Decades after I first glimpsed French Elle and dreamed of my future chicness, I have passed my citizenship exam. It feels like a genuine privilege, writes Emma Beddington
describes the process as “full of pitfalls”, with refugees, elderly people and those without a stable address left behind. Not just them: my sister, who has worked in a refuge for vulnerable people in Paris for years, had her application rejected on a technicality. She’s reapplying, but pessimistic. The situation for would-be citizens is much worse here in the UK , but theDespite all this, I’m thrilled and grateful.
Sorry, I’m still a bit tipsy from the 10am glass of champagne at my citizenship ceremony in London this morning . If there had been a final Gallic insouciance test, I would have failed: I spent ages worrying what to wear and whether I should clear my browser history of all traces of Emily in Paris.
Ultimately, I needn’t have worried . Twenty of us were becoming French, happy, relieved and slightly self-conscious. The consul gave a genuinely moving speech about Republican values, quoted Camus – of course – on European identity, said we were “living proof you can’t define national identity restrictively” and shook our hands. We sang the Marseillaise , took photos and ate an eccentric selection of snacks .
Wanting citizenship – of anywhere – is an expression of hope, and aspiration. It means something; it’s OK for it not to be easy, but it should be fair. “France’s identity is constantly evolving and being built; the national story is being written daily and it is fed by all those who choose to become French, like you,” the consul said, which is beautiful and inspiring. But it could be an even better, richer, story.
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