – very cool!
- And apparently there is an olympian diver
- Immigrant from
- Our speaker is former special agent in charge of US Immigration Office in
- Just said the pledge of allegiance – 1st time with a lump in my throat
- Now singing national anthem
- Judge is now encouraging the new citizens to keep improving their English
- Can’t wait to hear husband’s feedback after first time serving on a jury
- Hearing adjourned –
- Too late to vote in November 4th election
- @beulahgg there were people from over 100 countries, probably 1-2000 people total, & I know at least one was a conservative
- @roguesun @MDU1109 @andrewgreene @mbking @rockson @kathweaver @yatpundit @Sky_bluez @JosephTX @scottblair @urbanhoustonian @asblumberg 😀
- I love my Tweople – thanks to all of you for your congratulations and sweet tweets!
- @akpoff thanks and no, my husband will not be able to vote in an election until December because of
This Twitter stream produced more replies and direct messages than any other topic I have ever tweeted about. In my opinion it was because I was a) telling a story b) that people were interested in hearing c) centered around a live event. No, I didn’t make any sales that day, but I connected with a lot of wonderful people on Twitter and I will never forget all the kind and supportive tweets they sent me in replies nor the many comments I’ve heard since from people like Eric who enjoyed following that Tweet stream.
It looks like I’ve come full circle this year back to Kelsey Ruger’s presentation at Got Social Media – modern online marketing has brought us back closer to the kind of relationship selling employed back when goods were purchased at the town market.
This is great, congratulations to Mush. I went through the same ceremony in 2002 and it was memorable (minus the tweets). Yes name change was easy, especially when shortening one’s name.
twitter @betancourtc
Thanks, Claude, and congrats to you as well!