MIDDLETOWN--It may have taken years, even decades, of waiting, but on Wednesday 51 people became U.S. citizens in Middletown.
"I've been here for a while," said Dayne Ryan,of Windsor. "I've been here since 1981 and I've been working ever since then to become a citizen."
It's not just waiting that makes the process difficult. "A lot of things to learn, a lot of things to know," Ryan said of the naturalization process.
Some of the new citizens said they wanted the opportunity to have a voice, and to vote. But that doesn't mean it was an easy decision.
"It's kind of rewarding, confusing. You're giving away your loyalty to your country that we love, but it's a new journey for us," said Luis Fernandez, of West Hartford.
Nationwide, naturalization ceremonies are being held this week. By Saturday, there will be 4,000 new U.S. citizens.
