Today we wanted to take a moment and congratulate Fez Mabaquiao on officially becoming a United States Citizen last month!
“ I am officially part of this great country. I can stand tall and proud whenever I see the flag, and I can be part of the longstanding traditions in the US. It feels awesome! It’s one of those feelings where you just say, “I’m finally here”. It’s kind of like finally reaching the top of the mountain. It’s definitely been a journey but I’m happy that I finally made it. “
Fez officially moved to the United States in 2011. He had previously visited in 2005 and knew he wanted to work here, so decided to finish college here. He transferred to and graduated from Loyola University Maryland (Go Hounds!). After which, he managed to landed a job that would keep him in Baltimore and close to family.
Growing up, Fez had watched a lot of moves and shows based on life in the United States. These episodes and moves are what inspired him to look into the process of becoming a citizen.
“I remember watching TV commercials as a kid, and I was always jealous of seeing Fruity Pebbles on TV. We didn’t have that from where I’m from! Something as small as that sparked my goal to live here, and eventually become a citizen. As an adult, I can list so many different reasons but they all boil down to the way of life and the culture here. “
That being said:
“One thing that I love about this great nation is our freedom, and it is for this reason that people flock to this country. I believe freedom can have different definitions depending on the person, but the one common factor is we can exercise it. We must not forget that because of this freedom we have the opportunity to pursuit our goals. Whether you are striving to be the fittest or to be the next managing director of your team, you have the freedom to make these happen. It may not be easy but it can be achieved. “
The process to become a United States citizen is not a an easy one. It’s a long, hard process to become one, and not something that happens overnight. In Fez’s situation, he had to wait at least five years to apply. During that time Fez spent time studying for the exam and joined crossfit.
“I started Crossfit back in January of 2017. I can still remember foundations, and my first class after that!”
The family he’s made here at Industry Athletics actually played an important role in the entire process.
“A lot of my friends quizzed me for the test, and cheered me on! All of them wished me luck on the day of my interview, and they congratulated me right after I passed! After my oath taking, we all wod-ed in red, white and blue! It was so cool to see them all support me that day. They felt extremely excited for me to be finally American! We then went out for burgers that night. I definitely felt the love from my Crossfit family.”
