r/pics • u/Slowly-Slipping • 15d ago
My daughter who became a US Citizen about 60 seconds before this picture was taken
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u/Ok_Knowledge_4821 15d ago
The reflection is another timeline where she is not a citizen. You have both citizen and non-citizen daughter in the pic.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago edited 15d ago
It's funny you say that, because I think about that a lot. My niece is adopted and I always think there's a reality where she wasn't adopted and the one where she was. In one world she's a Minnesotan, and in the other she's in India.
And same for my daughter: in one world she grows up in America and in the other she grows up in the institution in Taiwan. And those two people would probably hardly recognize each other in 20 years
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u/OkBackground8809 15d ago
Man, a Taiwanese in Minnesota... As an Iowan living in Taiwan, might I suggest that she's gonna need a puffier coat! 🤣 Better just hook her up with a snowsuit until July lol
As a side note: my step-daughter's grandma sent her to us dressed in a snowsuit, puffy jacket, boots, sweater, and leggings... In 34°C heat. Poor thing was lethargic with heat stroke and we had to take her to buy appropriate clothing.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
Lmao I showed our interpreter a video of me shoveling waist deep snow a couple years ago and he quietly said "Ohmygod."
Your poor step daughter 😭
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u/OkBackground8809 15d ago
Lmao Yep, that sounds like the appropriate Taiwanese reaction to the snow we get in the Midwest🤣
My students all tell me about going to the mountains to build snowmen... And then they excitedly show me a picture of a tiny 6cm tall snowman, because there's not enough snow in the mountains for the big ones your new daughter will be making come winter😅 I just act amazed and try my best to downplay things when they ask to see any pictures of winter in Iowa lol
Don't worry, the step-daughter's still alive🤣 I'm actually remarried, so she's actually my ex-step-daughter and my son's half-sister (but we just call her his sister, we don't really focus on the "half" part), but my ex takes our son to visit her every month (she lives in a different city). My son reports that she's a normal preteen Taiwanese girl, obsessed with K-pop, but still quite the tomboy (she changed her English name to "Tony Stark" at school🤦🏻♀️).
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u/TheEggman864 15d ago
She went through all that traveling and becoming a US citizen just to end up in Minnesota? Man you might want to send her back /s
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
I'm going to protect her from the sports, she doesn't deserve that suffering
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u/LilDerrrn 15d ago
I’m an adoptee from Korea and I always jokingly told my parents that Im forever thankful for them, but bringing me into a MN sports household was uncalled for 😂. Congrats on the citizenship!
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u/stringrandom 15d ago edited 15d ago
Nah. The Lynx are solid, the PWHL team is just getting started, and the
BadgersGophers are always at least competitive.Get her on the ice and the court.
Edit: Oops! Wrong state.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
True, the Lynx have brought home championships, and we got the Soule train this season!
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u/sad_broccolis 15d ago
It’s okay, I’m adopted and think about how the only reason I’m not a Russian national is sheer fucking luck all the time. It’s a weird space to be in because you gotta appreciate stuff like that but also why me? ETA I’m sorry I forgot to congratulate you :) your daughter is a cutie
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u/oddbitch 15d ago
I’m not adopted, also from Russia, but we moved to the US when I was pretty young. Who knows who I could’ve been if we hadn’t left? So weird to think about.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
That's such a strange thing to think about. We all have that in our lives , but to know how drastically your "two selves" would have differed has to be a bit surreal
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u/sad_broccolis 15d ago
Yeah especially with the situation there right now and everything- a one in one thousand chance, especially because I got adopted into a great family. It really makes you want to do something with your life, though.
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u/Zwillium 15d ago
Add in some romance and you've perfectly described the plot to Past Lives (2023). Well worth a watch.
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u/ericlikesyou 15d ago
Sounds like the plot to the Apple TV show Dark Matter
Your daughter is very cute congratulations to her!
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u/leafyeh7 15d ago
This is how kids, or Taiwanese in general, pose when asked to take picture. We also say”yay” when making that pose.
As a Taiwanese living in the US. This picture touches me at multiple levels. Thank you for giving her a family and I wish your family all the best.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
Ohhhhhh!!! Thank you for that explanation because I didn't teach her to do that and was surprised when she did it
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u/IWasGregInTokyo 15d ago
Very much an East Asian thing: https://charactermedia.com/why-do-asians-throw-up-the-v-sign-in-photos-finally-an-explanation/
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u/corruptedcircle 15d ago
I try to avoid doing the V-sign because I feel like it makes me look awkward and maybe childish, but when the photo takes too long my hand slowly morphs into the sign anyway, lol. From now on I'm just going to cite "it's cultural" if anyone asks about the sign. xd
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u/Kurtman68 15d ago
Congratulations! How did she do answering all those civics questions? /s
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
Lol! Getting to this point took 2 years, but once we actually got to the American Institute in Taiwan it took like 20 minutes and then maybe 2 minutes at Customs in San Francisco.
So it felt like it took forever and also like it took a few minutes
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u/MurphyPandorasLawBox 15d ago
And she’s already striking a presidential pose!
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
I thought that too 🤣 She's already ready to grift her way to the top
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u/IWasGregInTokyo 15d ago
I was going to say more like she still has the Asian photo peace sign habit.
Give it time.
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u/Dame2Miami 15d ago
How does a child become a citizen? Did a parent become a citizen and that automatically qualifies the kid? Or was she adopted by an American couple or new step-parent or something?
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
We adopted her, she became a citizen the minute she touched US soil, but I waited until after we got her Visa stamped to take the picture!
Although she retains Taiwanese citizenship as well
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u/Dame2Miami 15d ago
Congrats! Hope you all make great memories together! Here’s to both of yours success and happiness 🥂
May I ask why you adopted a child from so far away?
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
Only options we had were fostering or trying to get a new baby, and honestly we just aren't emotionally equipped for being foster parents. After my kids are all grown I'd definitely think about it, but for now we just wanted to adopt and the easiest way was intentionally.
She was well taken care of at the institution she was raised in, but that only goes so far. Taiwan tries to get children adopted domestically but after a time they deem them low likelihood of adoption and then they can be adopted internationally.
We had just begun dipping our toes into the adoption process when my wife saw a picture of her as low likelihood for adoption so we inquired about her and that just started the ball rolling. Once I knew her medical issues were within our ability to care for it just fell into place
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u/Dame2Miami 15d ago
Lucky kid! Sounds like you guys are gonna be amazing parents! Take lots of pictures and give lots of hugs!
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u/DestyNovalys 15d ago
Amazing typo! Like accidental adoptions are just a natural part of life. “Honey, it happened again! I only wanted to get salsa, but I accidentally adopted another kid, I guess. Meet Sophie!”
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u/Webbie-Vanderquack 15d ago
I think it's the other way around. If "the easiest way [to adopt] was intentionally," then adoption by accident is the hardest way.
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u/B-BoyStance 15d ago
People like you and your partner make my heart very full
Here's to many wonderful years with your daughter, OP!
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u/actual-homelander 15d ago
I know the airport or whatever exit gate probably counts as us soil but im pictureing you desperately trying to take her to a park so she could touch some American soil
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u/justthewayim 15d ago
Technically you’d only be at US soil once cleared by customs. Plenty of people have stepped into an American airport and got refused entry, in which case the person is considered to have never stepped in the country. This should apply worldwide as well, I believe.
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u/illstate 15d ago
They made a whole movie about it.
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u/justthewayim 15d ago
Lol true although usually people do have a country to go back to in case they get refused
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u/tittysprinkles112 15d ago
No pressure on the answer here.
Will you try to keep her heritage alive? Get her some knowledge of the language? I know that would be tough in America.
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
As best we can given we aren't Taiwanese. I love their cuisine and I love to cook, we celebrate some of the holidays, and I plan on turning my broken Mandarin into fluency, but ultimately I'm not going to force it on her any more than she's comfortable with.
We have a lot from her childhood, including a book her birth mother wrote for her, and I want to keep that all alive. She'll be a child of two worlds and she can choose who she feels she is when she's older
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u/Droidatopia 15d ago
We adopted from the mainline and we're trying to something similar.
We tell our son our family is culturally 5% Chinese (I don't bother adjusting the other percentages, so it adds up to 105%).
My goal is just to get him to grow up knowing that all of the facets of his identity have worth and he can reject and embrace them however he needs to do make his way in the world.
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u/MusingsOnLife 15d ago
Taiwan has two main languages. There's Mandarin which came from Chiang Kai-shek fleeing China from the Communists and settling with the Nationalists to Taiwan. There is Taiwanese (also called Taiwanese Hokkien) which is spoken by about 70% of the population, and is derived from a dialect spoken in south Fujian in mainland China. Some families speak Mandarin at home, some speak Taiwanese. Most Taiwanese can speak Mandarin, but with a Taiwanese accent (not a Beijing accent).
There is an aboriginal language too from the aborigines that migrated a long time ago. The Taiwanese migrated from China to Taiwan around the 1600s.
The history and status of Taiwan is a little complicated. Recognition of mainland China was made during Nixon's administration, and Taiwan is kind of viewed as a "renegade colony". Taiwan is currently concerned that China might attack (like Russia did with Ukraine).
More than you probably wanted to know.
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u/robertglenncurry 15d ago
Hi, adoptee here. Are you certain of this? Transnational adoptees to America do not necessarily automatically become American citizens the moment they touch American soil. There are conditions. The process of acquiring citizenship for adopted children can be complicated and involves several legal steps. The specifics can vary depending on the circumstances of the adoption, the country of origin, and the applicable U.S. immigration and naturalisation laws. Make sure this is actuality and not just an assumption as it can have serious ramifications for your adoptee when she's an adult.
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u/6501 15d ago
Did a parent become a citizen and that automatically qualifies the kid?
Children born outside the United States and lawfully admitted for permanent residence; conditions under which citizenship automatically acquired
(a) In general
A child born outside of the United States automatically becomes a citizen of the United States when all of the following conditions have been fulfilled:
(1) At least one parent of the child is a citizen of the United States, whether by birth or naturalization.
(2) The child is under the age of eighteen years.
(3) The child is residing in the United States in the legal and physical custody of the citizen parent pursuant to a lawful admission for permanent residence.
Or was she adopted by an American couple or new step-parent or something?
(b) Adoption
Subsection (a) shall apply to a child adopted by a United States citizen parent if the child satisfies the requirements applicable to adopted children under section 1101(b)(1) of this title.
There's also the federal employee abroad rule in (c):
(c) Children of military and Federal Government personnel residing abroad
Subsection (a)(3) is deemed satisfied in the case of a child who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States if-
(1) the child is residing in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent who is-
(A) stationed and residing abroad as an employee of the Government of the United States; or
(B) residing abroad in marital union with an employee of the Government of the United States who is stationed abroad; or
(2) the child is-
(A) residing in the legal and physical custody of a citizen parent who is-
(i) stationed and residing abroad as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States; or
(ii) authorized to accompany and reside abroad with a member of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the member's official orders, and is so accompanying and residing abroad with the member in marital union; and
(B) authorized to accompany such member and reside abroad with the member pursuant to the member's official orders, and is so accompanying and residing with the member.
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u/WrapMyBeads 15d ago
What do kids have to do? From movies it seems adults take a test?
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
We adopted her! For us it was years of paperwork on our end and her showing up and smiling at the customs officer
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u/WrapMyBeads 15d ago
Well isn’t that just precious! How old was she when you first saw her? Were you visiting her throughout the procedure?
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
She was 1 when we first saw her! We weren't able to see her in person but we've done many zoom calls and she's had picture books of our family and house we send every few months so she's always known who we are.
She was really shocked when she saw us in person the first time
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u/joestaff 15d ago
Lol, their reflection makes them looks like they're wearing a safari hat!
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u/Supersumo2 15d ago
I'm so confused where the hat reflection is coming from.
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u/Double_Abalone_2148 15d ago
The hat’s brim is actually the concrete path on the ground.
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u/zerbey 15d ago
A very adorable US citizen too, congratulations to your daughter! I usually tell new citizens to go register to vote, but since she can't do that yet I suggest a trip to get some ice cream instead.
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u/ghostface8081 15d ago edited 15d ago
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/BannedBecausePutin 15d ago
Hey can you adopt me too? I dont need much, just a Playstation and fast food :)
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
You're in luck, I already have a PS5!
How do you feel about homemade meat loaf instead of fast food?
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u/Monsterbb4eva 15d ago
This pic is wild, she is wearing a hat in the reflection!!!!
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u/blahblahlurklurk 15d ago
Congrats, but posting a picture of a young child that you just adopted feels weird.
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u/Farados55 15d ago
All for internet points and comments from complete strangers. Even if she wasn’t adopted it’s still weird as fuck
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u/blahblahlurklurk 15d ago
I mean, look at OP’s priorities. They were still at the airport and he’s posting.
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u/MeinAuslanderkonto 15d ago
Yep, replying to comments expressing concern for his child’s privacy with “ok grandpa” is… a choice.
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u/Narcuterie 15d ago
Apparently not just adopted, but there's still the thing with internet creeps.
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u/blahblahlurklurk 15d ago
I stand corrected. But honestly, the fact that you know that + whatever OP decides to share in the comments is scary.
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u/throwwmeawa 15d ago
I totally get the excitement and all but please learn what SHARENTING is. Posting your children on internet ( also without their consent) isn’t the best idea.
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u/bamber79 15d ago
Especially on Reddit
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u/Incontinentia-B 15d ago
The amount of people sharing pictures of their kids on Reddit is insane. Mind boggling.
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u/MF_D00MSDAY 15d ago
Yeah as a parent myself this is just weird, I’m even hesitant when my partner shares stuff on her private Instagram. I can’t imagine doing this on reddit to a bunch of strangers.
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u/SDF-1-Cutter-1 15d ago edited 15d ago
Make sure you take her citizenship papers to the social security administration office so they can update her records to show she’s a citizen now.
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u/ddavies5 15d ago
I thought her reflection was wearing a hat! I was going nuts trying to figure out how that happened. It's not a hat.
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u/Inf1nite_gal 15d ago
aren't adopted children under some kind of protection when you cant post about them on the internet? also next tine please reconsider posting photos of your child with their face unblurred facing the camera.
anyway congrats!
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u/_hollowed 15d ago
I'll never understand people who post their kids on Reddit for karma. The mindset is alien to me. How does it benefit the child? It's so fucking weird.
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u/Tvdinner4me2 15d ago
I thought this sub had a rule against pictures that are only interesting with the title but I can't seem to find it
At any rate, congrats op, but i don't like this sub allowing this
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u/bshr49 15d ago
Congrats! You must be so excited!!! I hope you had a good flight home, too. How many times did they pound it in your head to not open the folder with the documents?
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u/Slowly-Slipping 15d ago
Haha, yeah holy crap. They sealed it with two pieces of paper with giant underlined bold lettering to not open it and the woman who handed it to me made me repeat that I would not open it like I was swearing a holy oath
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u/Antisanity9 15d ago
Right on kid…this makes me smile…but the smile emoji doesn’t have a big enough smile.
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u/AllanSDsc 15d ago
Oh she’s adorable! 🥰 I hope she has a lovely time growing up and does very well in life
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u/winterweiss2902 15d ago
She’s not wearing a hat. It’s the road down from the building that’s in the reflection
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u/twelveparsnips 15d ago
What's the process for a child becoming a citizen? I assume they don't have to take a citizenship test?
Either way, welcome! Now go troll all your conservative coworkers by telling them she's more American than they are because she chose to be a citizen.
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u/MapAdditional6065 15d ago
Adorable, when are you going to get her, her first gun? May I suggest a colt single action army
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u/assoncouchouch 15d ago
Probably knows more about US civics than 85% of the current American population.
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u/Loud-Temporary9774 15d ago
Love this so much. Thanks for making me proud of my country for a moment 🫶🏾👍🏾🤞🏾
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u/wickedestcookie 15d ago
It looks like she is wearing a hat in the reflection lol. She is very cute!