Leo McEvoy in front of the Teatro Real, a famous opera house in Madrid, Spain. Photo Creds: Leo McEvoy
Abbi Clark
Dual citizenship allows a person to be a citizen of two or more countries, often obtained when a person is born in one country but has parents or a spouse from another. At Watauga High School, many students hold dual citizenship with countries ranging from Sweden and Spain to Guatemala. Students with dual citizenship share insights from their connections to multiple countries.
“My dual citizenship is important to me because it means that I could have a future both here and in Spain, and I can travel and choose where I want to go,” said Leo McEvoy, junior. “I have access to healthcare and stuff that makes traveling a lot easier because we don’t have to get visas or anything. It's smooth.”
McEvoy visits Spain every summer for a period of about 2 months. On the other side, Iris Waters, freshman, lives in Spain most of the year and typically visits the U.S. every summer.
“I was born in the U.S. and then I moved to Spain when I was little and we got citizenship there. I'm only here for a semester to go to high school,” said Waters. “It was scary when I first came here, since I didn’t know anyone, but it’s gotten better.”
Dual citizenship is unique for each country, and some country’s benefits are greater than others. A European passport ensures easier access to all countries in the E.U., compared to just having an American citizenship.
“My mom was born and raised in Sweden so the whole family on my mom’s side is Swedish,” said Emmy Martinez, junior. “The reason I got my dual citizenship is because I was born there. My brothers were born in the states but they have dual citizenship because of their heritage. We’re all deeply immersed in the culture of Sweden.”
Jeff Ajxup-Ajxup, junior, has dual citizenship in Guatemala because his parents were born there, though he has only visited once he feels a strong connection to his parent’s home country.
“I went there for two weeks, and it was probably one of the best trips I’ve ever had in my life because I got to meet most of my family,” said Ajxup-Ajxup. “I plan on going back because my parents have a business there and they have a lot of other stuff there. I also want to go back and see my family.”
McEvoy, Waters, and Ajxup-Ajxup are all able to speak Spanish because of their relation to Spanish- speaking countries. A great advantage of being bilingual is that it opens up greater opportunities and allows them to communicate and connect with a diverse array of people.
“My dual citizenship gives me especially easy access to colleges in Spain and most of Europe. They’re a lot cheaper, and they give me opportunities especially in Spain with jobs,” said McEvoy.
Though European college or university isn’t their main option, both McEvoy and Martinez have heavily considered it.
“The main advantage [of dual citizenship] is definitely free college in Sweden. Not only can I go to college for free in Sweden I can also do it online from America, so I wouldn’t even have to leave the states,” said Martinez.
Dual citizenship is a major benefit for students here at Watauga who value traveling, studying abroad, and learning the languages from their country of origin. It is wonderful to see students at Watauga immersing themselves in multiple cultures and gaining a greater global understanding.
“I know that I don't have to choose one or the other. I can just go back and forth because I’m a citizen of both places,” said Ajxup-Ajxup.
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