Few dreams exceed that of an immigrant becoming a United States citizen. It is a process that spans years, hoops, and tests. Western Reserve Masonic Community (WRMC) is proud to be the home-away-from-home for one of the country’s newest members, Miroslaw “Mike” Brys.
Mike and his wife, Joanna, are originally from Cieszyn, a town that is split between Poland and the Czech Republic. They lived on the Polish side. They enjoyed traveling the world, but realized when visiting Joanna’s sister in Ohio that they wanted to make the United States their permanent home.
The process began with a sponsorship for green cards from Joanna’s sister in 1996. There was a 12-year wait, meaning the green cards would not be issued until 2008.
Mike began working in the maintenance department at WRMC in 2011. Before his first shift started, he had already been in the naturalization process for 15 years.
Over the years, Mike, Joanna, and their son, Daniel, have all grown accustomed to the American way of life. “Freedom is the best part of the United States,” says Mike. “If you grow up here, you don’t realize it, but freedom is something you don’t find everywhere.”
Mike received his green card in 2008 and was anxiously awaiting his opportunity to become an official U.S. citizen. That dream was realized on January 16, 2015. Mike was welcomed into citizenship after successfully passing an exam and swearing an oath to the American flag. He is extremely grateful to be a part of a nation he says is “full of wonderful people.” He misses his family in Poland and England, but is looking forward to fully integrating as an American citizen. What is he most looking forward to about his new status? Voting!
