We had been here in Ontario for 2 years when we applied for Citizenship. We downloaded the forms from the net - http://www.cic.gc.ca - filled them in, paid the fees, included the photos and sent the whole thing off.

We back heard very quickly rom the powers-that-be with a booklet that we needed to study and a date for our Citizenship Test. We studied and studied. Learned a great deal about Canandian history, politics, traditions. It was fascinating. And we worried. A lot. But we needn't have done. As I have mentioned before I am good at worrying. I practice all the time. But the test was almost fun, or at least funny.

We went to Kingston and being us, we got there early. Smiled at the ladies behind the desk. One smiled back. The other..... well perhaps she had not yet had her morning coffee... or hemlock... or tipple of her choice. The first lady glanced at her companion, blushed and then stared at the desk. Apparently said lady shalt not speak to the immigrants until the appointed time or she shalt be smote.. or something along those lines. But she did tell us where to get a good cup of coffee whilst waiting.

So we left and found a Tim Horton's for coffee and eventually went back. Again the ladies studiously ignored everyone but at least there were other people looking equally lost. We wandered around the room studying the lovely stained glass windows, smiled at the other applicants. Then we lined up, suddenly the ladies could see us, signed our names, showed our I.D. and that of our son. We then wandered over to the tables set out and waited.

As normal people do we started to chat with the many other applicants sitting at our table and others.

Then the exam began. First of all we were warned that if we cheated we would be taken out side, beaten severely, shot, hanged drawn and quartered and then deported. OK OK, maybe she just sounded that way, we were warned that if we cheated we would be removed and would have to appear before the judge and would probably be severely punished. We were also immediately told that married couples and friends had to move to separate tables. The lady in charge proceeded to separate two gentlemen of similar hue but who had never met before, just in case. All of which was a bit academic since everyone on the table got a different test paper anyway.

To our amazement there were no complicated questions. It was a miltiple choice form. 20 questions. You are allowed to get quite a few wrong. I am not going to tell you how many because I still think it's a good idea that all of us should study for the test. Just try not to worry.
Go to Chapter Fifteen

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